No Agenda Episode 1370 - "Jab Click Share"

  No Agenda Episode 1370 - "Jab Click Share"
    "Jab Click Share"
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  Credits
    "Jab Click Share"
    Executive Producers:
      Solomon H
      Dick of St. Gall
      Bill Cameron, Sir Suspected Spook of the Sycamore Soot
      Buddy Arceneaux
      Shawna Benson
    Associate Executive Producers:
      Sir Keith McColpin Baronet
      Aaron Paolozzi
      Ivon Fergus
      Anonymous
    Become a member of the 1371 Club, support the show here
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    Title Changes
      Sir Keith McColpin -> Baronet
    Art By: Nessworks
    End of Show Mixes: Poj Masta - Sound Guy Steve - Tom Starkweatheather
    Engineering, Stream Management & Wizardry
      Mark van Dijk - Systems Master
      Ryan Bemrose - Program Director
    Back Office Aric Mackey
    Chapters: Dreb Scott
    Clip Custodian: Neal Jones
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  Cover Art
    Art By: Nessworks
  Shownotes
    Doomsday Lambda
      "It's too soon to say whether Lambda will turn out to be the next big, bad thing that COVID-19 unleashes on us. But it's a good time to wonder: Just how destructive can these variants get? Will future variants expand their attack from the lungs to the brain, the heart and other organs? Will they take a page from HIV and trick people into thinking they've recovered, only to make them sick later? Is there a Doomsday variant out there that shrugs off vaccines, spreads like wildfire and leaves more of its victims much sicker than anything we've yet seen?"
      Link
    Supply Chains
      Freight delays
        As a freight broker (I'm going to start saying freight therapist) one of the biggest Trucker Load Boards has been having "glitches" over the past couple weeks. Website being down for hours, or just sluggish. This has caused delays in us moving freight, and most independent trucking companies use this product DAT.COM. May be nothing, just in my years I've been doing this, this has never really happened.
      Chip Supply Chain Issue
        Alright, Adam…I’ve been putting this off, but you successfully pushed me over the edge with the Sandy Cortez clip about “inflation" and not having enough “ports and chips.” The lunacy and hyperbole regarding the root causes of the semiconductor supply chain squeeze have gone far enough. Here’s what’s really happening (I apologize in advance for the length):
        As everyone knows, when the World Economy switch was flipped off in March 2020, everything ground to a halt. For a brief period of time, nobody was building or buying anything. Airlines were cancelling orders, rental car companies were selling off their fleets, and so on. But shortly thereafter—after everyone took a deep, mask-inhibited breath—factories around the world were classified as “essential” and manufacturing resumed. What happened next is the root cause of the semiconductor squeeze...and a lesson in human psychology.
        Let me start with a recent analogy. Back in 2011, a massive monsoon hit Thailand, resulting in widespread flooding that devastated the country. This alone wasn’t enough to crater the global economy, however, zoom in a little further and you’d have noticed the manufacturing operations for Western Digital—one of the world’s largest hard-drive manufacturers—was located there. Now, while this event alone didn’t cause a global hard drive shortage, a certain knee-jerk reaction did:
        With a pre-allocated pipeline of millions of dollars in hard drives, Avnet—a massive electronics component distributor—decided to place a one billion dollar (that’s billion with a “b”) “overnight" buy with Western Digital…which of course totally cleared out their inventory. Why? Because they didn’t want anyone to beat them to it. The end result? Hard drive prices went through the roof and if you bought a hard drive any time in the next three years, whoever you bought it from bought it from Avnet.
        Now you *could* call this a supply chain issue—after all, a natural disaster *did* ultimately cause disruptions in supply and production—but, in reality, this is simply toilet-paper hoarding at a corporate and global scale. Some VPs in some office somewhere didn’t want to be caught with their pants around their ankles for not having enough safety stock because the financing charges would have taken too big a bite of their margins.
        Fast forward to today, and the same exact thing is happening. Ever since the initial supply shock, every massive corporation has been in a race to hoard what they can to get product built…with the added benefit of handcuffing their competitors. We see brokers sucking up any and all available inventory and selling $7 Wi-Fi modules for $70+. I recently had to run to my computer on the 4th of July after getting a stock notification on backordered part. I somehow managed to secure 500 parts we’d been waiting months for and felt like I’d just scored Burning Man tickets. Minutes later they were all gone.
        Does anybody really believe that a car built in 2021 has 10x the semiconductors of a 2019 car? Or that everyone in the world suddenly realized they needed an iPad? Or that if we only had enough “ports” that everything would be fine? Yes, this is really advanced technology, and yes, it is incredibly difficult to build, but it is *not* a supply and demand problem in the “traditional" sense everyone (including the media) seems to think it is.
        Being the owner of a small business supplying Fortune 500 companies and the US government with critical hardware, I have deep connections and standing in this particular area. If nothing else, I hope this explanation reminds everyone that corporations are made up of individuals, and no matter how experienced or professional one might be, nobody is immune from the natural human instincts of fear and greed.
        Yours truly,
        An Anonymous Producer (and Eagle Scout)
      Where Did All the Shipping Containers Go?
        The result is what Tim Boyle, chief executive of Columbia Sportswear Co., on a recent earnings conference call said is a “container dislocation” that has contributed to skyrocketing costs and complicated efforts to meet resurgent consumer demand.
        Link
      Freight Train Carrying Ford F-150 Pickups Derails in Missouri
      BOTG Bottle and can supplies
        On the few last shows, you have discussed the shortage of glass bottles and John suggested that
        companies should use aluminum cans instead. I wanted to weigh in, as I run a kombucha company in
        Denmark and we package all of our products in aluminum cans.
        Yes - there is a worldwide shortage of glass bottles. However, the situation with aluminum cans is
        even worse. Under normal conditions, most breweries (including large ones like Carlsberg) package
        products in roughly 50% cans/bottles and 50% kegs. But due to Covid and the shutdown of
        bars/restaurants, breweries have been scrambling to package everything in cans. This has led to not
        only increased demand, but breweries also hoarding cans to ensure they don't run out.
        Here in Europe, there are two large producers of cans - one in Spain (Ball) and one in Belgium
        (Ardagh). The Belgian producer was hacked 6 weeks ago and eventually paid an undisclosed ransom.
        This hack not only sent Ardagh offline, but also sent all of their customers to the other producer
        looking for supply of cans.
        This was a perfect storm of events that has made aluminum can supply virtually impossible. We have
        been told that we can MAYBE expect cans in 2022.
        One last thing - John is right to be skeptical of kombucha, as most products available are not
        really kombucha or taste like complete crap. That said, you should try the good stuff that we make
        here in Denmark. If you give me an address, I will send you some to try.
        Take care,
        Eric
      Lumber down 40% here
      Alcohol supply chain explained
        I spoke to my purchasing director this morning. I am in the operations side of the business, so I decided to ask her about things. She said they have 400-500 containers in ship or at port that are coming in whenever they can get unloaded and put on RR cars. I understand the RR car to be a demand shortage, of course causing ripples down the supply chain.
        The reason we are not seeing these shortages in house is because they are forecasting 2 years out and ordering it like they need it now. The slow trickle is actually working. We are over budget on stock, but keeping up with demand. If the supply chain woes were to fix themselves tomorrow we would be flooded with too much product. Purchasing thinks it will be another 12 months before it is back to normal. As things start to loosen up logistically we will order less so we don’t carry too much. Our Purchasing department is walking a very fine line, but they are the best at what they do so I expect it will be fine for us.
        I expect to see ABC control states to get worse before they get better. Government can’t legally purchase like we can. They have more controls to their ordering, and are restricted to what they can do by law.
    Mandates and Papers
      Injected vs. the Infected
      Trend: Asking employees to 'attest' their vaccination status
      Compulsory workplace vaccination rules cannot apply to vegans
        ethical vegans
        More than half a million vegans will be exempt if companies introduce compulsory vaccination rules in Britain because their beliefs are protected by employment law, legal experts have said.
        So-called ethical veganism was ruled to be a protected characteristic at a tribunal last year, meaning employers would risk legal action if they order staff to be vaccinated.
        Other people in protected categories are also likely to be protected by human rights laws, including some religious groups as well as people with certain disabilities or medical conditions.
        A spokesman for Lewis Silkin, a law firm, said: “Some ethical vegans may disagree with vaccinations on the basis that they will inevitably have been tested on animals. Ethical veganism has previously been found by an [employment tribunal] to amount to a belief, capable of being protected.”
        Link
      First in the nation, NYC to mandate proof of COVID vaccination for most indoor activities
      Walmart mandates vaccines for workers at headquarters
      vax at UW-Madison
      Herd immunity - WHO
        'Herd immunity', also known as 'population immunity', is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection. WHO supports achieving 'herd immunity' through vaccination, not by allowing a disease to spread through any segment of the population, as this would result in unnecessary cases and deaths.
        Herd immunity against COVID-19 should be achieved by protecting people through vaccination, not by exposing them to the pathogen that causes the disease. Read the Director-General’s 12 October media briefing speech for more detail.
        Vaccines train our immune systems to create proteins that fight disease, known as ‘antibodies’, just as would happen when we are exposed to a disease but – crucially – vaccines work without making us sick. Vaccinated people are protected from getting the disease in question and passing on the pathogen, breaking any chains of transmission. Visit our webpage on COVID-19 and vaccines for more detail.
        To safely achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, a substantial proportion of a population would need to be vaccinated, lowering the overall amount of virus able to spread in the whole population. One of the aims with working towards herd immunity is to keep vulnerable groups who cannot get vaccinated (e.g. due to health conditions like allergic reactions to the vaccine) safe and protected from the disease. Read our Q&A on vaccines and immunization for more information.
        The percentage of people who need to be immune in order to achieve herd immunity varies with each disease. For example, herd immunity against measles requires about 95% of a population to be vaccinated. The remaining 5% will be protected by the fact that measles will not spread among those who are vaccinated. For polio, the threshold is about 80%. The proportion of the population that must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to begin inducing herd immunity is not known. This is an important area of research and will likely vary according to the community, the vaccine, the populations prioritized for vaccination, and other factors.
        Link
      Unvaccinated People Need to Bear the Burden - The Atlantic
      LGBTQ Pass
        The gay clubs in Downtown Sacamento have take it upon themselves to start requiring vaccine cards
        before entry.
      Financial Times calls those without vaccines "refuseniks", a major anti-sematic term
        Financial Times: Europe adopts carrot-and-stick approach towards vaccine refuseniks
        by Guy Chazan in Berlin and Victor Mallet in Paris AUGUST 1 2021
        Link
        Wikipedia: Refusenik
        Refusenik... was an unofficial term for individuals—typically, but not exclusively, Soviet Jews—who were denied permission to emigrate, primarily to Israel, by the authorities of the Soviet Union and other countries of the Eastern bloc. The term refusenik is derived from the "refusal" handed down to a prospective emigrant from the Soviet authorities.
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refusenik
      Dice gets people to sign a petition to arrest the unvaccinated
      Mark of the beast
        Current events revolving around the idea of forced vaccines are laying the groundwork for the future “Mark of the Beast.”
        Revelation 13:16-17
        And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
        Source
    The Purge
      MyPillow pulls ads from Fox News
      A Pentagon guard was stabbed to death yesterday and no one is even talking about it
      Biden DOJ Orders States Not To Conduct Arizona-Style Forensic Audits Of 2020 Election, Threatens Prison Time
        Those who conduct forensic audits are racist, suggests the Biden DOJ, and may be imprisoned for up to a year.
        In a document the Biden regime Department of Justice is calling “guidance“, the agency repeats the often-mocked declaration that “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history” and chastises supporters of election integrity for demanding “an unusual second round of examinations” in states with reports of widespread voter fraud. The agency then suggests these audits could violate the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
        “There are federal or criminal penalties attached,” the Department of Justice asserts. They claim that those who arrange forensic audits of the 2020 election “can face fines of up to $1,000 and imprisonment of up to one year for each violation.” Then, their intimidating document suggests that these audits represent “intimidation”.
        Link
    Boosters
      J&J Covid vaccine recipients can get supplemental Pfizer or Moderna dose in San Francisco
      Booster marketing ideas
        Booster XL
        Booster OS15
    Lockdowns
      Germany is preparing a new lockdown. BILD has obtained an internal document that even proposes restrictions that would apply only to unvaccinated citizens.
      Midazolam was used to end the lives of thousands who you were told had died of Covid-19 & an NHS document proves Staff were ordered to do it
      3M Ramping up Masks Production
        ITM Adam,
        This morning I was at the dog park and talking to a lady that works at the 3M plant in town(Hutchinson, MN). She told me that they are again retooling all of the lines at the facilities to ramp up mask production for the coming lockdowns and mask mandates that are coming in the next few weeks. Unclear to me if the higher-ups have been given some advance warning but it seems likely.
        Keep up the good work and thank you for your courage,
        Sir Matt
      Chinese cities enter lockdown as delta variant spreads
    VAERS
      C19 Vax Reactions Community
      AIDS and the AZT Scandal: 1989 Feature - AIDS and the AZT Scandal
    Delta Variant from 750 samples nationwide
      There's a 'fact check' going around social media that 'debunks' the claim that people aren't getting tested for the Delta variant. It appears with the exact same text on different outlets, here's one from the Tampa Bay Times - https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2021/08/02/tracking-delta-variant-in-covid-cases-how-does-cdc-diagnose-virus-strain/ . If you scroll down about 10 paragraphs you'll see that the CDC "tracks variants by analyzing some 750 samples per week from state health departments and other public health agencies and making estimates". 750 samples for the entire country, that's an average of 15 for each state. Those estimates are doing some heavy lifting when the Delta numbers come out each week.
      Here's the link from the CDC explaining the process - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/cdc-role-surveillance.html - and more links are on that page if you want to dig further into it.
      If you click on the "Guidance Document" link - https://www.aphl.org/programs/preparedness/Crisis-Management/COVID-19-Response/Pages/Sequence-Based-Surveillance-Submission.aspx - you'll see in the first paragraph that the CDC only wants samples with a Ct value (cycle threshold) of less than 28. I'm not sure of the significance of that, just thought it might be a fact of interest.
    Vape Wars
      Does nicotine protect us against coronavirus?
      Vaping Covid Defense
        My wife and I live in a luxury RV, about 400 sf. I had covid in December and she did not. We wondered why. She vapes nicotine.
        Jon - Dune buggy Golf Cart
      tobacco companies & COVID vaccines
        British American Tobacco using tobacco plants to make covid vaccine
        https://www.bat.com/group/sites/UK__9D9KCY.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DOBWBNF3#
        https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/45786/20210423/tobacco-plant-covid-19-vaccine.htm
        but also see a sceptical view!
        https://tobaccotactics.org/wiki/covid-19/
    FDA Approval
      States are sitting on millions of surplus Covid-19 vaccine doses as expiration dates approach
    UBI Evictions
      The law and science behind the CDC’s eviction ban
      CDC issues eviction moratorium extension after Democratic outcry
    Build Back Better
      Here’s What’s In The Bipartisan Infrastructure Package
      Malaysia to cancel $20bn China-backed rail project
      Sweden banning Huawei
      Three Dams Collapse in China Within 48 Hours, Causing Devastating Flood
    Olympics
      Simone Biles Ritalin Story
        This story first crossed my path last week via an episode of Rogan’s show. (Link below) I forget who the guest was, but that doesn’t really matter.
        As I understand it, Biles had a doctor’s note for her Ritalin in past competitions. Apparently Japan’s regulatory preferences trump those of any of the Olympic regulatory bodies. This story is incredibly underreported, but that’s not a big surprise. I’d be interested in hearing your and John’s take on this. TYFYC.
        Link
    Gen-Z Producer
      I just wanted to reach out to explain to you just how much the show means to me. I was hit in the
      mouth by the only friend I have in my college town of M5M believing Gen-Z’ers back in April, and
      haven’t missed an episode since.
      I am currently awaiting student loans, and plan to gift myself a producer credit for my birthday
      (August 25th).If I had the funds, I would happily donate, rather than sending this note without any
      treasure, haha.
      No Agenda has given me a sense of community, providing me with hope for the future. Appreciate you
      both!
      Best,
      Gage
    NEMISIS/UFO
      Phantom Warships Are Courting Chaos in Conflict Zones
    Covid and the Pope
      I wish to be kept anonymous if you plan to use this for the show.
      I attend a private Catholic college and was able to get a religious exemption from the vaccine being a Catholic myself. At least for my situation, it was very easy, as I just needed to write a letter stating my beliefs. They don't want to deal with us people.
      Going along with this new religion/Great Reset, Pope Francis a few weeks ago issued a new Motu Proprio restricting the Traditional Latin Mass, which is the Mass said for over 1200 years until the 1960s/70s when the modernists/communists infiltrated The Church and essentially made it a protestant service. Pope Francis calls traditionalists "rigid" because we follow the traditional Faith and its beliefs. The vast majority of traditionalists are anti-COVID vax. The traditional parishes were the ones that stayed open during the pandemic. My theory is the Pope will corral all traditionalists into one camp and then call us schismatic.
      Take for instance Fr. James Altman, who has been canceled by his Bishop in Wisconsin because he preached to his congregation to not get the death jab and stayed open during the pandemic. The bishop called him 'ineffective' although his congregation grew substantially. He cannot serve his parish anymore. Contrast that with Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, the highest-ranking American priest below a Bishop currently, who was caught using Grindr and at other homosexual establishments. He resigned, however, he is still in good standing in the same diocese as Fr. Altman. Double standards are everywhere, and faithful Catholics have nowhere to go since 99% of the Bishops were bought out by the PPP loans. That's why they are promoting this vaccine.
      I hope this is useful.
    STORIES
      MyPillow pulls ads from Fox News in flap over commercial linked to Trump claim
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 13:12
        Mike Lindell, chief executive officer of My Pillow Inc., speaks to members of the media while arriving to federal court in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 24, 2021.
        Joshua Roberts | Bloomberg | Getty Images
        MyPillow Chief Executive Mike Lindell told CNBC on Friday he is pulling ads from Fox News after the network said it wouldn't take one of his commercials promoting a symposium that will press election-fraud claims.
        MyPillow is one of Fox News' and Tucker Carlson's biggest advertisers. Lindell said he spent almost $50 million on the network last year and about $19 million this year to run his ads.
        "It's unfortunate Mr. Lindell has chosen to pause his commercial time on FOX News given the level of success he's experienced in building his brand through advertising on the number one cable news network," a Fox News spokesperson told CNBC in an emailed statement.
        Lindell told CNBC in a phone interview he made the decision to back out after Fox News declined to run a one-minute spot that promotes a cyber symposium, which he will be livestreaming from Aug. 10 to Aug. 12.
        "I pulled all of my ads. Every one," Lindell said. "If there are any stragglers today, it's a fluke."
        Since the 2020 presidential election, Lindell has pressed claims of widespread election fraud, with votes stolen from President Donald Trump. However, security and election officials have found no proof of such activity.
        The Wall Street Journal, which like Fox is owned by News Corp., first reported on the ad dispute. Quoting Lindell, it said the ad wouldn't mention Trump's claims of vote fraud. But the Journal noted that Lindell has said the symposium will prove that the election was stolen because of tampering with election machines.
        Voting-machine maker Dominion Voting Systems filed a defamation suit against Lindell and MyPillow in February. Lindell later filed a $1.6 billion countersuit.
        Fox News has also been sued by Dominion. It alleges the cable news network falsely claimed Dominion's voting machines were rigged during the 2020 presidential election. Fox News has moved to dismiss the suit.
        Lindell said earlier this year said that several retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond and Kohl's, stopped selling his products after he began voicing the election-fraud claims.
        "We lost 40% of our business in January and February," Lindell said. "I can't get that back. I can only try."
      Walmart mandates vaccines for workers at headquarters
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 13:09
        NEW YORK (AP) '-- Walmart is requiring that all workers at its headquarters as well as its managers who travel within the U.S. be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4.
        The retailer based in Bentonville, Arkansas, is also reversing its mask policy for its employees working in stores, clubs, distribution facilities and warehouses. Going forward, they will be required to wear masks in areas with high infection rates, even if they have been vaccinated.
        The moves are part of a series of sweeping measures the nation's largest retailer and private employer announced Friday to help curb the spread of the virus and drive more of its workers to get the shot in the arm.
        The vaccine mandate excludes frontline workers, who the company says have a lower vaccination rate than management. But it's hoping that managerial employees, who represent just a fraction of its 1.5 million workers, will serve as inspiration.
        ''We're hoping that will influence even more of our frontline associates to become vaccinated,'' Walmart spokesman Scott Pope said.
        Pope declined to break out the vaccination rate for frontline workers and the rest of Walmart's employees.
        Walmart is also encouraging customers to wear masks in stores located in areas with surging cases and will be adding back signs at the entrances. It will also bring back so-called health ambassadors who will be stationed at the entrances and hand out masks.
        The company is also doubling to $150 the incentive it is offering to workers in stores, clubs, as well as other facilities like distribution centers, to get the vaccine. Those who already received the $75 incentive will receive another $75 in their paycheck dated Aug 19.
        The steps come three days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the delta variant of the coronavirus is fueling infection surges.
        Walmart's move to require vaccinations of its workers at its headquarters follows Google's steps announced earlier in the week that it's postponing a return to the office for most workers until mid-October and rolling out a policy that will eventually require everyone to be vaccinated once its sprawling campuses are fully reopened. Google's announcement was shortly followed by Facebook, which also said it will make vaccines mandatory for U.S. employees who work in offices. Exceptions will be made for medical and other reasons.
        Various government agencies already have announced demands for all their employees to be vaccinated, but the corporate world so far has been taking a more cautious approach, even though most lawyers believe the mandates are legal.
        Delta and United Airlines are requiring new employees to show proof of vaccination. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are requiring their workers to disclose their vaccination status, but are not requiring staffers to be vaccinated.
        However, given Walmart's outsized influence on the economy, more companies could make similar announcements.
        In fact, following Walmart's announcement, the Walt Disney Co. said Friday it's requiring all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of its sites to be fully vaccinated. It said workers who aren't already vaccinated and are working on site will have 60 days from Friday to complete their protocols. Those who are still working from home will need to provide verification of vaccination before their return. Disney also said that all new hires will be required to be fully vaccinated before starting employment.
        ''Vaccines are the best tool we all have to help control this global pandemic and protect our employees,'' Disney said in a statement. Disney has about 200,000 employees but it is unclear how many of them are affected. The company based in Burbank, California, did not respond to questions
        Grocery chain Kroger announced Friday that it will be encouraging all customers, workers and suppliers, including those who received the shot, to wear masks at its stores. But the company said it will not be issuing a vaccine mandate for its employees.
        Ken Perkins, president of the retail research firm Retail Metrics, said that Walmart's move could serve as a ''green light'' to other companies to require vaccines, given its massive following and its location.
        ''It's based in the middle of the country,'' Perkins said. ''They speak to the lower-, middle-income shoppers and workers.''
        Walmart's dramatically shifting policy reflects the growing worry about the rising infection rates.
        ''We continue to watch with deep concern the developments of the pandemic and the spread of variants, especially the delta variant,'' wrote Donna Morris, Walmart's chief people officer, in the memo circulated to employees that was shared by the company. ''We know vaccinations are our solution to drive change. We are urging you to get vaccinated and want to see many more of you vaccinated.''
        In a separate memo sent to employees who work at the company headquarters, Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart Inc., wrote, ''The virus is not over, and the delta variant has led to an increase in infection rates across much of the U.S.''
        The retailer has seen a ''positive response'' to the first financial incentive and is anticipating the sweetened perk will drive a similar response from workers, Pope said.
        He stopped short of saying that office workers who declined to be vaccinated would be terminated but said that Walmart is working through the process. He noted that the exceptions would be those who can't get vaccinated for medical or religious reasons.
        When asked why frontline workers won't be required to get the vaccine, Pope said that its approach with its large number of workers in frontline facilities has been ''to inform them, encourage them, make it easy and to reward then financially for choosing to receive the vaccine.''
        Walmart said it is also implementing a new process for verification of vaccine status for U.S. workers. It says it will share those details in the future.
        A few days after the CDC eased mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people back in May, Walmart, along with a slew of other retailers, said it wouldn't require vaccinated shoppers to wear a mask in U.S. stores, unless state or local laws said otherwise. Walmart also said that vaccinated workers could go maskless.
        At that time, Walmart said that customers wouldn't be asked but rather held to an ''honor system'' regarding their vaccination status. Walmart workers who didn't wear masks also had to confirm they were vaccinated by filling out a daily questionnaire, though it was not requiring proof.
        ____
        AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report.
        _____
        Follow Anne D'Innocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio
      EXPLAINER: The law and science behind the CDC's eviction ban
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 13:08
        When the U.S. government enacted a ban on evictions, it did so through an unlikely agency: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
        The CDC has said the policy, first enacted in September and recently extended through the end of June, helps stop the spread of the coronavirus by limiting the number of people who lose their housing and have to live in shared housing, homeless shelters or on the streets.
        The ban has been praised by advocates for those at risk of being thrown out of their homes, but it has been met with stiff resistance from some property owners who say it is a constitutional overreach. Last month, a federal judge in Ohio concluded the agency lacked the authority to issue such a ban, the second such ruling.
        Here's a look at the moratorium, its rationale and what the research says about evictions and health.
        WHAT DOES THE MORATORIUM DO?
        The eviction moratorium is supposed to stop landlords and property owners from evicting renters who meets certain requirements, like making $99,000 or less in 2020 if you're an individual, or experiencing substantial loss of income. It's meant to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus through shared housing and unsheltered homelessness, the spread of the virus from one state to another, and support coronavirus response efforts.
        But eviction ban isn't stopping all evictions. They are continuing in some places, because of misinformation and legal loopholes.
        WHAT GIVES THE CDC THE ABILITY TO BAN EVICTIONS?
        The agency has said its authority comes from the Public Health Service Act, a nearly 80-year-old federal law that gives the federal government tools to stop the spread of communicable diseases.
        The act is clear about some measures the agency can take, such as isolation and quarantine of people who have or may have the virus. But it's less clear on other measures, like the eviction moratorium, according to some legal scholars.
        Larry Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University, said he believes the CDC has the legal authority to stop evictions, but acknowledges: ''This is definitely a stretch because the Public Health Service Act doesn't specifically mention evictions and traditionally CDC's power doesn't extend to housing.''
        WHAT DO OPPONENTS SAY?
        Those who have opposed the move in court have said the CDC doesn't have the legal authority to impose the measure, because the act doesn't explicitly mention evictions or housing.
        ''Our core argument ... was that the CDC lacks the statutory and regulatory authorization for the eviction moratorium,'' said Steve Simpson, outside counsel for the National Association of Home Builders, one of the groups suing the CDC.
        IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN EVICTIONS AND HEALTH?
        Public health experts say there is an association between evictions and health problems, but it's hasn't been proven that losing a home causes them.
        Researchers have studied the relationship between housing insecurity '-- a term that captures evictions, threats of eviction, inability to pay rents or mortgages, and homelessness '-- and a range of health problems. They found that housing insecurity is associated with preterm birth and low birth weight, psychiatric hospitalizations and death.
        In a September study, researchers examined eviction case filings and infant health data in the United States and found that even the threat of evictions during a pregnancy is associated with higher rates of preterm birth and low birth weight.
        In a separate study, published a month later, researchers looked at eviction and pediatric health data in Chicago. They found that Black and Hispanic women had higher rates of very low birth weight, infant mortality, eviction filings and evictions than white women. They also found that neighborhoods with high rates of eviction also experience high rates of very low birth weight and infant mortality, though they couldn't prove that evictions cause these health outcomes.
        ''The health impacts of housing instability are extensive and severe,'' said Emily Benfer, a law professor at Wake Forest University. ''Housing instability also has a nexus with barriers to accessing opportunity and to livelihood and well-being generally.''
        WHAT ABOUT EVICTIONS AND DISEASE?
        There isn't much academic research on how evictions influence infectious disease.
        Benfer was the lead author on a paper published in February that examined the relationship between evictions, health inequity and the coronavirus. Benfer and her colleagues argued that modeling suggested that evictions and homelessness would exacerbate coronavirus spread and that halting evictions is an effective tool at slowing it.
        ''What we found was eviction during a pandemic increases the rates of COVID-19 transmission, infection and mortality, and is also resulting in health inequity among Black and Hispanic renters,'' Benfer said.
        ___
        The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
      Lambda Variant: Should the Covid-19 Variant Worry You? Not if You're Vaccinated. | Barron's
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        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:46
        Photo illustration by Sarina Finkelstein; Dreamstime (3) Text size
        Covid-19 case counts have leapt from the spread of the more infectious Delta version of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Now, another variant, called Lambda, has reached the U.S., raising fears with its resistance to the immunity conferred by vaccines or synthetic antibody cocktails.
        Should the Lambda variant scare you? In a word, no. Research is still preliminary, but while early data show that Lambda is indeed more resistant to antibodies raised against other virus variants, the antibody levels in vaccinated people are more than sufficient to prevent disease symptoms from Lambda exposure.
        The Covid virus is constantly evolving, and the Lambda variant was first noted last year in Peru. It is now one of the most common culprits behind new Covid cases in South America. Over 1,000 cases in the U.S. have been tied to the variant. In June, the World Health Organization designated Lambda as ''variant of interest'''--meaning that it was worth watching, but not the proven threat of ''variants of concern'' like the infectious Delta.
        Lambda has come to the world's attention because it seems to be both more infectious than the original strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and more resistant to current interventions. A study posted July 28 on the website bioRxiv by University of Tokyo researchers reported that Lambda variants have alterations in the virus's surface spikes that increase their attraction to the entry channels of our cells, while also being harder to recognize by antibodies targeting the spikes of the original virus.
        The Tokyo study hasn't yet been peer-reviewed, but it suggests that antibodies generated by the vaccine from Pfizer (ticker: PFE) and BioNTech (BNTX) found it almost 1.5 times harder to neutralize Lambda variants than the original virus.
        But that doesn't leave the vaccinated without protection against Lambda. A July 3 study published on the same website by researchers at New York University Medical School tested the variant with antibodies from both the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the vaccine from Moderna (MRNA). Compared with the original virus strain, the NYU team found that Lambda was about 3-times more resistant to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine antibodies, and 2.3-times resistant to Moderna-generated antibodies. Lambda was also slightly more resistant to the antibodies contained in the cocktail treatment from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN).
        Still, Regeneron's cocktail was able to neutralize Lambda variants well, said the NYU scientists. They also concluded that the average levels of antibodies generated by either the Moderna or the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are more than enough to protect against Lambda.
        Write to Bill Alpert at william.alpert@barrons.com
      16 and 17-year-olds say they WILL get the Covid vaccination when they become eligible | Daily Mail Online
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        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:46
        Sixteen and 17-year-olds have insisted that they will get the Covid-19 vaccination when they become eligible, regardless of their parents' opinions.
        It has been revealed that 16 and 17-year-olds won't need parental consent to get Covid vaccines, while No 10's top scientists have hinted children as young as 12 could be offered jabs later this year.
        And 16 and 17-year-olds in Manchester have said that they plan to get the Covid vaccine as soon as they are eligible - even if their parents do not agree with them.
        One 16-year-old said he is planning to get the Covid jab so he won't have to 'worry' about getting the virus, and criticised his 'na¯ve' parents for choosing not to get vaccinated.
        Clayton Murdock, 16, slammed his parents for being 'na¯ve' in not getting vaccinated themselves, but insisted that will not stop him from getting the Covid jab
        Meanwhile, another teenager said he would get the Covid vaccine so he can go to gigs next year, while one 17-year-old said she was hoping to bag a 'free kebab' for getting vaccinated.
        But some teens have remained sceptical about the vaccine after the announcement, with one woman saying she has heard of women suffering from bad periods after the jab, while another teen said he would only get the vaccine if he is 'forced' to.
        The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended the 1.4million youngsters should be offered Pfizer jabs, marking a U-turn on guidance the same panel issued two weeks ago.
        Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the NHS would dish out invites for vaccines 'as soon as possible', with the goal of getting the oldest teenagers protected before they return to classrooms in September.
        Clayton Murdock, 16, from Manchester, slammed his parents for being 'na¯ve' in not getting vaccinated themselves, but insisted that will not stop him from getting the Covid jab.
        He continued: 'I'm definitely for taking the Covid vaccine. If it's helping people then I'm all for it.
        Amy Blackshaw, 16, expressed her concerns that some women have complained about missing their periods after getting the jab, but said she would get the vaccine to keep others safe
        'I've heard though that it's killing people but I don't care as long as it's helping people.
        'I'd take it so I could go out and not worry about getting the virus. My parents haven't had it, but that's because they are na¯ve.'
        Meanwhile, Annie Sawbridge, 17, from Manchester, said she too wants to get vaccinated, sharing her hopes that she might be able to bag a free Uber or a free kebab if she is double vaccinated.
        Annie said that her father is already double vaccinated, while her mother has had her first vaccine, and she plans to join them in getting the Covid jab as soon as she is eligible.
        She added: 'I would take the vaccine. I've heard you can get a free Uber or a free kebab out of it, so I'd get it and hope for a free kebab.
        'I'd take it to keep people safe.'
        Elsewhere, Amy Blackshaw, 16, from Manchester, expressed her concerns that some women have complained about missing their periods and getting 'swollen' breasts after getting the jab.
        But she said that despite her belief that people should be told 'what's going to happen' after getting the jab, she still plans to get the vaccine in a bid to keep other people safe.
        She explained: 'I'd love to take the vaccine, but I've heard women saying that their boobs are swelling and that they're missing their periods from it and it's a shame that women's mental health isn't taken into account, but I'd still take the vaccine anyway because it's important.
        Meanwhile, Annie Sawbridge, 17, said she wants to get the Covid jab, sharing her hopes that she might be able to bag a free Uber or a free kebab if she is double vaccinated
        One teenager who feels slightly sceptical about getting the Covid jab is Kieron Booth, 16, from Ponteland in Northumberland. He said he will only get vaccinated if he is 'forced' to
        'I think when you take it, you should be told what's going to happen. I don't think people are told enough what can happen.
        'I'd take it to be safe for other people.'
        Another teenager who feels slightly more sceptical about getting the Covid jab is Kieron Booth, 16, from Ponteland in Northumberland.
        Kieron said he will only get the vaccine if he is 'forced' to, saying he feels safe in the knowledge that he is young and believes that Covid will not 'affect' him 'as much'.
        He said: 'For me getting it depends on if I'm forced to have it to go on holiday.
        'I would definitely get it if I had to for holidays. I would preferably not get it but if they forced me I would.
        'I've missed out on a couple of things like holidays because of Covid.
        'But I'm not in any rush, not until I have to. I feel safe enough as being younger I don't think it affects you as much.
        'My family have had their first jabs and my mam has been really ill with it so I don't want to get it unless I have to.'
        Childcare and education student Millie Coulson, 16, from Blyth, said she plans on getting the vaccine as she trusts the Government and said getting the jab would make her feel safer amid the pandemic.
        She explained: 'I definitely plan on getting it when I get the chance.
        Childcare and education student Millie Coulson, 16, from Blyth, said she plans on getting the vaccine as it would make her feel safer amid the pandemic
        'If the Government are advising it then we just have to trust them really, that's all you can do.
        'I don't feel that safe at the moment because I know Covid is deadly but I would definitely trust the injection.
        'I have no issues in getting it. I'd love to go to festivals and holidays later on so I would have to get it.'
        Lauren Nicholson, of Blyth in Northumberland, admitted that her grandparents have been encouraging her to get the Covid jab, despite her not really thinking about it.
        The 17-year-old sixth form student said: 'I haven't had the vaccine yet and I haven't really thought about it.
        'I think I might get it in the future especially if you have to for if you're going abroad and things like that.
        'My grandma and grandad have encouraged me to get it and they want me to have it when I can.
        'I would like to go away places on holiday at some point in the future so I will end up having it at some point.'
        One teenager whose parents have opted to get the Covid vaccine is 17-year-old Freddie Wakeling, from Manchester, who said he is one of the only people in his family not to have been vaccinated yet.
        He said that while he is in no rush to get the vaccine, as he is not clinically vulnerable, he wants to get the jab when he can so he is able to attend gigs and other events next year.
        One teenager whose parents have opted to get the Covid jab is 17-year-old Freddie Wakeling, who said he is one of the only people in his family not to have been vaccinated yet
        Bailey Wressell (left), 17, from Chester-le-Street in County Durham, and Lauren Nicholson, of Blyth in Northumberland, both plan to get the Covid vaccine when they are eligible
        He explained: 'It's something I would take if I was offered it, but as I'm not particularly vulnerable, I'm not in any hurry to get it.
        'The main reason I want to get it is from fears of not being able to do things in the future especially with big public events with gigs and that kind of thing.
        'That's something I don't want to miss out on, especially next year because I've got a few booked now.
        'I'm pretty much the only person in my family not to be vaccinated yet, but that's only because I've not been eligible.'
        Bailey Wressell, 17, from Chester-le-Street in County Durham, also had concerts and public events on her mind as she said she is planning on getting the vaccine as soon as she can.
        The sixth form student said: 'When I am eligible I will definitely be having it.
        'I want to stay safe and I think it would be silly not to get it really. We don't want to end up back in lockdown so you might as well get it.
        'I feel it's important to keep older people safe too such as grandparents.
        'Me and my friend have got a concert booked for next year so I will need it for that.'
        Evan Cooper, 17, has already had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, which he got in a bid to protect his grandparents and to allow him to go on holiday with his friends.
        Evan, from Manchester, said he could not afford to pay for the PCR tests required before going abroad, so decided to get the Covid jab so he was able to go on holiday.
        He added: 'I'm double vaccinated but the main reason I took it was because I'm going on holiday with some friends and if I don't have it, then the PCR tests are really expensive and I'm young as it is, so I can't really afford it, so I took it for that reason and to protect my grandparents.
        Evan Cooper, 17, has already had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, which he decided to get in a bid to protect his grandparents and to enable him to go on holiday with his friends
        While Mila Jowett, 17, from Chester-le-Street in County Durham, said she feels a certain duty to have the Covid jab, saying the only reason she hasn't had it is because she is not eligible yet
        'Both of my parents are double vaccinated, my sister is 22 and she has had her first vaccine.'
        Evan is not the only teenager thinking about going on holiday in the future, as photographer Alex Elliot, 17, of South Shields in South Tyneside, said he wants to get the jab so he knows that he is 'safe' to go abroad.
        Alex, who turns 18 next month, said: 'I've read in the news that young adults can get it. 'But I've not actually had any contact personally saying I'm eligible.
        'I wouldn't be in a rush for it but definitely when I have the time and if I wasn't busy, I would go and get it.
        'It's more about me not wanting to restrict anybody in the future and I don't want to be seen as bad by anyone.
        'I would rather just get it for other people. I definitely want to be part of a group effort to keep people safe.
        'Getting it to go places isn't really on my mind but it would be comforting to know that if I needed to go abroad in the future, I would be safe to do so.'
        And waitress Neeve Rogers, from Newcastle, also plans on getting the vaccine so she is able to travel abroad and visit her family in America.
        The 17-year-old said: 'I haven't had it yet but I do plan on getting it.
        'I think it's important because it will help everything get better and the quicker everyone gets vaccinated then the quicker it should all be over.
        Waitress Neeve Rogers, from Newcastle, also plans on getting the vaccine so she is able to travel abroad and visit her family in America
        'I really want to travel, just anywhere abroad once I get my vaccine.
        'I'd like to travel back to America as I have family there so if I got the jab I'd be able to go see them.'
        Michael Hale, 16, from Manchester, said he has already had Covid and would choose to get the vaccine when he is eligible, adding: 'I think it's about safety.
        'I've already had Covid, so I shouldn't get it for a while, but I think you need to take into account other people. My parents have both been vaccinated.'
        While Mila Jowett, 17, from Chester-le-Street in County Durham, admitted that she feels a certain duty to have the Covid jab, saying the only reason she hasn't had it is because she is not eligible yet.
        She continued: 'I haven't had the jab because I'm not eligible I don't think.
        'I think it's important for my state of mind and I do think there is a duty to have it.
        'I will feel safer once having it, sometimes I feel a bit on edge now after lockdown and especially with people getting pinged which is a hindrance.
        'Definitely in the future I would like to go on holiday as well.'
        The teenagers' eagerness to get the vaccine comes after it was announced that 16 and 17-year-olds won't need parental consent to get Covid jabs.
        Photographer Alex Elliot, 17, of South Shields in South Tyneside, said he wants to get the jab so he knows that he is 'safe' to go abroad
        Michael Hale, 16, said he has already had Covid and would choose to get the vaccine when he is eligible, adding that he thinks people need to take into account other people as well
        Health Secretary Sajid Javid accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and asked the NHS to prepare to vaccinate the group 'as soon as possible'.
        And Boris Johnson called on families to listen to the advice, saying that the committee was 'among the best in the world' and that the country should 'take our lead from them'.
        Officials said there is 'no time to waste' and want to give all 1.4million older teenagers the Pfizer vaccine before schools return in September. Detailed plans will be set out this week.
        At a Downing Street press conference this afternoon, JCVI chair Professor Wei Shen Lim revealed 16-17 year olds won't be booked in for second doses just yet.
        There are currently no concrete plans to offer the 16 and 17 year olds second doses, with the expert panel wanting to buy more time to understand the safety risks.
        Meanwhile, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England's deputy chief medical officer, said there was 'no time to waste' and that there was 'plentiful' supply of the vaccines.
        Unveiling the inoculation drive expansion in a Downing Street briefing today, Professor Van-Tam said: 'Children are going to start going back to colleges and sixths forms from September, and in Scotland that will be slightly earlier, so there is no time to waste in getting on with this.
        'The NHS has been kept informed of what is being deliberated for JCVI, it has been preparing for multiple options for very many weeks now and I would expect this programme will start in a very short number of weeks.'
        He also laid the groundwork for ministers to expand the inoculation drive to all over-12s in the near future, saying that the JCVI would 'continually review' the evidence.
        The major safety concern around vaccinating children centres on a heart condition called myocarditis, which is six times more common after the top-up jab.
        Health chiefs confirmed that children will be able to overrule their parents and opt to get the vaccine without their permission.
        But experts are divided over the hugely controversial topic of vaccinating children, given their tiny risk of dying or falling seriously ill.
        Many experts welcomed the move to vaccinate people in younger age groups as 'sensible' and 'another piece of the jigsaw for the UK to return to some kind of normality'.
        But others attacked it for being 'too little, too late' because younger people cannot be double-jabbed before the autumn term. A group of 18 top scientists called for vaccines to be rolled out to over-12s immediately.
        More than eight in ten Britons support the move, polling suggests, including more than 50 per cent of people who strongly support offering jabs to the younger age groups.
        Some countries - including the US and Israel - have already started, which made Britain an outlier in so far only vaccinating the most at-risk over-12s.
        The JCVI, which advises No10, last month ruled only over-12s with serious underlying health conditions or who live with a vulnerable adult should get jabs.
        Officials are keen to push the immunisation drive on to more youngsters in order to prevent an autumn surge in infections when they return to schools in September.
        Britain's Covid cases rose by five per cent in a week today to 29,312, the first time they have gone up in almost two weeks. Another 119 deaths were also recorded, which was up 30 per cent in seven days.
      States are sitting on millions of surplus Covid-19 vaccine doses
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        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:45
        M illions of unused Covid-19 vaccines are set to go to waste as demand dwindles across the United States and doses likely expire this summer, according to public health officials.
        Several state health departments told STAT they have repeatedly asked the federal government to redistribute their supply to other countries, many of which are facing a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials in Washington have rejected those requests, citing legal and logistical challenges.
        ''We're drowning in this stuff,'' said Robert Ator, a retired colonel in the Arkansas Air National Guard who is leading that state's Covid-19 vaccine distribution drive. ''It's starting to get a bit silly and we want to make sure we're being good stewards.''
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        Some of the wastage could be forestalled if U.S. health officials extend the shelf life of the vaccine developed by Pfizer, but such expiration dates can only be extended so far.
        Currently, states have administered 52.36 million fewer doses than have been distributed to them, according to federal data.
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        Part of that vaccine gap can be attributed to reporting delays and everyday wastage, while some unused vaccine includes second doses that haven't been administered yet. Still, even a conservative estimate suggests at least half is likely excess vaccine, said Jennifer Kates, director of global health at the Kaiser Family Foundation. That would leave 26.2 million unused doses at the state level '-- enough to protect at least 13.1 million people.
        A significant tranche of Pfizer doses is expected to expire in August. ''We're staring down the barrel, we know it's happening,'' said Jenny Ottenhoff, senior policy director of global health and education at the ONE Campaign, the nonprofit seeking to end extreme poverty and preventable disease. Given waning domestic vaccine demand, those doses are unlikely to be fully used before they must be tossed.
        ''We're seeing demand falling off across all the states,'' said Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. ''It's not like, if Connecticut doesn't need theirs, it can go to Alabama. There just isn't the demand.''
        In North Carolina, 119,756 doses from all three vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration will expire in July; an additional 854,548 is set to expire in August, and hundreds of thousands more will expire in the fall. Arkansas hasn't accepted new orders since April, when it had 500,000 doses, and has since worked its way down to 380,000, some 100,000 of which will expire at the end of July. ''We're still chopping away at it,'' said Ator. ''I don't want to waste a thing.'' Delaware said 25,768 vaccines will expire in August, while Colorado has 352,533 doses that will expire in the next two months.
        Meanwhile, stockpiles of vaccines continue to build at the federal level. The U.S. has bought 1.41 billion doses in total, and has so far distributed around 390 million across the country. An additional 562 million Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are expected to arrive in the U.S. from July 2021 until the end of the year, according to Airfinity, a life sciences analytics firm. The White House announced plans to share 80 million doses of its supply last month, and purchased an additional 500 million vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.
        The federal government previously extended the shelf life of J&J vaccine that was set to expire as new stability data emerged, and several state health departments hope that the ''Pfizer cliff,'' as it's called, will also be pushed back.
        Vaccines already distributed to U.S. states are especially valuable from an international perspective, as they're ready to use immediately. ''They're real doses sitting on shelves and not waiting to be manufactured. That could change the game in terms of speed,'' said the ONE Campaign's Ottenhoff. ''Right now, the most important thing in terms of sharing doses internationally is sharing it fast.''
        Many states started seeking federal assistance in redistributing excess vaccine internationally in April, Plescia said, with the Covid-19 crisis flaring in India. Some wealthier states, such as New York and California, have the financial capability to arrange international transportation themselves, said Plescia. And there are plenty of vaccines close to the border, where it would be easy for providers to give supply to those in Canada or Mexico. The federal government owns these vaccines, however, and does not permit states to redistribute them.
        ''We would prefer to waste zero doses. If we have it, let's get it in somebody's arm,'' said Chris Kopach, Covid incident commander at the University of Arizona, which has capacity to store 1.6 million vaccines in ultra-cold freezers. The center is currently holding 100,000 doses, with large quantities of Pfizer vaccine set to expire in August. Kopach asked in May if mobile clinics could help take the doses over the border to Mexico. ''It's a great opportunity to partner with our neighbors,'' he said. ''Could we just give it to Mexico? In reality, it's not for me to give.''
        Kody Kinsley, operations lead for North Carolina's Covid-19 response, said he was also told he didn't have the rights to arrange redistribution: ''It was a U.S. government-funded product, and it was given to us. We can't just give it away.''
        The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it has looked into redistributing vaccines currently held at state level, but said moving doses from 80,000 providers has so far been too legally and logistically complex. ''Overall, the federal government has done a very efficient job of managing vaccine supply, and we are doing everything we can to help states use the supply they ordered and still have in their inventory,'' said spokesperson Kirsten Allen. ''We are doing everything we can to help states administer all of their doses and avoid any wastage and maximize getting shots in arms.''
        States are permitted to donate vaccines that have been allocated to them but not yet distributed to the federal pool, which could potentially be sent elsewhere. The federal government also responded to state health department concerns by allowing them to request only specific quantities of vaccine rather than receiving a set amount determined by population.
        For now, there's still hope something can be done. Public health experts believe doses could be returned to the federal government to then be centrally redistributed. Doing so would be a challenge and take resources, they said, but would be worthwhile given the global need.
        ''It might take some extraordinary effort. We've seen extraordinary effort throughout this pandemic,'' said Ottenhoff. ''That's why we have enough vaccines for Americans who want them. I'm hoping we can see that extraordinary effort expand beyond Americans for those who need them internationally.''
        Kates, from Kaiser Family Foundation, agreed: ''This is an unprecedented situation,'' she said. ''This is urgent. What happens elsewhere affects us, and vice versa. This truly is a global phenomenon and challenge.''
        Olivia GoldhillInvestigative Reporter
        Olivia is an investigative reporter at STAT, working to hold corporations and public bodies to account in their response to Covid-19.
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      Freight Train Carrying Ford F-150 Pickups Derails in Missouri
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:31
        Adding to the automaker's production woes, the trucks are reportedly totaled. Del Buckman FacebookWhat's reported to be a 44-car train derailment took place in northeastern Missouri on Monday, crushing and dumping dozens of new Ford trucks and vans throughout the countryside. It's unclear what caused the incident, though Norfolk Southern railway officials are investigating. Missouri Highway Patrol released a statement saying no injuries were reported; the vehicles, however, are totaled.
        The Drive reached out to Ford for comment, though the company didn't have any details to add. Seeing as the vehicles shown in overhead photos and videos of the wreck posted to Facebook are all F-150s and Transit vans, it's likely they were being transported from the automaker's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri. Regardless, it's a mess that will take days to clean up, as a railway employee explained to Lake Gazette. The halted train is completely blocking a local road in Ralls County.
        Del Buckman Facebook
        This is the latest delay Ford has faced in getting new vehicles'--especially F-150s'--to dealer lots. Because of the global chip shortage, Ford had more than 60,000 incomplete cars and trucks as of last week. Parking lots full of Super Duty pickups at Kentucky Speedway can be seen from space, and photos showing hundreds of unfinished Fords from around the country have been shared online. Without those key components, they'll remain stationary; the month of July was also a big one for Ford factory shutdowns.
        The supply chain stranglehold imposed by the pandemic has forced automakers to rethink how they manufacture and provide vehicles to customers. Ford itself said this week that it'd rather build-to-order than pack dealer lots full of cars in various trims and specifications, which has proven tough for the past 12 to 18 months. Something like a derailed train full of freshly finished Blue Ovals doesn't help that, either.
        We'll update this space with more information as it's released. Right now, it's unclear just how many F-150s and Transit vans were entangled in the mess.
        Got a tip regarding the derailment? Email the author: caleb@thedrive.com
      A 'Historic Investment': Here's What's In The Bipartisan Infrastructure Package | The Daily Caller
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:46
        Following months of negotiation, a bipartisan group of 20 senators introduced their $1.2 trillion infrastructure package Sunday.
        The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act tallies 2,702 pages, and was described by lead negotiator Democratic Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema as a ''historic investment in infrastructure.'' The package includes $550 billion in new spending, with the rest redirecting spending that was already authorized by Congress.
        Large portions of the redirected spending come from unused dollars allocated by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and other COVID-19 pandemic relief measures. At least $3 billion will come from unspent airline aid, Roll Call reported. Unspent unemployment benefits will cover $53 billion, $30 billion will come from unspent small business loans, and $353 million will come from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, according to The New York Times.
        The bill cleared a filibuster July 28, before it had been formally introduced, with 17 Republicans joining all 50 Democrats in voting in favor of beginning debate. However, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act still has a long way to go to become law. Left-wing Democrats in the House of Representatives, supported by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are threatening to tank the agreement if Senate Democrats do not pass a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package.
        Here's what's in the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:
        Amtrak
        Amtrak will receive $32 billion for operations between the years 2022-2026, and $58 billion total. The state-owned corporation is a favorite of President Joe Biden, who was nicknamed ''Amtrak Joe'' for his habit of riding the train to work every day from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, when he was a senator. Biden's son Hunter Biden was appointed to the Amtrak Board of Directors in 2006, with Joe Biden's fellow Democratic Delaware Sen. Tom Carper describing Hunter's main qualification as ''using Amtrak to commute to his job in Washington, D.C.''
        ALLIANCE, OHIO '' SEPTEMBER 30: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks during a campaign stop at the Alliance Amtrak Station September 30, 2020 in Alliance, Ohio. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
        Amtrak received $1.7 billion from the ARP, which passed in March. Before the bailout money, it was $1.6 billion in debt.
        Drunk Driving Prevention
        Although no money is attached to this provision, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requires the secretary of transportation to issue a standard ''that requires passenger motor vehicles manufactured after the effective date of such standard to be equipped with advanced drunk driving prevention technology.''
        All new cars will have to be equipped with a breathalyzer, h/t @creek_ghost pic.twitter.com/0thSmSE0qF
        '-- Oilfield Rando (@Oilfield_Rando) August 2, 2021
        The secretary of transportation will be required to ''work directly with manufacturers of passenger motor vehicles, suppliers, safety advocates, and other interested parties'' to develop the monitors. They could include sensors to monitor in-car air and driving patterns, and cameras to check for facial cues, according to NBC News.
        Diversity Recruitment
        The Department of Transportation will receive $20 million from 2023-2026 to increase ''awareness of career opportunities in the transportation sector'' and ''diversity, including race, gender, ethnicity, veteran status, and socioeconomic status, of professionals in the transportation sector.''
        American trucking companies are plagued by driver shortages. Up to 25% of tank trucks did not have drivers in May, helping feed gas price increases, Fox News reported at the time.
        Miles-Driven Tax Pilot Program
        This provision would allow the secretary of transportation to ''establish a pilot program to demonstrate a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.'' The Department of Transportation would recruit volunteers for the pilot program, with a focus on geographic and racial equity. The revenue from the tax would go into the Highway Trust Fund, which is currently financed by federal gas taxes but facing insolvency.
        Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg floated a miles-driven tax in a March appearance on CNBC. He later told CNN's Jake Tapper that the tax was ''not part of the conversation'' surrounding the infrastructure package, since the Biden administration would not increase taxes on people making less than $400,000 a year.
        Highway Tear-downs
        The bill allocates up to $1 billion for highway tear-downs, an equity provision for which Biden originally requested $20 billion. Urban planners and transportation experts argue that removing and relaying 50-60- year-old highways will benefit inner city economies, while activists claim that tear-downs will benefit underprivileged minority groups that were harmed by the original construction. (RELATED: Democrats Want To Tear Down Highways'... To Solve Historic Racism?)
        Local Block Grants
        Key senators who negotiated the agreement will receive billions of dollars for their states. The Department of Transportation will fund ''necessary reconstruction '' of the Alaska Highway, a 1,387 mile-long road first built in World War II. The legislation provides for ''an applicable competitive grant program.'' Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was part of the bipartisan group that negotiated the package.
        Fifty billion dollars would also be allocated to the Central Utah Project Completion Account, which funds the Central Utah Project, a water resources development program. First created by Congress in 1992, the Central Utah Project is intended to divert the Colorado River for farm irrigation and municipal water usage. Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney also negotiated the package.
        The bill allocates $1 billion to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), an independent federal agency that operates in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and ten other states. The ARC describes its mission as ''innovat[ing], partner[ing], and invest[ing] to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.''
        Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Republican Ohio Sen. Rob Portman were members of the bipartisan group, and Manchin's wife Gayle serves as a federal co-chair for the ARC. Republican West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito previously negotiated directly with Biden on infrastructure, and Republican Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell has expressed support for the package.
      Unvaccinated People Need to Bear the Burden - The Atlantic
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        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:16
        Beyond limiting the coronavirus's flow from hot spots to the rest of the country, allowing only vaccinated people on domestic flights will change minds, too.
        Angel Garcia / Bloomberg / Getty About the author: Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, is the faculty chair of the homeland-security program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. She is the author of Security Mom: An Unclassified Guide to Protecting Our Homeland and Your Home.
        When you go to the airport, you see two kinds of security rules. Some apply equally to everyone; no one can carry weapons through the TSA checkpoint. But other protocols divide passengers into categories according to how much of a threat the government thinks they pose. If you submit to heightened scrutiny in advance, TSA PreCheck lets you go through security without taking off your shoes; a no-fly list keeps certain people off the plane entirely. Not everyone poses an equal threat. Rifling through the bags of every business traveler and patting down every preschooler and octogenarian would waste the TSA's time and needlessly burden many passengers.
        The same principle applies to limiting the spread of the coronavirus. The number of COVID-19 cases keeps growing, even though remarkably safe, effective vaccines are widely available, at least to adults. Many public agencies are responding by reimposing masking rules on everyone. But at this stage of the pandemic, tougher universal restrictions are not the solution to continuing viral spread. While flying, vaccinated people should no longer carry the burden for unvaccinated people. The White House has rejected a nationwide vaccine mandate'--a sweeping suggestion that the Biden administration could not easily enact if it wanted to'--but a no-fly list for unvaccinated adults is an obvious step that the federal government should take. It will help limit the risk of transmission at destinations where unvaccinated people travel'--and, by setting norms that restrict certain privileges to vaccinated people, will also help raise the stagnant vaccination rates that are keeping both the economy and society from fully recovering.
        Read: The dos and don'ts of hot vax summer
        Flying is not a right, and the case for restricting it to vaccinated people is straightforward: The federal government is the sole entity that can regulate the terms and conditions of airline safety. And although air-filtration systems and mask requirements make transmission of the coronavirus unlikely during any given passenger flight, infected people can spread it when they leave the airport and take off their mask. The whole point of international-travel bans is to curb infections in the destination country; to protect itself, the United States still has many such restrictions in place. Beyond limiting the virus's flow from hot spots to the rest of the country, allowing only vaccinated people on domestic flights will change minds, too.
        Polls suggest that vaccine holdouts have a variety of motivations: genuine concerns about side effects; skepticism of shots not yet fully approved by the FDA; a general aversion to vaccines; a desire to stick it to the libs; a reluctance to decide'--even now. In a recent New York Times and Kaiser Family Foundation poll, 46 percent of unvaccinated people who consider themselves in the ''wait and see'' category disclosed that they would stop waiting if they could get a shot from their personal physician. Forty-four percent agreed that the FDA's full approval of the vaccines would motivate them. And 41 percent said that a prohibition on airline travel would get them closer to their shots. Tellingly, 11 percent of those adamantly opposed to vaccination would also be motivated by a travel ban'--a larger effect for these respondents than full FDA approval or the ability to get vaccinated at their doctor's office would have. More than another recitation of statistics about vaccines' benefits or yet another appeal to the common good, the deprivation of movement will win over doubters. Some unvaccinated Americans in areas where vaccination seekers face scorn among their peer group may even be happy to have an excuse to protect themselves.
        The public debate about making vaccination a precondition for travel, employment, and other activities has described this approach as vaccine mandates, a term that, to conservative critics, suggests that unvaccinated people are being ordered around arbitrarily. What is actually going on, mostly, is that institutions are shifting burdens to unvaccinated people'--denying them access to certain spaces, requiring them to take regular COVID-19 tests, charging them for the cost of that testing'--rather than imposing greater burdens on everyone. Americans still have a choice to go unvaccinated, but that means giving up on certain societal benefits. Nobody has a constitutional right to attend The Lion King on Broadway or work at Disney or Walmart. Employers and entertainment venues are realizing that they can operate more easily without the hassle of planning around unvaccinated employees and customers. Amid a global health crisis, people who defy public-health guidance are not, and do not deserve to be, a protected class.
        David A. Graham: Delta is ruining the summer, and it's anti-vaxxers' fault
        For the privilege of flying, Americans already give up a lot: We disclose our personal information, toss our water bottles, extinguish our cigarette butts, and lock our guns in checked luggage. For vaccinated people, having to show proof of vaccination when flying would be a minor inconvenience.
        The Biden administration could give unvaccinated Americans a brief window in which to get shots. A travel rule that took effect by October would cover those who hope to visit relatives during the holiday season. Vaccine verification and legitimate exceptions for age or preexisting health conditions can be part of airline databases, as are other security features. The current reliance on paper vaccination cards makes for a clumsy system, but better public- and private-sector systems are likely to emerge if employers, entertainment venues, and the TSA all seek to verify individuals' status. Some people may try to lie and cheat their way around a TSA requirement, but violating federal aviation-safety measures is generally a crime.
        Relying so heavily on mask requirements to protect the flying public has had a distinct downside. The duty of preventing viral transmission has fallen to gate agents and flight attendants, who must enforce mask rules, and whom angry passengers have in turn subjected to harassment. Moreover, masks can provide protection only during a flight, but for passengers, the whole point of flying is to take part in life outside the destination airport's grounds. By requiring proof of vaccination for flights, the U.S. government will better protect society and get out of the business of helping the coronavirus proliferate in another place. People who still want to wait and see about the vaccines can continue doing so. They just can't keep pushing all the costs on everyone else.
      A Doomsday COVID Variant Worse Than Delta and Lambda May Be Coming, Scientists Say
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        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 01:18
        Scientists keep underestimating the coronavirus. In the beginning of the pandemic, they said mutated versions of the virus wouldn't be much of a problem'--until the more-infectious Alpha caused a spike in cases last fall. Then Beta made young people sicker and Gamma reinfected those who'd already recovered from COVID-19. Still, by March, as the winter surge in the U.S. receded, some epidemiologists were cautiously optimistic that the rapid vaccine rollout would soon tame the variants and cause the pandemic to wind down.
        Delta has now shattered that optimism. This variant, first identified in India in December, spreads faster than any previous strain of SARS-CoV-2, as the COVID-19 virus is officially named. It is driving up infection rates in every state of the U.S., prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to once again recommend universal mask-wearing.
        The Delta outbreak is going to get much worse, warns Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist who leads the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. "The number of intensive-care beds needed could be higher than any time we've seen," he says. He adds that his team's analysis shows that almost every single one of the 100 million unvaccinated Americans who hasn't had COVID-19 yet will likely get it in the coming months, short of taking the sort of strong isolation and masking precautions that seem unlikely in the vaccine-hesitant population.
        The variant is so contagious that it's set to smash through every previous prediction of how soon the U.S. might reach herd immunity. "We've failed to shut this down as we have other pandemics," says Jonathan Eisen, a biologist at the University of California, Davis, who studies how pathogens evolve. "It may be around forevermore, leaving us continually trying to figure out what to do next."
        The Delta variant, which spreads faster than any previous strain of SARS-CoV-2, is driving up infection rates in the U.S. Here, a COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Virginia. Katherine Frey/The Washington Post/GettyDelta, like most of the other variants, blindsided us, worsening and extending the pandemic. When the damage from Delta starts to subside, what other variants will be lurking just behind it to pull us back down again? The World Health Organization is already keeping an eye on several: Eta, which is now in several countries; Kappa, which arose in India; Iota, which first popped up in New York City'--and especially Lambda, which has torn through Peru and shows signs of having unusual success in infecting fully vaccinated people, according to one early study. It has already spread to Argentina, Chile, Ecuador as well as Texas and South Carolina.
        It's too soon to say whether Lambda will turn out to be the next big, bad thing that COVID-19 unleashes on us. But it's a good time to wonder: Just how destructive can these variants get? Will future variants expand their attack from the lungs to the brain, the heart and other organs? Will they take a page from HIV and trick people into thinking they've recovered, only to make them sick later? Is there a Doomsday variant out there that shrugs off vaccines, spreads like wildfire and leaves more of its victims much sicker than anything we've yet seen?
        The odds are not high that we will see such a triple threat, but experts can't rule it out. Delta has already shown how much worse things can get. Its extreme contagiousness, with room to run freely through the tens of millions of Americans who haven't been vaccinated and millions more who have no access to vaccines in developing countries, has good odds of turning into something even more troublesome. "The next variant," says Osterholm, "could be Delta on steroids."
        Caught Off-GuardIt wasn't supposed to happen this way. Early in the pandemic, most experts closely studying COVID-19 mutations downplayed the notion that variants would cause such serious problems. "They don't seem to make much of a difference," said Richard Neher, an evolutionary biologist at Switzerland's University of Basel, in August last year. "We probably only need to worry about it on a timescale of about five years." Today he calls Delta and other COVID-19 variants "the pandemic within the pandemic."
        Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (tan) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (orange), isolated from a patient sample. NIAIDDelta, more than any other variant, has reset scientists' understanding of how quickly a virus can evolve into devastating new forms. "All coronaviruses mutate, and we knew this one was mutating, too," says Sharone Green, a physician and infectious disease researcher at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "But we didn't think the mutations would so strikingly affect transmissibility and possible evasion of immunity."
        It may seem surprising that scientists were caught off-guard by the rapid emergence of a more dangerous variant. But unlike most other pathogens, Eisen notes SARS-CoV-2 was largely unknown when it emerged. In the absence of data, scientists assumed it would follow other viruses in being relatively slow to spin off much more contagious mutations. Even more important, he adds, scientists underestimated the sheer scale the pandemic would eventually achieve'--a critical factor, because the more people a virus infects, the more opportunities it has to develop significant mutations. "Having billions of people infected presents a breeding ground for variants unlike anything we've ever seen with these sorts of viruses," he says.
        SARS-CoV-2 doesn't mutate particularly quickly, compared to many pathogens. Just as with most human and other cells, a mutation occurs in a virus when it replicates but fails to make a perfect copy of its genetic material. That imperfect copy is a mutant. The COVID-19 virus doesn't have a lot of genetic material to scramble compared to most organisms'--about 15 genes, versus about 3,000 genes in an E. coli bacterium, a run-of-the-mill stomach bug, and about 20,000 in a human cell. What's more, COVID-19 has genetic checking mechanisms that make it reasonably adept at avoiding replication mistakes compared to most viruses.
        But while COVID-19's mutation rate is on the low side'--about one mutation for every 10 replications, or around a fifth of the flu's mutation rate and a tenth of HIV's'--COVID-19 takes advantage of a grim numbers game. A single person infected with COVID-19 might carry 10 billion copies of the virus, enough to produce billions of mutated viruses every day. What happens to all those mutations? Almost always the answer is: nothing. The genetic scrambling is random, with the result that virtually all mutations either have no effect whatsoever on the virus, or else do something that makes the virus less effective or even renders it entirely non-functional.
        But once in a while'--perhaps every million trillion times'--a random mutation confers some potentially dangerous new characteristic. What's more, much of what makes the virus dangerous has to do with a relatively small portion'--the so-called spike proteins that protrude from its surface and enable the virus to latch onto and penetrate human cells. Most of the mutations we've seen so far represent tweaks to these spikes, which means it only takes a minimal change within any of the few viral genes that control the spikes to create a newly threatening mutation.
        But even when a virus hits the jackpot with a mutation that sharpens its ability to wreak havoc, that doesn't mean a dangerous new variant has emerged. To become a significant variant, a mutated virus has to out-replicate the far more numerous copies of the virus that already predominate in the population, and to do that it needs features that give it big advantages.
        What specific features will help the mutation become a better replicator and spreader in the population is determined by the environment. For example, in the case of a respiratory virus like COVID-19, the ability to travel longer distances in the air, and to latch more firmly onto cells in the nasal passage, would likely make a new strain a better contender to become a widely spreading variant.
        "A virus' job is just to keep propagating," says Green. "Any mutation that helps the virus survive and spread will make it more successful as a variant."
        All told, the chances that a virus in the population will produce a much more dangerous variant in the course of a year would normally be extremely low. But when billions of people are infected with billions of copies of a virus, all bets are off. Thanks to Delta's infectiousness, and the huge number of people whose refusal or inability to get vaccinated leaves them primed to become living COVID-19 mutation labs, the conditions are ripe to produce yet more, potentially more dangerous, variants in the coming months.
        Thanks to Delta's infectiousness, and the huge number of people whose refusal or inability to get vaccinated leaves them primed to become living COVID-19 mutation labs, the conditions are ripe to produce yet more, potentially more dangerous, variants in the coming months Here: Anti-vaxxers in Raleigh, North Carolina. Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency/Getty"It's going to be very difficult to stop it from happening with masks and social distancing at this point," says Preeti Malani, a physician and infectious disease researcher and chief health officer at the University of Michigan. "Vaccines are the key, and vaccine hesitancy is the obstacle."
        The growing number of people with natural immunity, from having recovered from COVID-19, won't save the day either, says Eric Vail, director of molecular pathology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. "At best it's now a third of the U.S. population with natural immunity, and that may be an overestimation," he says. "It won't be enough to guarantee that Delta will be the last big variant."
        Can It Beat the Vaccine?The most likely way a new variant will plague us is the same way the U.K. variant did earlier this year, and Delta is now: by being more transmissible. At first glance, that seems a tall order, given that Delta is already one of the most transmissible viruses ever encountered, falling short only of the measles. Then again, notes Osterholm, scientists thought the original COVID-19 virus was a shockingly adept spreader, only to be surprised by how much more easily the U.K. variant spread, just to be caught off guard yet again with the rise of Delta, which is about five times more transmissible than the original.
        There's no reason to assume Delta represents any sort of ceiling in infectiousness. "I wouldn't be incredibly surprised if something else came along that's even more transmissible," says Vail. Such a super-spreading virus might burn through the unvaccinated, non-previously infected population so fast that hospitals couldn't come close to coping.
        Making that possibility more likely is the fact that sheer transmissibility, more than any other characteristic a virus might acquire through mutation, confers the greatest advantage on a variant when it comes to outcompeting other versions. "If a mutation comes up anywhere that's more transmissible, it will be selected out to propagate," says Green. That means a single ultra-transmissible mutation popping up anywhere in the world in a single infected person could be enough to unleash a fresh round of heightened global misery.
        Sharone Green, a physician and infectious disease researcher at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Courtesy of Sharone GreenMight a new variant get around the vaccine? Delta appears to be able to infect the vaccinated more readily than previous variants, reducing the major vaccines' effectiveness at preventing infection from about 95 percent to around 90 percent. (A recent Israeli study claimed the Pfizer vaccine's effectiveness plunges to 39 percent, but experts caution that the finding is an outlier that may not hold up.)
        Most of the COVID-19 vaccines work by getting human antibodies to target the spike proteins on the virus. But because mutations can slightly change the shape of the spike protein, they can potentially disguise it from some of those antibodies, thus weakening the vaccine's effectiveness. The different variants have different combinations of mutations in the spike protein, and while so far none of those combinations seem to do a great job of disguising the spike protein enough to get around the vaccine, some seem able to chip away at its effectiveness. Delta has three mutations that together seem especially good at keeping the spikes under the antibodies' radar, leading to the breakthrough infections.
        Still, the vaccines remain highly effective in preventing Delta from causing severe illness leading to hospitalization or death, to judge by the fact that 99 percent of the patients struggling with COVID-19 in U.S. intensive-care units are unvaccinated.
        COVID-19 may well continue to evolve into new, widely spreading variants, but there's reason to think that none of them are likely to routinely blow past the immune defenses conferred by vaccine, and even the lesser natural-immunity defenses. One reason, notes Vail, is that the vast majority of COVID-19 virus in circulation is in unvaccinated people who weren't previously infected, and mutations that can avoid immunity have no real advantage in that environment. An immune-evading variant would be more likely to thrive in a population of vaccinated or recovered people, where such a mutation would allow it to outcompete non-mutated viruses'--but there just isn't enough virus circulating in that population to allow for rapid mutation.
        That's how Delta emerged, notes Vail. "There were four variants that arose in India, and three of them had some ability to evade immunity," he says. "The fourth one was Delta, which didn't have as strong an evading mutation, and that's the one that spread."
        The Delta variant is one of four that arose in India. Here, crematorium staff in Virar, India lights the pyre of a Covid-19 coronavirus victim earlier this year. PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/GettyGreen points out a second reason being immune-evasive will be a huge challenge to COVID-19: The human immune system, once it's activated by vaccination or infection, is more resilient and effective than even most studies indicate. That's because studies tend to focus on how the virus fares against antibodies specifically developed by the body to fight the virus, as observed in test tubes. In real life, the body rolls out other weapons, including innate antibodies that target a broader array of pathogens, and T-cells that only kick in when an infection starts to take hold'--both of which most lab studies can't easily measure. More thorough studies are underway, says Green, and the results should aid in the development of booster shots that will help block Delta and possible future variants.
        The mechanics of mutation also work in our favor when it comes to dodging future variants that cause more severe illness. It's not that such mutations can't or won't spring up in the coming months. Rather, it's that causing the infected to be extremely ill takes them out of circulation, so they can't spread the more-sickening variant. That means the variant would be at a disadvantage to competing forms of the virus that leave most of the infected feeling well enough to walk around and transmit the infection.
        A particularly dangerous scenario would be a variant that left people feeling well for a long time, and then lowered the boom later with severe illness. But few viruses'--HIV being one exception'--master that trick, and so far that doesn't seem to be a threat from COVID-19, either.
        Eisen warns that such delayed-illness scenarios can't be ruled out, either. There are ways new variants could inflict worse damage without compromising their ability to spread. For example, a new variant might attack the brain, heart or other organs in more subtle, slower ways that leave victims walking around but that eventually take a large toll.
        "We've already seen that different variants have differing abilities to enter some types of cells, and that might have an effect on the nervous system or lung function," says Eisen. "It's very concerning."
        Malani notes that there's anecdotal evidence that more young people are getting severely ill with Delta than has been the case with previous variants. That uptick may just be due to higher numbers of young people getting infected, or it may indicate a troubling shift toward greater vulnerability among the younger. That wouldn't be a first: The 1918 flu pandemic preferentially killed younger adults.
        It's not yet clear whether or not Delta is hitting the younger harder. "It's a mystery right now," Malani says. "Infected young people might walk around for days or even weeks even though they're feeling very poorly, so it's hard to judge." But even if Delta isn't targeting the younger, a spin-off variant might.
        Preeti Malani, an infectious disease researcher and chief health officer at the University of Michigan: "Vaccines are the key, and vaccine hesitancy is the obstacle." Courtesy of Preeti MalaniWhile increased infectiousness is the most likely path for a fierce post-Delta variant versus getting past vaccines or causing more severe illness, there's a catch: Such traits aren't mutually exclusive. Simply as a matter of chance, a mutation that confers increased transmissibility might also cause more damage to health or give the virus a better chance at slipping past the defenses conferred by a vaccine. Although these latter traits aren't likely to be selected on their own, they could ride the coattails of a transmissibility-boosting mutation. "There's nothing to stop them from happening at the same time," says Eisen.
        Fortunately, there's a built-in impediment to what might otherwise be a potentially endless march toward ever-more-dangerous variants: The virus will at some point run out of ways to become nastier, thanks to the relatively simple structure of the spike protein, which can only be mutated in a few hundred different ways, most of which won't make the virus more harmful. "There are only so many changes that can be made to the spike protein without making it non-functional," says Vail. "I'd be cautious about saying that it can keep mutating indefinitely."
        Another big break: Unlike the flu virus, SARS-CoV-2 doesn't have a structure that lends itself to mixing and matching genetic material between different variants. That "recombination" capability is what helps make the flu a moving target each year for vaccines.
        Like the flu, COVID-19 is probably going to be with us for the foreseeable future. But a big pickup in vaccination rates would at least put the age of the most dangerous variants behind us. At that point, says Green, we can focus on occasional new vaccines or booster shots that make the virus a relatively tame threat.
        "I don't think eradication is on the table," she says. "But I think we could come up with something that's better than what we have now for the flu."
        On the other hand, notes Green, the flu kills as many as 60,000 people a year. If COVID-19 keeps mutating away from vaccine effectiveness and natural immunity, and a large portion of the population continues to neglect vaccinations, then we'll indeed end up permanently haunted by the virus.
        In that case, we'd be lucky if COVID-19 "only" kills tens of thousands every year. Thanks to the ongoing threats of variants, we might be in for a lot worse.
        Photo Illustration by Newsweek
      Malaysia to cancel $20bn China-backed rail project - minister - Nikkei Asia
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        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 00:39
        Malaysia's then-Prime Minister Najib Razak, second from left, look at a model of the East Coast Rail Line at Kuantan Bahang, Malaysia in August 2017. (C) Reuters January 26, 2019 14:30 JST | MalaysiaKUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -- Malaysia's economics minister said on Saturday the country will cancel its $20 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project with contractor China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC).
        Mohamed Azmin Ali said at a media event that the project's cost was too great, while also giving an assurance that Malaysia would welcome investment from China on a case by case basis.
        "The cabinet has made this decision because the cost to develop the ECRL is too big and we don't have (the) financial capacity," said Azmin.
        The government was still determining how much to pay CCCC for the project cancellation fee, he said.
        The interest on the project alone amounted to half a billion ringgit ($120 million) a year.
        "We cannot afford to bear this, so this project needs to be terminated without affecting our good relationship with China."
        Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said last August that the rail project would be cancelled "for now", but the government has since said it was in negotiations with CCCC on the rail line's future.
        He also announced in August the cancellation of another China-backed project, a natural gas pipeline in the East Malaysia state of Sabah.
        CCCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters by phone and text message.
        Since coming into power last May, Mahathir has repeatedly vowed to renegotiate or cancel what he calls "unfair" Chinese infrastructure deals authorised by his predecessor Najib Razak, whose near-decade long rule ended in electoral defeat amid a massive financial scandal.
        The ECRL project was the centrepiece of China's infrastructure push in Malaysia but work had been suspended pending discussions over pricing and graft accusations.
        Malaysia's finance minister said last year that the cost of the ECRL project had been inflated, according to local financial newspaper The Edge.
        The ECRL project is one of the biggest China has signed under its signature Belt and Road initiative, as well as one of state-owned contractor CCCC's largest railway projects.
        In November, the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission issued a report ranking the ECRL as the second-largest Belt and Road project by estimated cost, behind the $21.4 billion Moscow-Kazan high-speed railway project in Russia.
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      Midazolam was used to end the lives of thousands who you were told had died of Covid-19 & an NHS document proves Staff were ordered to do it '' Daily Expose
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        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 00:21
        Breaking NewsAn official NHS document proves that NHS staff were told respiratory depressing drugs ''should not be withheld due to inappropriate concerns'' about using them to treat Covid-19; a respiratory disease.
        Midazolam can cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems such as shallow, slowed, or temporarily stopped breathing that may lead to permanent brain injury or death, and UK regulators state that you should only receive midazolam in a hospital or doctor's office that has the equipment that is needed to monitor your heart and lungs and to provide life-saving medical treatment quickly if your breathing slows or stops.
        The drug, which is criminally used in palliative care in the United Kingdom despite not being on the WHO's list of essential palliative care medicines, should also be used with extreme caution in elderly patients.
        But despite this, Matt Hancock and the Department of Health ordered two years worth of Midazolam in March 2020 in response to the introduction of the first lockdown. A two year supply that was depleted by October of the same year.
        The reason being that the elderly and vulnerable were denied treatment by the NHS; a policy that was part of a pandemic response four years in the planning , and instead put on end of life care which involved withdrawing their medication, depriving them of food and water, and pumping them full of midazolam and morphine until they died of starvation and dehydration.
        Evidence suggests that the drug midazolam was used to prematurely end the lives of thousands upon thousands of people in the United Kingdom who you were told had died of Covid-19, and this can be clearly seen from the data on out of hospital prescribing for midazolam coinciding with the waves of all cause deaths and Covid-19 deaths in the UK, as well as the A mnesty and CQC reports which found the blanket use of Do Not Resuscitate orders being used in care homes without informing the residents or their families.
        Serious illness in Covid-19 presents pneumonia and accompanying respiratory insufficiency. Therefore typical symptoms include breathlessness, cough, weakness and fever. We're also told that people who suffer deteriorating respiratory failure and who do not receive intensive care, develop acute respiratory distress syndrome with severe breathlessness.
        Despite this, NHS staff were told in ' clinical guidance for symptom control for patients with Covid-19 ' that excessive doses of morphine and midazolam should be given to ease the symptoms of Covid-19.
        The drug label information for Midazolam on the US National Library of Medicine clearly states that ''Midazolam hydrochloride must never be used without individualization of dosage. The initial intravenous dose for sedation in adult patients may be as little as 1 mg, but should not exceed 2.5 mg in a normal healthy adult. Lower doses are necessary for older (over 60 years) or debilitated patients''
        But despite this, NHS staff were told to up the dosage of Midazolam in all Covid-19 patients if they were suffering ''persistent anxiety or agitation''. At no point were they instructed to individualise doses based on the age or fraility of the patient.
        The warning label states that because of the ''danger of hypoventilation, airway obstruction, or apnoea is greater in elderly patients and those with chronic disease states or decreased pulmonary reserve, and because the peak effect may take longer in these patients, increments should be smaller and the rate of injection slower.''
        Perhaps NHS staff also knew this, but they were told within the clinical guidance provided to them that their concerns were ''inappropriate''.
        Confidential NHS documents clearly show that the elderly and vulnerable were to be denied treatment and put on the end of life pathway in response to a pandemic, and the evidence clearly shows this was put into practice.
        Categories: Breaking News, Did You Know?, Latest News, The Expose Blog, World News
      Chinese cities enter lockdown as delta variant spreads | Live Science
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        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 00:17
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        A Nanjing resident receives a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 on July 21, 2021. (Image credit: Getty / STR / AFP / Contributor) Amid China's worst COVID-19 outbreak since the early days of the pandemic, officials have locked down several cities, ordering residents to stay in their homes until they can be tested or vaccinated, according to news reports.
        After subduing the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan last year, China maintained strict border controls, as well as quarantining and physical distancing measures to squash new outbreaks before they could spread, The Associated Press (AP) reported. But now, the country is contending with a large outbreak linked to an international airport in Nanjing, located in the eastern province of Jiangsu.
        On July 20, nine airport workers tested positive for COVID-19, and in the following two weeks, 360 new domestic cases cropped up across China, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Upon detecting the cases in airport workers, the government immediately launched a testing campaign to screen the 9.2 million residents of Nanjing and instituted strict lockdowns in parts of the city, according to BBC News.
        Related: Coronavirus variants: Here's how the SARS-CoV-2 mutants stack up
        However, new COVID-19 cases soon popped up in other provinces; as of now (Aug. 4), the outbreak has reached at least 17 provinces, the AP reported. After analyzing virus samples gathered from infected people, authorities reported that the outbreak is being driven by the highly transmissible delta variant, The Guardian reported.
        In the city of Zhuzhou, located in central Hunan province, 1.2 million residents were ordered to remain in their homes starting Monday (Aug. 2) so that a mass testing and vaccination campaign could be organized, according to AFP. Similarly, Zhangjiajie, located in northwest Hunan, locked down residential communities over the weekend, the AP reported.
        As of Aug. 3, China reported that 1.71 billion vaccine doses have been distributed to its 1.4 billion residents, but it's unclear exactly how many people are now fully vaccinated, according to the AP. Earlier reports suggest that at least 40% of the population has received two shots; that said, Chinese companies have not shared any real-world data about how their vaccines hold up against the delta variant, the AP noted.
        Cases of infection in the country's capital, Beijing, and the Sichuan, Liaoning and Jiangsu provinces have been traced back to Zhangjiajie through extensive contact tracing, according to The Global Times; and this entire chain of transmission seems to stem from the outbreak at Nanjing Lukou International Airport.
        Health officials have also traced nine cases to Zhangjiajie's Meili Xiangxi Grand Theater, which recently hosted performances with thousands in attendance, according to The Global Times. At one specific performance, there were 2,000 people, The Global Times reported, and in total, the government is now tracking down more than 5,000 people who attended various performances at the venue, as well as their close contacts, according to The Guardian. In the meantime, all tourist attractions in the city have been closed. In addition, tourists must test negative for COVID-19 three times before leaving the city, Xinhua News Agency reported.
        Several coronavirus cases have been detected among Beijing residents who recently traveled to Zhangjiajie, AFP reported. The capital has now banned all tourist travel into the city and is requiring "essential travelers" to show negative COVID-19 tests before entering, BBC News reported. In the Changping district of northwest Beijing, 41,000 residents went into lockdown last week.
        Since the start of the pandemic, China has reported 4,636 deaths and 93,289 cases of COVID-19; most of these occurred during the original Wuhan outbreak last year, the AP reported.
        Originally published on Live Science.
        Nicoletta Lanese is a staff writer for Live Science covering health and medicine, along with an assortment of biology, animal, environment and climate stories. She holds degrees in neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her work has appeared in The Scientist Magazine, Science News, The San Jose Mercury News and Mongabay, among other outlets.
      LA City Council To Consider Requiring Vaccinations To Enter Indoor Spaces | KFI AM 640
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        Archived Version
        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 00:00
        Photo: Getty Images
        LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Proof of at least partial vaccination against COVID-19 would be required to enter public indoor spaces in the city of Los Angeles, including restaurants, bars, gyms, concert venues, movie theaters and even ''retail establishments,'' under a proposal introduced today by City Council President Nury Martinez.
        ''Enough is enough already,'' said Martinez, who co-introduced the motion with Councilman Mitch O'Farrell. ''Hospital workers are exhausted, moms who have put aside their careers are tired, and our kids cannot afford the loss of another school year. We have three vaccines that work and are readily available, so what's it going to take?''
        The proposal is similar to a policy announced this week in New York City, but it would be more restrictive with the inclusion of retail establishments, potentially limiting access to some basic necessities. The New York policy restricts access only to more entertainment-oriented venues such as indoor restaurants, fitness centers and theaters.
        According to O'Farrell's office, the exact businesses that would fall under the restrictions would be determined during the drafting of the ordinance by city attorneys. No determination has yet been made on whether such retail restrictions would extend to grocery stores.
        The motion, if passed by the City Council, would instruct the city attorney to prepare an ordinance requiring ''eligible individuals'' to have received at least one dose of the vaccine before entering indoor spaces in the city.
        The motion would also instruct the Community Investment for Families Department to report immediately on how to expand the Vax UP L.A. campaign and what resources are needed for a citywide outreach and education program in an effort to expand vaccine coverage.
        If the motion is approved, the Chief Legislative Analyst would work with other city departments to create an implementation strategy for the requirement and the city attorney would report to council with a course of action for ensuring compliance.
        ''Hard-working Angelenos, their customers and the general public deserve to be safe in public spaces,'' O'Farrell said. ''The vaccines are our most effective form of protection, and the time to act is now.''
        County health officials continue to urge vaccinations as the best defense against COVID-19 infections, which are disproportionately affecting the unvaccinated and landing them in hospitals.
        County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said last week that of all the people who were hospitalized in the county due to COVID-19 in June, 92% were either unvaccinated entirely or not fully vaccinated. The figure was 95% in May. For the first 10 days of July -- the most recent statistic available -- the rate was 91%.
        Ferrer also said that 99.8% of the COVID fatalities in the county during the first six months of the year occurred among the unvaccinated. The rate was 96% from April 1 to June 30, a period during which vaccines were more widely available.
        Of the county's 10.3 million residents, 60% have received at least one dose, and 52% are fully vaccinated. Roughly 1.3 million residents under age 12 remain ineligible for the vaccine.
        Among residents age 16 and over, 72% have received at least one dose, and 63% are fully vaccinated, according to the most recent county figures. The rates are significantly higher among older residents, with 89% of county residents aged 65 and over with at least one dose, and 79% fully vaccinated.
        Copyright 2021, City News Service, Inc.
      Genesis 1 NIV - The Beginning - In the beginning God - Bible Gateway
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 21:58
        New International Version (NIV)
        Version
        The Beginning 1 In the beginning(A) God created(B) the heavens(C) and the earth.(D) 2 Now the earth was formless(E) and empty,(F) darkness was over the surface of the deep,(G) and the Spirit of God(H) was hovering(I) over the waters.
        3 And God said,(J) ''Let there be light,'' and there was light.(K) 4 God saw that the light was good,(L) and he separated the light from the darkness.(M) 5 God called(N) the light ''day,'' and the darkness he called ''night.''(O) And there was evening, and there was morning(P)'--the first day.
        6 And God said,(Q) ''Let there be a vault(R) between the waters(S) to separate water from water.'' 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.(T) And it was so.(U) 8 God called(V) the vault ''sky.''(W) And there was evening, and there was morning(X)'--the second day.
        9 And God said, ''Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place,(Y) and let dry ground(Z) appear.'' And it was so.(AA) 10 God called(AB) the dry ground ''land,'' and the gathered waters(AC) he called ''seas.''(AD) And God saw that it was good.(AE)
        11 Then God said, ''Let the land produce vegetation:(AF) seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.(AG)'' And it was so.(AH) 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds(AI) and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.(AJ) 13 And there was evening, and there was morning(AK)'--the third day.
        14 And God said, ''Let there be lights(AL) in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night,(AM) and let them serve as signs(AN) to mark sacred times,(AO) and days and years,(AP) 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.'' And it was so.(AQ) 16 God made two great lights'--the greater light(AR) to govern(AS) the day and the lesser light to govern(AT) the night.(AU) He also made the stars.(AV) 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night,(AW) and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.(AX) 19 And there was evening, and there was morning(AY)'--the fourth day.
        20 And God said, ''Let the water teem with living creatures,(AZ) and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.''(BA) 21 So God created(BB) the great creatures of the sea(BC) and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it,(BD) according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.(BE) And God saw that it was good.(BF) 22 God blessed them and said, ''Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.''(BG) 23 And there was evening, and there was morning(BH)'--the fifth day.
        24 And God said, ''Let the land produce living creatures(BI) according to their kinds:(BJ) the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.'' And it was so.(BK) 25 God made the wild animals(BL) according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.(BM) And God saw that it was good.(BN)
        26 Then God said, ''Let us(BO) make mankind(BP) in our image,(BQ) in our likeness,(BR) so that they may rule(BS) over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,(BT) over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.''
        27 So God created(BU) mankind(BV) in his own image,(BW) in the image of God(BX) he created them; male and female(BY) he created them.(BZ)
        28 God blessed them and said to them,(CA) ''Be fruitful and increase in number;(CB) fill the earth(CC) and subdue it. Rule over(CD) the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.(CE)''
        29 Then God said, ''I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.(CF) 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground'--everything that has the breath of life(CG) in it'--I give every green plant for food.(CH)'' And it was so.
        31 God saw all that he had made,(CI) and it was very good.(CJ) And there was evening, and there was morning(CK)'--the sixth day.
        FootnotesGenesis 1:26 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see Syriac); Masoretic Text the earth Cross referencesGenesis 1:1 : Ps 102:25; Pr 8:23; Isa 40:21; 41:4, 26; Jn 1:1-2Genesis 1:1 : ver 21, 27; Ge 2:3Genesis 1:1 : ver 6; Ne 9:6; Job 9:8; 37:18; Ps 96:5; 104:2; 115:15; 121:2; 136:5; Isa 40:22; 42:5; 51:13; Jer 10:12; 51:15Genesis 1:1 : Ge 14:19; 2Ki 19:15; Ne 9:6; Job 38:4; Ps 90:2; 136:6; 146:6; Isa 37:16; 40:28; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12, 18; Jer 27:5; 32:17; Ac 14:15; 17:24; Eph 3:9; Col 1:16; Heb 3:4; 11:3; Rev 4:11; 10:6Genesis 1:2 : Isa 23:1; 24:10; 27:10; 32:14; 34:11Genesis 1:2 : Isa 45:18; Jer 4:23Genesis 1:2 : Ge 8:2; Job 7:12; 26:8; 38:9; Ps 36:6; 42:7; 104:6; 107:24; Pr 30:4Genesis 1:2 : Ge 2:7; Job 33:4; Ps 104:30; Isa 32:15Genesis 1:2 : Dt 32:11; Isa 31:5Genesis 1:3 : ver 6; Ps 33:6, 9; 148:5; Heb 11:3Genesis 1:3 : 2Co 4:6*; 1Jn 1:5-7Genesis 1:4 : ver 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31; Ps 104:31; 119:68; Jer 31:35Genesis 1:4 : ver 14; Ex 10:21-23; Job 26:10; 38:19; Ps 18:28; 104:20; 105:28; Isa 42:16; 45:7Genesis 1:5 : ver 8, 10; Ge 2:19, 23Genesis 1:5 : Ps 74:16Genesis 1:5 : ver 8, 13, 19, 23, 31Genesis 1:6 : S ver 3Genesis 1:6 : S ver 1; Isa 44:24; 2Pe 3:5Genesis 1:6 : ver 9; Ps 24:2; 136:6Genesis 1:7 : Ge 7:11; Job 26:10; 38:8-11, 16; Ps 68:33; 148:4; Pr 8:28Genesis 1:7 : ver 9, 11, 15, 24Genesis 1:8 : S ver 5Genesis 1:8 : Job 9:8; 37:18; Ps 19:1; 104:2; Isa 40:22; 44:24; 45:12; Jer 10:12; Zec 12:1Genesis 1:8 : S ver 5Genesis 1:9 : Job 38:8-11; Ps 33:7; 104:6-9; Pr 8:29; Jer 5:22; 2Pe 3:5Genesis 1:9 : Ps 95:5; Jnh 1:9; Hag 2:6Genesis 1:9 : S ver 7Genesis 1:10 : S ver 5Genesis 1:10 : Ps 33:7Genesis 1:10 : Job 38:8; Ps 90:2; 95:5Genesis 1:10 : S ver 4Genesis 1:11 : Ps 65:9-13; 104:14Genesis 1:11 : ver 12, 21, 24, 25; Ge 2:5; 6:20; 7:14; Lev 11:14, 19, 22; Dt 14:13, 18; 1Co 15:38Genesis 1:11 : S ver 7Genesis 1:12 : S ver 11Genesis 1:12 : S ver 4Genesis 1:13 : S ver 5Genesis 1:14 : Ps 74:16; 136:7Genesis 1:14 : S ver 4Genesis 1:14 : Jer 10:2Genesis 1:14 : Ps 104:19Genesis 1:14 : Ge 8:22; Jer 31:35-36; 33:20, 25Genesis 1:15 : S ver 7Genesis 1:16 : Dt 17:3; Job 31:26; Jer 43:13; Eze 8:16Genesis 1:16 : Ps 136:8Genesis 1:16 : Ps 136:9Genesis 1:16 : Job 38:33; Ps 74:16; 104:19; Jer 31:35; Jas 1:17Genesis 1:16 : Dt 4:19; Job 9:9; 38:7, 31-32; Ps 8:3; 33:6; Ecc 12:2; Isa 40:26; Jer 8:2; Am 5:8Genesis 1:18 : Jer 33:20, 25Genesis 1:18 : S ver 4Genesis 1:19 : S ver 5Genesis 1:20 : Ps 146:6Genesis 1:20 : Ge 2:19Genesis 1:21 : S ver 1Genesis 1:21 : Job 3:8; 7:12; Ps 74:13; 148:7; Isa 27:1; Eze 32:2Genesis 1:21 : Ps 104:25-26Genesis 1:21 : S ver 11Genesis 1:21 : S ver 4Genesis 1:22 : ver 28; Ge 8:17; 9:1, 7, 19; 47:27; Lev 26:9; Eze 36:11Genesis 1:23 : S ver 5Genesis 1:24 : Ge 2:19Genesis 1:24 : S ver 11Genesis 1:24 : S ver 7Genesis 1:25 : Ge 7:21-22; Jer 27:5Genesis 1:25 : S ver 11Genesis 1:25 : S ver 4Genesis 1:26 : Ge 3:5, 22; 11:7; Ps 100:3; Isa 6:8Genesis 1:26 : Isa 45:18Genesis 1:26 : ver 27; Ge 5:3; 9:6; Ps 8:5; 82:6; 89:6; 1Co 11:7; 2Co 4:4; Col 1:15; 3:10; Jas 3:9Genesis 1:26 : Ac 17:28-29Genesis 1:26 : Ge 9:2; Ps 8:6-8Genesis 1:26 : Ps 8:8Genesis 1:27 : S ver 1Genesis 1:27 : Ge 2:7; Ps 103:14; 119:73Genesis 1:27 : S ver 26Genesis 1:27 : Ge 5:1Genesis 1:27 : Ge 5:2; Mt 19:4*; Mk 10:6*; Gal 3:28Genesis 1:27 : Dt 4:32Genesis 1:28 : Ge 33:5; Jos 24:3; Ps 113:9; 127:3, 5Genesis 1:28 : S Ge 17:6Genesis 1:28 : S ver 22; Ge 6:1; Ac 17:26Genesis 1:28 : ver 26; Ps 115:16Genesis 1:28 : Ps 8:6-8Genesis 1:29 : Ge 9:3; Dt 12:15; Ps 104:14; 1Ti 4:3Genesis 1:30 : Ge 2:7; 7:22Genesis 1:30 : Job 38:41; Ps 78:25; 104:14, 27; 111:5; 136:25; 145:15; 147:9Genesis 1:31 : Ps 104:24; 136:5; Pr 3:19; Jer 10:12Genesis 1:31 : S ver 4; 1Ti 4:4Genesis 1:31 : S ver 5dropdown
        New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright (C)1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
        NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright (C) 2019 by Zondervan.
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      Facebook bans accounts of NYU academics who researched political misinformation on the site | Daily Mail Online
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 19:11
        A group of New York University researchers say they have been banned from Facebook for looking into political ad transparency and misinformation on the ubiquitous social network.
        Members of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, who call themselves Cybersecurity for Democracy (CFD) created Ad Observer, a browser plug-in that automatically scrapes data on what political ads users are being shown and why.
        On its website, the group insists the plug-in does not collect personal information, like names, Facebook friends, or how users interacted with the ads.
        Claiming their work was non-partisan, they say it's 'important to democracy to be able to check who is trying to influence the public and how.'
        But in a blog post Tuesday, Facebook project management director Mike Clark said the personal accounts of three CFD members were suspended because the Ad Observer plug-in used 'unauthorized means to access and collect data from Facebook, in violation of our terms of service'.
        Scroll down for video
        NYU academics who created a plug-in that scraps info from Facebook users about political ads on their feed say the social media site has suspended their personal accounts. Ad Observer automatically scrapes data on what political ads users are being shown, who paid for them, how much, when they ran and why the user was targeted
        'Today, we disabled the accounts, apps, Pages and platform access associated with NYU's Ad Observatory Project and its operators,' Clark wrote in a post titled 'Research cannot be the justification for compromising people's privacy.'
        CFD says the plug-in was developed to examine the origin, reach and cost of political ads on Facebook.
        Using its search capabilities, site visitors can see ads commissioned by politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jon Ossoff and Donald Trump, even if they never made it into their personal Facebook feed.
        Once you choose to download the extension 'it copies the ads you see on Facebook and YouTube, so anyone can see them in our public database,' the CFD explained on its website.
        Facebook acknowledged in blocked the accounts of at least three members of Cybersecurity for Democracy, a group of NYU engineering academics, because their Ad Observer plug-in violated its terms of service
        The plug in scrapes the text of the ad, along with any images or links and the advertiser's name, and provides information on when the ad was shown, how much it cost, and information Facebook provides about how and why it was targeted to the user.
        Cybersecurity for Democracy member Laura Edelson (pictured) said she was one of the NYU researchers suspended from Facebook for launching a plug-in that scrapes accounts for political ads. She said the social media giant 'is silencing us because our work often calls attention to problems on its platform'
        'If you want, you can enter basic demographic information about yourself in the tool to help improve our understanding of why advertisers targeted you. However, we'll never ask for information that could identify you.'
        In a tweet Tuesday evening, CFD's Laura Edelson confirmed Facebook had suspended her personal account and 'the accounts of several people associated with Cybersecurity for Democracy.'
        'This has the effect of cutting off our access to Facebook's Ad Library data, as well as Crowdtangle,' Edelson, a PhD engineering student at NYU, said.
        'Facebook has also effectively cut off access to more than two dozen other researchers and journalists who get access to Facebook data through our project, including our work measuring vaccine misinformation with the Virality Project and many other partners who rely on our data.'
        In a May blog post, CFD argued that while Facebook does share some information on ad sources and has pledged to fight disinformation, it doesn't offer full transparency or fact-check political ads.
        Edelson said their project had uncovered 'systemic flaws in the Facebook Ad Library, that identified misinformation in political ads, 'including many sowing distrust in our election system.'
        In a series of tweets, Edelson criticized Facebook for silencing their research. Worst of all, Facebook is using user privacy, a core belief that we have always put first in our work, as a pretext for doing this,"
        Clark said the social media giant had tried 'for months' to work with NYU to provide the team 'the precise access they've asked for in a privacy protected way.'
        'The researchers gathered data by creating a browser extension that was programmed to evade our detection systems and scrape data such as usernames, ads, links to user profiles and 'Why am I seeing this ad?' information, some of which is not publicly-viewable on Facebook,' he said.
        Claiming also claimed the extension collected data about Facebook users who didn't install it and archived it offline.
        Edelson countered the company 'is silencing us because our work often calls attention to problems on its platform'.
        'Worst of all, Facebook is using user privacy, a core belief that we have always put first in our work, as a pretext for doing this,' she said in a statement shared with Mail Online. 'If this episode demonstrates anything it's that Facebook should not have veto power over who is allowed to study them.'
        CFA says it doesn't gather personal information of people who download the Ad Observer extension, but Facebook claims the plug-in collects data about users who didn't install it and archived it offline.
        Facebook says its tried since summer 2020 to work with NYU and the members of Cybersecurity for Democracy. Pictured: A political ad for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene that appears in the Ad Observatory database, with details on when it ran, who paid for it, and why the user was targeted
        Clark says Facebook first told Edelson's team the Ad Observer extension was in violation last summer, even before it launched.
        'In October, we sent them a formal letter notifying them of the violation of our Terms of Service and granted them 45 days to comply with our request to stop scraping data from our website.'
        The deadline ended on November 30, well after Election Day, but Clark said Facebook kept trying to work with Edelson and her colleagues on privacy concerns 'and offered them ways to obtain data that did not violate our terms.'
        The company offered the three access to its US 2020 Elections ad targeting data, which it says is more comprehensive than their plug-in, 'but they declined.'
        'While the Ad Observatory project may be well-intentioned, the ongoing and continued violations of protections against scraping cannot be ignored and should be remediated,' Clark added..
        'Today's action doesn't change our commitment to providing more transparency around ads on Facebook or our ongoing collaborations with academia,' he said.
        'We'll continue to provide ways for responsible researchers to conduct studies that are in the public interest while protecting the security of our platform and the privacy of people who use it. '
        An ad for Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff from the Ad Observor site
        Cybersecurity for Democracy co-founder Damon McCoy, a professor of computer science and engineering at NYU, called Facebook's ban 'disgraceful.'
        'Facebook is attempting to squash legitimate research that is informing the public about disinformation on their platform,' McCoy said in a statement shared with Mail Online.
        'With its platform awash in vaccine disinformation and partisan campaigns to manipulate the public, Facebook should be welcoming independent research, not shutting it down.'
        In advance of the 2020 elections, Facebook launched an theoretically objective oversight board to mediate thorny questions about who should be allowed on the site and what they could share.
        In response critics formed a rival organization, 'The Real Facebook Oversight Board,' (RFOB), of which Edelson, is a member.
        In a statement on Wednesday, the RFOB claimed that, 'Like the authoritarian governments they court, Facebook is cracking down on its critics.'
        'As Facebook expands its stranglehold on the academic community studying the impacts of digital technology and social media, this is sure to have a chilling effect on other academic institutions,' it added. 'We can't allow it. The NYU Ad Observatory researchers are performing a critical service for democracy that must be protected.'
        Insisting the information the Ad Observatory gathered was already public, the board called on the site to restore the members' accounts immediately.
        It's not entirely clear who besides Edelson was banned: Facebook cited three members of Cybersecurity for Democracy, though the group's website lists seven main members.
        Facebook did not respond to a request for comment about whether the suspensions were temporary or permanent, or if the banned members had the option to appeal.
      IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON - Dr Andrew Goldsworthy on vaccine-induced magnetism.
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 18:24
        HIGHLIGHT: "...Wherever It (the magnetism) goes, it could wreak havoc with cell permeability and have all sorts of biological effects, including heart failure, premature Alzeimer's disease and, when the mitochondria are affected, chronic fatigue...."
        Dr Andrew Goldsworthy is a retired lecturer and Biological Safety Officer from Imperial College London.Yesterday, we had an enlightening conversation around the mechanisms of vaccine-induced magnetismDr Andrew Goldsworthy is not only a true gentleman, but generously and fearlessly offers his knowledge and insights in this statement below. Please read to the end.
        What could cause this magnetism?
        Hypothesis by Dr Andrew GoldsworthyThe vaccine-induced magnetism hinges around the possibility that a graphene-like compound was used as an adjuvant to increase the rate of uptake of the mRNA. This is based on electron microscopy, where graphene oxide was found to be in the vaccine. See here It has been difficult to obtain further samples for investigation because the manufacturers insist that all unused vials and used syringes have to be returned after the shots are delivered.Why the secrecy?This may be the reason. Follow this link to an open-access review on the toxicity of the graphene family (including graphene oxide). It looks pretty horrific. Also, see this . But how could this have happened since neither graphene or graphene oxide are magnetic? The answer is that both graphene and graphene oxide, can conduct enough electricity across the cell membranes to magnetise nearby superparamagnetic particles such as ferritin and magnetite to cause a widespread magnetisation of people receiving the vaccine. It's just as the iron core of an electromagnet becomes magnetised when an electric current is passed through the coil of wire wound around it.To make this argument more quantitative; the electrical conductivity of graphene on the nano scale is two orders of magnitude greater than copper See here What does this mean for living cells?The answer is that the transmembrane voltage gradient of living cells is of the order of ten million volts per metre (100 mV across a 10 nm membrane).This means that a transmembrane strand of graphene or graphene oxide (from the vaccine) could carry a huge electric current and be likely to magnetise any superparamagnetic materials such as ferritin or magnetite that may be close by.This effect could spread like wildfire across the membrane as each magnetized particle magnetizes its neighbours and then to those of the next cell, so that the magnetic effect increases andUltimately, it could spread to all parts of the body via the bloodstream, starting with the blood cells themselves, including those white cells needed for our immune system, then the veins, then the heart, followed by the lungs and finally the brain.Wherever It goes, it could wreak havoc with cell permeability and have all sorts of biological effects, including heart failure, premature Alzeimer's disease and, when the mitochondria are affected, chronic fatigue. Another effect is that membrane damage to our sensory cells could make them hyperactive and send false signals to the brain to give symptoms very similar to electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) resulting in headaches whenever we use a mobile phone, pins and needles when straying too close to a WiFi router dizziness and nausea, to name but a few.Perhaps the most serious danger is if you have an MRI scan, when the extremely powerful magnet in the machine would try to pull these magnetised particles out of your body and, in the case of the brain or spinal cord scan, immediate and possibly permanent damage could result.When other parts of the body are scanned, the results may be less noticeable in the short term, but become apparent later as an unexplained "idiopathic" illness.This needs careful monitoring by an independent observer.Best wishes,Dr Andrew GoldsworthyLecturer and Biological Safety Officer (retired)Imperial College London
        To learn more about vaccine-induced magnetism explore the films and resources here
        Please see our urgent MRI warning letter for doctors here
        https://www.notonthebeeb.co.uk/post/mri-scans
      Nasal vaccine against COVID-19 prevents infection in mice | The Source | Washington University in St. Louis
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 18:13
        Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a vaccine that targets the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can be given in one dose via the nose and is effective in preventing infection in mice susceptible to the novel coronavirus. The investigators next plan to test the vaccine in nonhuman primates and humans to see if it is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 infection.
        The study is available online in the journal Cell.
        Unlike other COVID-19 vaccines in development, this one is delivered via the nose, often the initial site of infection. In the new study, the researchers found that the nasal delivery route created a strong immune response throughout the body, but it was particularly effective in the nose and respiratory tract, preventing the infection from taking hold in the body.
        ''We were happily surprised to see a strong immune response in the cells of the inner lining of the nose and upper airway '-- and a profound protection from infection with this virus,'' said senior author Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine and a professor of molecular microbiology, and of pathology and immunology. ''These mice were well protected from disease. And in some of the mice, we saw evidence of sterilizing immunity, where there is no sign of infection whatsoever after the mouse is challenged with the virus.''
        To develop the vaccine, the researchers inserted the virus' spike protein, which coronavirus uses to invade cells, inside another virus '-- called an adenovirus '-- that causes the common cold. But the scientists tweaked the adenovirus, rendering it unable to cause illness. The harmless adenovirus carries the spike protein into the nose, enabling the body to mount an immune defense against the SARS-CoV-2 virus without becoming sick. In another innovation beyond nasal delivery, the new vaccine incorporates two mutations into the spike protein that stabilize it in a specific shape that is most conducive to forming antibodies against it.
        ''Adenoviruses are the basis for many investigational vaccines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, such as Ebola virus and tuberculosis, and they have good safety and efficacy records, but not much research has been done with nasal delivery of these vaccines,'' said co-senior author David T. Curiel, MD, PhD, the Distinguished Professor of Radiation Oncology. ''All of the other adenovirus vaccines in development for COVID-19 are delivered by injection into the arm or thigh muscle. The nose is a novel route, so our results are surprising and promising. It's also important that a single dose produced such a robust immune response. Vaccines that require two doses for full protection are less effective because some people, for various reasons, never receive the second dose.''
        Although there is an influenza vaccine called FluMist that is delivered through the nose, it uses a weakened form of the live influenza virus and can't be administered to certain groups, including those whose immune systems are compromised by illnesses such as cancer, HIV and diabetes. In contrast, the new COVID-19 intranasal vaccine in this study does not use a live virus capable of replication, presumably making it safer.
        The researchers compared this vaccine administered to the mice in two ways '-- in the nose and through intramuscular injection. While the injection induced an immune response that prevented pneumonia, it did not prevent infection in the nose and lungs. Such a vaccine might reduce the severity of COVID-19, but it would not totally block infection or prevent infected individuals from spreading the virus. In contrast, the nasal delivery route prevented infection in both the upper and lower respiratory tract '-- the nose and lungs '-- suggesting that vaccinated individuals would not spread the virus or develop infections elsewhere in the body.
        The researchers said the study is promising but cautioned that the vaccine so far has only been studied in mice.
        ''We will soon begin a study to test this intranasal vaccine in nonhuman primates with a plan to move into human clinical trials as quickly as we can,'' Diamond said. ''We're optimistic, but this needs to continue going through the proper evaluation pipelines. In these mouse models, the vaccine is highly protective. We're looking forward to beginning the next round of studies and ultimately testing it in people to see if we can induce the type of protective immunity that we think not only will prevent infection but also curb pandemic transmission of this virus.''
      Phantom Warships Are Courting Chaos in Conflict Zones | WIRED
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 18:12
        On September 17 last year, the largest ship in the UK's Royal Navy, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, steamed majestically towards the Irish Sea. The 283-meter-long fleet flagship was flanked by an escort of destroyers and smaller ships from the UK, Dutch, and Belgian navies. The six vessels moving in close formation would have made an awe-inspiring spectacle'--if they had actually been there.
        In fact, satellite imagery of their supposed locations shows nothing but deep blue sea, and news reports suggest the warships were actually scattered in distant ports at the time. The Queen Elizabeth and its flotilla were previously unreported victims of a disturbing trend: warships having their positions'--and even entire voyages'--faked using the automatic identification system, a wireless radio technology designed to prevent collisions at sea.
        According to analysis conducted by conservation technology nonprofit SkyTruth and Global Fishing Watch, over 100 warships from at least 14 European countries, Russia, and the US appear to have had their locations faked, sometimes for days at a time, since August 2020. Some of these tracks show the warships approaching foreign naval bases or intruding into disputed waters, activities that could escalate tension in hot spots like the Black Sea and the Baltic. Only a few of these fake tracks have previously been reported, and all share characteristics that suggest a common perpetrator.
        By international law, all but the smallest commercial ships have to install AIS transponders. Using GPS data, these devices broadcast their identity, position, course, and speed to other ships in the area every few seconds, helping to keep crowded waterways safe. Military vessels are not obliged to broadcast AIS but many do when navigating busy ports'--sometimes under assumed identities.
        Courtesy of SkyTruthAlthough the range of these VHF radio signals is limited, a global network of public and private shore-based AIS receivers'--and now fleets of orbiting satellites'--also pick up AIS signals, which sites like MarineTraffic and AISHub then aggregate and make publicly available online. While fake data here does not directly threaten maritime safety'--ships rely on their onboard systems rather than third-party sites'--aggregated AIS data is now used for things like cargo tracking, search and rescue, monitoring environmental crimes, and identifying sanctions busters.
        Bjorn Bergman is a data analyst working for SkyTruth and Global Fishing Watch who has been investigating fake AIS tracks for years, usually to uncover illegal fishing. In March this year, Bergman read a Swedish newspaper story in which the Swedish navy said the locations of nine of its vessels had been faked on MarineTraffic.
        Bergman had noticed fake tracks on an AIS website before, when virtual yachts from an online sail racing game had improbably appeared on AISHub last year. But this was the first time he'd seen real ships impersonated, and warships no less.
        ''At SkyTruth, we're particularly concerned where fake data is impacting fishing,'' said Bergman in a video call interview. ''But we want to understand generally how the data is being falsified and what we can do to detect and correct it.''
        Bergman identified the nine warships from a screenshot in the story, then compared their fake AIS messages to genuine messages broadcast by the same vessels before and after the imposters. He noticed immediately that these were no amateur pranks or accidents. ''The fake messages were very plausible, except that we had this confirmation from the Swedish navy that the positions were false,'' he says.
        Over 20 types of AIS message exist'--some for supertankers, others for pleasure boaters'--and each contains multiple data fields covering everything from navigational information to arcane communication settings. By closely comparing fields that are usually invisible to sailors, Bergman eventually found subtle differences between the fakes and the genuine data. He then used that pattern to write a query for a global historical database of AIS messages'--and was shocked by the results.
        His search found nearly a hundred sets of messages from multiple AIS data providers, going back as far as last September and spanning thousands of miles. More worrying still, the ships affected were almost exclusively military vessels from European and NATO countries, including at least two US nuclear submarines.
        ''It was alarming when I realized there were a lot of other vessels also showing this unusual AIS profile,'' says Bergman. But he needed to know that the suspicious AIS messages were actually fake, not the result of a technical hiccup or a special military setting. Bergman spent the next few months laboriously verifying the actual positions of the targeted ships. At first, he used open source data including news reports, military press releases, and enthusiast websites like Warshipcam.com. ''A lot of people like to take pictures of naval vessels and post them online,'' says Bergman. ''I found examples where vessels were leaving or entering areas that seemed pretty impossible.''
        Bergman then overlaid synthetic aperture radar and optical imagery from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 and -2 satellites onto the suspicious AIS pings. If they were real, the AIS data should have matched up perfectly beneath a satellite image of the ship.
        Instead, Bergman saw only empty ocean, time after time. In fact, he says, ''I have not yet found an instance when a track flagged by the query as false turned out to be real.''
        The stars did not always align for Bergman's detective work. Some AIS tracks did not coincide with an ESA satellite overhead, or fell on cloudy days when optical images were useless. And some warships did not have a lot of Instagram fans. In the end, Bergman managed to confirm about 15 sets of AIS data as definitively fake.
        As well as the Queen Elizabeth's imaginary flotilla, Bergman found fake tracks of US, Dutch, Belgian, German, Lithuanian, Estonian, and other Swedish warships. One suspect track, not previously reported, shows the US guided missile destroyer USS Roosevelt steaming 4 kilometers into Russian territorial waters around Kaliningrad last November, a maneuver that would have been recklessly provocative if real. There appear to have been five other fake incursions near Kaliningrad in June. One involved a Polish warship following the exact same track, speed, and course as a Swedish corvette five days earlier, another indication for Bergman that the tracks are digitally generated.
        In recent months, the faking activity appeared in the Black Sea for the first time. In June someone faked the AIS tracks of the UK destroyer HMS Defender and the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen to show a direct approach to the Russian naval base at Sevastopol, near occupied Crimea'--even while webcams showed them at dock in Odessa. And on July 2, Bergman's query turned up another apparently fake incursion into Russian-claimed waters off Crimea, this time supposedly by the UK patrol vessel HMS Trent, accompanied by an Italian frigate and a Bulgarian corvette. He has yet to confirm these incidents using satellite imagery.
        ''We are aware of manipulation of AIS tracking data placing Carrier Strike Group vessels in areas where they were not,'' a spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence told WIRED. ''There was no operational impact on any of the vessels, but AIS is the commercial global safety system for all marine traffic. Any manipulation could result in a serious incident.'' The US Navy did not immediately provide a comment.
        Bergman has found no evidence directly linking the flood of fake AIS tracks to any country, organization, or individual. But they are consistent with Russian tactics, says Todd Humphreys, director of the Radionavigation Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin. ''While I can't say for sure who's doing this, the data fits a pattern of disinformation that our Russian friends are wont to engage in.''
        Just two days after the HMS Defender had its AIS track faked, Russian forces allegedly fired warning shots at the destroyer during a transit close to the Crimean coast. ''Imagine those shots hit their mark and Russia claimed to show that NATO ships were operating in their waters,'' says Humphreys. ''The West might cry foul, but as long as Russia can flood the system with enough disinformation, they can cause a situation where it's not clear their aggression was wrong. They love to operate in that kind of nebulous territory.''
        One complication to that theory is that two Russian military ships recently also appeared in Bergman's searches, showing them violating neighboring countries' waters in turn. In June the patrol ship Pavel Derzhavin was shown within Ukrainian waters near Odessa, while the corvette Stoikiy supposedly sailed from Kaliningrad into Polish territory. Bergman believes that neither encroachment actually occurred.
        Bergman is not making public the exact pattern that distinguishes the fake AIS messages, for fear that the attacker or attackers might modify them to be less detectable. He did tell WIRED that the fake tracks were all shown as coming from shore-based AIS receivers, with none collected by satellites. Given that real AIS signals from civilian ships near the supposed warship tracks were received by satellites overhead, Bergman believes this shows the fake AIS messages were not generated by actual malicious transmissions. Instead, he thinks they were created in AIS simulator software and then copied into the data stream feeding the AIS websites.
        Paul Woods, cofounder and chief innovation officer of Global Fishing Watch, has seen Bergman's work in detail, and he agrees with that theory. ''That would be an easy way to have it show up in a whole bunch of systems that use AIS, because they're all buying from the same vendors,'' he told WIRED.
        ''We are dedicated to making reliable, actionable information easily accessible'' says Georgios Hatzimanolis, media strategist at MarineTraffic. ''To ensure this, we are continuously enhancing our quality control and anomaly detection tools to pick up on such incidents.'' For all the fake messages' sophistication, Bergman remains confident that researchers and AIS websites can ultimately win out. ''This is a solvable problem,'' he says. ''It can be picked out of the data with analysis. But we do need to be vigilant about using basic strategies to ensure that obviously false positions are not getting into a database.''
        Todd Humphreys is less optimistic. ''AIS is an unencrypted system that had its origins at a time when engineers were more naive,'' he says. ''We should work towards a way of adding digital signatures to each one of these messages as they go out. That would be my hope, because this is a major security breach.''
        In the meantime, the phantom ships continue to sail. On July 15, Bergman's query pinged once more. The USS Roosevelt seems to have been faked yet again, this time provocatively penetrating Russian waters near Norway. The destroyer was actually on a training exercise with Norwegian sailors, hundreds of miles away.
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      Lewis Hamilton says he is suffering with long Covid symptoms after claiming surprise second place at Hungarian GP
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 18:03
        L ewis Hamilton has revealed he is suffering with the symptoms of long Covid after he required medical attention in the wake of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix.
        The seven-time world champion, 36, drove superbly to race from last to third, and ultimately second after Sebastian Vettel was later disqualified for a fuel infringement, to take the lead in the Formula One world championship following a frenetic race at the Hungaroring.
        But Hamilton was visibly struggling physically after the 70-lap race. He was assisted on to the podium, and then appeared unable to summon the strength to hold his celebratory champagne bottle.
        Hamilton, who contracted coronavirus in Dubai last December, and was ruled out of the subsequent Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, was taken to see the Mercedes team doctor.
        A spokesperson for the Silver Arrows said the British driver was suffering with dizziness and fatigue.
        Hamilton missed his television interviews, before later speaking in the FIA's official press conference for the top three finishers.
        H e said: ''I haven't spoken to anyone particularly about long Covid, but I think it is lingering there.
        ''I was having real dizziness and everything got a bit blurry on the podium.
        ''I have been fighting with staying healthy following what happened at the end of last year, but still it's a battle.
        ''I remember the effects of when I had Covid, and training has been different ever since then. The level of fatigue that you get is different and it's a real challenge.
        ''I'm trying to keep training and preparing as best I can. Who knows what it was today? Maybe it was hydration, I don't know, but it was definitely different.''
        Hamilton said he also felt unwell during the British Grand Prix a fortnight ago.
        He added: ''I suffered with something similar earlier this month at Silverstone, but today was way worse.''
        After the press conference finished, Hamilton sat in his seat alongside the surprise winner of Sunday's race, Esteban Ocon. Hamilton was then helped to his feet by the Frenchman and a member of Mercedes' staff.
        Hamilton will now have the best part of four weeks away from competition before the next race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on August 29.
        Hamilton, who heads into the summer break holding an eight-point advantage over Max Verstappen in his quest for a record-breaking eighth title, last year said he felt happy to be alive after battling with Covid-19.
        The Briton lost four kilograms as he fought the virus but rushed back to take part in last season's concluding round in Abu Dhabi.
        Hamilton blames Mercedes for not clinching victoryLewis Hamilton said a mistake by his Mercedes team denied him victory at Sunday's superb Hungarian Grand Prix.
        Alpine driver Esteban Ocon claimed one of the most unlikely wins in the sport's recent memory, with Sebastian Vettel initially second for Aston Martin before his disqualification for a fuel infringement, and Hamilton delivering a brilliant comeback drive from plum last to third on an unforgettable afternoon.
        Vettel's punishment would later see Hamilton bumped up to second.
        A rain shower 30 minutes before the race set in motion an almost unbelievable sequence of events here.
        At the getaway, Hamilton's slow-starting Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas assumed the role of the Hungaroring bowling ball. McLaren's Lando Norris, Red Bull's Sergio Perez and, crucially, Max Verstappen, were Bottas' helpless skittles.
        I t was the perfect strike for pole-sitter Hamilton, who not only emerged from the first-corner madness in one piece, but also saw his title rival drop from second to 13th. The race was red-flagged for 25 minutes to clear up the debris. As Red Bull hastily patched up Verstappen's wounded machine with duct tape - and a furious Perez and red-faced Bottas forced to retire from the race - Hamilton looked certain to cruise to the flag.
        But during the delay, the rain stopped, the sun emerged and the circuit was virtually bone dry. At the end of the formation lap, the 14 remaining drivers, bar Hamilton, peeled in for slick rubber. The curious decision by Hamilton's Mercedes team meant the seven-time world champion was the sole man to take his marks on the grid for the most bizarre of re-starts.
        H amilton stopped the next lap around, dropping him to 14th and last. "We obviously all started on the intermediate tyres, and during the formation lap I tried to give information to the guys," explained Hamilton.
        "I kept telling them it's dry, dry, dry and they said to me 'stay out'. I don't understand it. We don't make it easy for ourselves. It's a mistake from us."
        Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff refuted his superstar driver's claim. "It was 100 per cent the right decision and I stand by it," said Wolff. "In the end, you need to make the call out there, and judge whether it is dry enough. I thought that within one lap it couldn't dry up like it did.
        "You have to take it on the chin - that it was the wrong outcome but the decision was right. I don't think it was an error."
        Back on track, Hamilton took aim at his team over the radio: ''Come on, guys, get on it for the rest of the race.'' ''We are on it, Lewis,'' came the reassuring reply from his race engineer, Peter Bonnington. ''Verstappen still has damage. You are easily going to be the fastest man out there. We can still win this.''
        Hamilton had the bit between his teeth. In fairness to Mercedes, an early stop for a change of rubber ignited Hamilton's comeback, taking him ahead of a struggling Verstappen. By lap 30 of 70, Hamilton was up to sixth - following a mighty move around the outside of Pierre Gasly at the high-speed Turn 4 - and then fifth as he took Gasly's Alpha Tauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
        ''What is our target?'' he yelled over the radio. ''We are fighting for a podium,'' said Bonnington. ''It is going to be hard but you can do it.'' Fernando Alonso pitted and Hamilton was up to fourth, but on ageing rubber he was running out of steam.
        Mercedes rolled the dice to bring Hamilton in for his third stop of the afternoon. With 22 of the 70 laps to run, Hamilton emerged from the pits 25 seconds behind Ocon but taking more than three seconds out of the Frenchman's lead. Suddenly a shock win appeared on the cards.
        A breathless Hamilton asked the questions: ''Where am I? How many cars have I got to overtake?'' Bonnington replied: ''Four cars for the win.'' Wolff then made a rare appearance on the radio. ''Lewis, you can win this,'' he yelled. Hamilton was suddenly just 10 seconds away from his 100th victory, and one that would certainly rank among the finest of his career. But Alonso had other ideas.
        T he world champions dramatically went wheel-to-wheel on laps 55 and 57, and on lap 63 came within millimetres of contact on the uphill drag to Turn 4. But with five laps left, Alonso afforded an opening to Hamilton at the first corner, and the Mercedes man did not need a second invitation.
        On lap 67, Hamilton raced past Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at the first corner to seal third, taking the chequered flag 2.7 seconds behind Ocon. Verstappen finished 10th, but was prompted to ninth thanks to the Vettel punishment. The Dutchman was 33 points ahead of Hamilton just a fortnight ago, but heads into the summer break eight points adrift.
        "Again, taken out by a Mercedes and that is not what you want," he said. Bottas was punished by the stewards with a five-place grid penalty at the next round in Belgium.
        Hungarian Grand Prix, as it happened
      VIDEO - Bild apologizes
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 17:59
        With a circulation of currently about 1.37 million copies daily, the BILD newspaper published by the Axel-Springer Publishing Company is Germany's largest and most popular tabloid.
        "Aux millions d'enfants de ce pays,
        "To the millions of children in this country,
        dont notre soci(C)t(C) a la responsabilit(C),
        for whom our society is responsible,
        je veux exprimer ici ce que ni notre gouvernement
        I want to express here what neither our government
        ni notre chanceli¨re n'osent vous dire.
        nor our Chancellor dares to tell you.
        Nous vous demandons de nous pardonner.
        We ask you to forgive us.
        Nous vous demandons pardon pour cette politique
        Forgive us for this policy
        Qui pendant un an et demi a fait de vous
        Which, for a year and a half, has made you
        des victimes de violences,
        victims of violence,
        de n(C)gligences, d'isolement et de solitude.
        neglect, isolation and loneliness.
        Pardon pour cette politique et cette couverture m(C)diatique
        Sorry for this policy and media coverage
        qui, comme un poison, vous a inculqu(C) le sentiment
        which, like poison, made you feel
        que vous (C)tiez un danger mortel pour la soci(C)t(C).
        like you were a mortal danger to society.
        Vous n'ªtes pas un danger pour la soci(C)t(C), ne croyez pas ce mensonge.
        You are not a danger to society, don't believe this lie.
        C'est nous de vous prot(C)ger.
        It's up to us to protect you.
        Ce qui est arriv(C) nos enfants, de nombreuses personnes et Bild, l'on denonc(C).
        What happened to our children, many people and Bild denounced it.
        Rien ne s'est pass(C).
        Nothing happened.
        Merkel a organis(C) un sommet pour les enfants ? Non !
        Merkel organized a summit for children? No !
        Au lieu de §a, on a persuad(C) nos enfants
        Instead, we persuaded our children
        qu'ils allaient assassiner leur grand-maman
        that they were going to murder their grandma
        s'ils osaient ªtre ce qu'ils sont, des enfants.
        if they dared to be what they are, children.
        Ou s'ils rencontraient leurs copains.
        Or if they met their friends.
        Rien de tout §a n'a (C)t(C) prouv(C) scientifiquement.
        None of this has been scientifically proven.
        C'(C)tait facile d'imposer §a aux enfants,
        It was easy to force that on the kids,
        il ne peuvent pas se d(C)fendre et ils ne votent pas.
        they can't defend themselves and they don't vote.
        Quand un ‰tat vole les droits d'un enfant,
        When a state steals the rights of a child,
        il doit prouver que par l il le prot¨ge contre un danger concret et imminent.
        it must prove that by doing so it protects him against concrete and imminent danger.
        Cette preuve n'a jamais (C)t(C) apport(C)e.
        This proof has never been provided.
        Elle a (C)t(C) remplac(C)e par de la propagande
        It has been replaced by propaganda
        pr(C)sentant l'enfant comme un vecteur de la pand(C)mie.
        presenting the child as a vector of the pandemic.
        Ceux qui voulaient contredire cette propagande,
        Those who wanted to contradict this propaganda
        n'ont jamais (C)t(C) invit(C)s la table des experts.
        were never invited to the expert table.
        Nos politiques feraient mieux d'ouvrir les (C)coles
        Our policies would do better to open schools
        et les salles de sport plut´t que les bureaux de vote !
        and sports halls rather than polling stations!
        Sinon ils auront sur la conscience, et laisseront dans les livres d'histoire,
        Otherwise they will have on their conscience, and will leave in the history books,
        une multitude d'mes innocentes."
        a multitude of innocent souls."
        Keywords: German Newspaper, Apology, BILD
        Hashtags: #GermanNewspaper #Apology #BILD
        Source: https://t.me/nocovidvaccine_spamfree
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      Two Airline Travelers Use Fake Vaccine Cards, Fined Nearly $16,000 | The Crime Report
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 17:50
        By TCR Staff | August 2, 2021Two passengers who flew from the U.S. to Canada in July submitted fraudulent vaccination cards and negative COVID-19 test results to Canadian authorities and now must each pay fines totaling nearly $16,000 (about $20,000 Canadian) for submitting ''false documentation'' and failing to comply with quarantine and testing requirements, reports the Washington Post. The case involving the two Canadian citizen travelers is yet another example of airline passengers who have refused to comply with COVID-19 safety requirements as more countries loosen their nonessential travel restrictions.
        Submitting false information or documents to Canadian authorities brings a maximum fine of about $601,000 and up to six months in jail. The offense could also lead to prosecution for forgery under the country's criminal code. In the case of the two travelers who entered Canada from the United States in mid-July, the Canadian health agency issued each passenger four fines totaling about $15,820 for ''providing false information related to proof of vaccination credentials and pre-departure tests'' and for ''non-compliance with the requirement to stay at a government-authorized accommodation and on-arrival testing requirements.'' The incidents ''are the only instances since July 5 of fraudulent documents detected at the border,'' the agency said. Canada reported 907 new cases of the coronavirus on July 30, according to data from Canada's public health agency. That same day, the United States reported 102,975 new cases.
      Kate Middleton working to 'pacify' Meghan Markle drama after Lilibet's death
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 17:44
        Kate Middleton is reportedly working hard to 'pacify' Meghan Markle, as well as her Lilibet dilemma.
        This claim has been brought forward by relationship expert Sami Wunder and in her interview with Express, the expert was quoted saying, ''For the last month I haven't seen anything new and negative come up from Harry and Meghan after Lili's birth and I think Kate is making amends and trying to pacify Meghan.''
        ''Because I actually believe Meghan came in with a lot of passion to do good work and she had really good intentions and I think there is huge disappointment on the part of Harry and Meghan, because they did try and they really did want to do good for the Royal Family. So do I believe there is hope for reconciliation? Absolutely.''
        She also added, ''I think the birth of a child always represents a fresh start and an opportunity for a new beginning.''
        ''And I think Kate comes from a very stable, loving family and she understands that this isn't about ego, this is about understanding that 'we are a family'.''
        ''And so I think it's amazing that she makes this first step towards Meghan, who I am sure also feels happy that she is being reached out to.''
      Does nicotine protect us against coronavirus?
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 17:18
        If you noticed headlines recently suggesting smoking could protect against COVID-19, you might have been surprised.
        After all, we know smoking is bad for our health. It's a leading risk factor for heart disease, lung disease and many cancers. Smoking also reduces our immunity, and makes us more susceptible to respiratory infections including pneumonia.
        And smokers touch their mouth and face more, a risk for COVID-19 infection.
        Initial observational findings suggested a history of smoking increased the risk of poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients, as the World Health Organisation and other bodies have identified.
        But a recent paper which examined smoking rates among COVID-19 patients in a French hospital hypothesised smoking might make people less susceptible to COVID-19 infection.
        So what can we make of this?
        What the study didThis study was a cross-sectional survey where the researchers assessed the exposure (smoking) and the outcome (COVID-19) at the same time. This type of research design can't prove the exposure causes the outcome '' only that there may be an association.
        There were two groups included in the study '' 343 inpatients treated for COVID-19 from February 28 to March 30, and 139 outpatients treated from March 23 to April 9. Among other data collected, participants were asked whether they were current smokers.
        The researchers compared smoking rates in both groups with smoking rates in the general French population.
        The resultsThe study found 4.4% of inpatients and 5.3% of outpatients with COVID-19 were smokers, after adjusting for differences in age and sex.
        This was only a fraction of the prevalence seen in the general French population. Some 25.4% reportedly smoked daily in 2018.
        The authors asserted:
        current smokers have a very much lower probability of developing symptomatic or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection as compared to the general population.
        The finding of lower rates of smokers among COVID-19 cases has been more recently described elsewhere, in a rapid review of 28 studies on smoking in COVID-19 patients from various countries.
        Read more: Why do more men die from coronavirus than women?
        The authors of the French study suggest the mechanism behind the protective effects of smoking could be found in nicotine.
        SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, gains entry into human cells by latching onto protein receptors called ACE2, which are found on certain cells' surfaces.
        The researchers have proposed nicotine attaches to the ACE2 receptors, thereby preventing the virus from attaching and potentially reducing the amount of virus that can get into a person's lung cells.
        The researchers are now planning to test their hypothesis in a randomised trial involving nicotine patches; though the trial is still awaiting approval from French health authorities.
        So how should we interpret the results?These counterintuitive results may be due to several biases, so let's explore some alternative explanations.
        First is what we call ''selection bias''. The hospital patients may be less likely to be daily smokers than the general population. For example, health-care workers and those with existing chronic conditions were disproportionately represented in the inpatient sample '' both of these groups usually show lower prevalence of current smoking.
        Further, around 60% of the hospitalised patients in the study were ex-smokers (similar to the national prevalence). Some may have given up smoking very recently in response to the WHO declaring smoking as a risk factor for COVID-19. But they were classified as non-daily smokers in the study.
        We can identify several biases in the study. Shutterstock Second is what we call ''social desirability bias''. COVID-19 patients may be more likely to deny smoking when asked about their smoking status in hospital, wanting to be seen by medical professionals as doing the right thing.
        And data collection may have been incomplete for behavioural questions in busy hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases.
        Finally, it's important to note this paper has not yet been peer-reviewed.
        Taken together, although there appears to be an association between smoking and COVID-19 in these hospital-based samples, there's no evidence of a causal relationship '' that is, that smoking prevents COVID-19.
        Read more: Drug use may increase the risk of coronavirus. Here's how to reduce the harms
        Lots of research at pandemic speedWe must acknowledge this research has been conducted at ''pandemic speed'', much faster than usual research time frames.
        Normally it would be months between submission and publication '' but in this case the researchers completed their observations and had the research published online within the same month.
        An unintended consequence of the early release of research is that it may provoke undue community hope or belief in unproven treatments.
        French authorities had to limit sales of nicotine treatments to avoid stockpiling after this study was published.
        Read more: The smoke from autumn burn-offs could make coronavirus symptoms worse. It's not worth the risk
        We saw a similar phenomenon recently with the drug hydroxychloroquine, where supplies ran out for those who needed them after politicians proclaimed it as a cure for COVID-19.
        So right now we need to put in extra effort to make sure early evidence is not misinterpreted or overstated.
        As for the role of smoking in COVID-19 '' this link requires substantially more research and critical appraisal. Because overall, smoking still kills. '' Adrian Bauman, Melody Ding and Leah Shepherd
        Blind peer reviewOn the whole, this Research Check represents a fair and balanced account of the study. The alternative explanations for the observation of low smoking status prevalence among the French hospital sample provided are possible.
        One plausible explanation is error in recording smoking status. There is evidence of under-reporting and inaccurate reporting of smoking status within hospital samples, in general.
        It's unclear from the study what method was used to collect smoking status data. The authors simply state patients were ''asked'' and ''data were collected in the context of care''. It's important to know who asked the smoking status questions, what questions were asked, when they were asked, and what record keeping system was used.
        Given clinical smoking status record keeping may not capture all smokers accurately, a better comparison would be to compare the 2020 data with pre-COVID-19 hospital patient data, rather than general population data which may have asked different questions. '' Billie Bonevski
        Research Checks interrogate newly published studies and how they're reported in the media. The analysis is undertaken by one or more academics not involved with the study, and reviewed by another, to make sure it's accurate.
      Trump Capitol riot: Police officer suicides rise to 4 deaths
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 17:02
        Supporters of Donald Trump gather outside the Capitol building in Washington D.C., on January 06, 2021.
        Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
        Two more Washington, D.C., police officers died by suicide in the months after defending the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot by Trump supporters, bringing the grim tally of such deaths to four.
        One of those cops, 43-year-old Gunther Hashida, was found dead at his home last Thursday, according to a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan (D.C.) Police Department.
        Hashida, joined the MPD in May 2003, and most recently was assigned to the emergency response team within the Special Operations Division.
        Hours later, the MPD confirmed that another officer from the same department, Kyle deFreytag, died by suicide, and was found July 10.
        DeFreytag, 26, had been with the department since November 2016.
        A crowdfunding page set up Sunday to pay for a memorial service for Hashida, and to support his family, as of Monday night had raised more than $68,000 from more than 1,500 donors.
        The GoFundMe page, which has a $250,000 donation target, said Hashida "leaves behind a loving wife, sister, 3 children, and a wonderful family."
        An online obituary for deFreytag said he "liked hiking, camping, riding his motorcycle, he liked traveling and playing the drums, he enjoyed trying different ethnic foods and always knew the best places to eat."
        "Kyle was kind, he had a quick wit and a great sense of humor & kept us laughing for 26 years," the obituary said.
        The riot began after then-President Donald Trump urged attendees at a rally outside the White House to march to the Capitol, where a joint session of Congress was meeting to officially confirm the Electoral College victory of Joe Biden as the next president.
        Hundreds of Trump supporters invaded the Capitol grounds and buildings, disturbing the proceedings.
        More than 500 people have been arrested for alleged crimes related to the invasion.
        About 140 officers from both the Capitol Police and the D.C. department were injured in the melee.
        At a congressional hearing last week, four officers described being attacked, berated and threatened with death by throngs of people, many of whom were wielding weapons.
        "I was at risk of being stripped of and killed with my own firearm, as I heard chants of, 'Kill him with his own gun,'" MPD Officer Michael Fanone testified.
        Another cop, Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, vented frustration at the hearing at some members of Congress who have downplayed the danger from the riot.
        "The same people who we helped, the same people who we gave them the borrowed time to get to safety, now they are attacking us, they are attacking our characters," Gonell said.
        House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued statements of condolence for the deaths of Hashida and deFreytag.
        "The loss of fallen officers who defended our democracy that day is devastating, and each life lost is a tragedy that America mourns, deeply," said Pelosi, who used the words "hero" and "patriot" to describe the cops.
        If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
      NYC to mandate proof of COVID vaccination for most indoor activities - New York Daily News
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:55
        Anyone who wants to dine, drink, exercise or enjoy a live performance indoors in New York City will soon have to show proof of coronavirus vaccination or be denied entry, Mayor de Blasio announced Tuesday in his most aggressive push yet to jack up the city's flagging immunization rates.
        The requirement, which mirrors mandates on leisure activities enforced in some European countries, is presumed to be the first of its kind in the U.S. and comes as the Big Apple is seeing a delta variant-driven surge in new COVID-19 infections.
        The program, dubbed ''Key to NYC Pass,'' will launch Aug. 16 and phase in over the following weeks before officially kicking off Sept. 13, the start of the school year, de Blasio said in his daily briefing from City Hall.
        ''This is crucial because we know that this will encourage a lot more vaccination,'' the mayor said.
        People dine at a restaurant at Hudson Yards, Manhattan, New York. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
        At the same time, de Blasio acknowledged that the new mandate will likely draw some controversy.
        ''Not everyone is going to agree with this, I understand that. But for so many, this will be a lifesaving act,'' he said.
        Accepted proof of vaccination includes the state's Excelsior Pass app, a similar app recently launched by the city and physical vaccination cards, according to de Blasio, who noted that the U.S. Justice Department advised the city that such a mandate is ''legally absolutely appropriate.''
        It is still unclear, though, whether children younger than 12 will be denied entry to some businesses as part of the new mandate.
        A vaccine for kids in that age range has not yet been approved, but de Blasio said Tuesday that young children would not be excluded from indoor businesses covered by the mandate and that details about how it would affect them will be released in the coming days.
        About 40% of the city's total population remains unvaccinated, giving the delta variant plenty of room to spread, as reflected by a steady uptick in coronavirus test positivity rates over the past few weeks.
        De Blasio has unveiled several incentives and mandates in recent days that are intended to spur the unvaccinated to get their shots. Last week, he announced that the city would give $100 to people who get vaccinated and mandated that all city workers either be vaccinated or tested once a week and mask up on the job if they plan to show up for work and get paid. On Monday, he said the city would require all newly hired municipal workers to be vaccinated in order to work and recommended that people who have been vaccinated begin wearing masks indoors again.
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        Two critics of the mask-wearing recommendation '-- Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan, Bronx) and City Councilman Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) '-- said Monday that such guidance isn't strong enough and that the city should mandate mask-wearing indoors. Both appeared with de Blasio on Tuesday to support his new vaccine mandate for restaurants, bars, gyms and indoor concerts, though.
        ''Clearly, we need to do better,'' Espaillat said. ''And the way to do better is this route.''
        The new guidance, incentives and mandates come as the delta variant continues to wreak havoc throughout the U.S. and as it's caused the number of cases in the city to rise in recent weeks.
        Dr. Celine Gounder, a former adviser to President Biden and professor at NYU's Grossman School of Medicine, noted that the delta variant is twice as infectious as the version of the virus that first tore through the city last year '-- and that it is more likely to affect children, which was not as common with earlier strains of the virus.
        ''People with the delta variant have a thousand times as high the level of the virus in their nose and throat as they would have had with earlier strains of the virus,'' she said during de Blasio's briefing. ''More virus means more contagious and also more severe disease. We're now seeing children and young people getting very sick with the delta variant.
        ''Although it wasn't common for kids to transmit COVID to others last year, with the delta variant that's a completely different story,'' she added. ''It looks like kids can in fact transmit and that they can get very sick. One way out of this is vaccination.''
      Biden DOJ Orders States Not To Conduct Arizona-Style Forensic Audits Of 2020 Election, Threatens Prison Time - National File
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:53
        In a document the Biden regime Department of Justice is calling ''guidance'', the agency repeats the often-mocked declaration that ''The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history'' and chastises supporters of election integrity for demanding ''an unusual second round of examinations'' in states with reports of widespread voter fraud. The agency then suggests these audits could violate the Civil Rights Act of 1960.''There are federal or criminal penalties attached,'' the Department of Justice asserts. They claim that those who arrange forensic audits of the 2020 election ''can face fines of up to $1,000 and imprisonment of up to one year for each violation.'' Then, their intimidating document suggests that these audits represent ''intimidation''.
        ''The Attorney General is authorized to file a civil action seeking preventative relief'' against those who organize election audits, the ''guidance'' explains. ''Judicial decisions have established that voter intimidation need not involve physical threats,'' the ''guidance'' continues. (READ MORE: Attorney General Merrick Garland Says Antifa Attacks On Courthouses Aren't Domestic Terrorism Because They Happen At Night)
        Arizona Rep. Mark Finchem, who is now running for Arizona Secretary of State to replace radical left wing Katie Hobbs, recently warned Biden administration Attorney General Merrick Garland against sending enforcers to the state of Arizona. ''I got news for Merrick Garland, there's this little thing called the Constitution,'' said Finchem. ''Article I, section IV, the times places and manner of holding election for senators and representatives'... it is the legislature that has responsibility for nominating and naming the electors for President.''
        Finchem added, ''I would advise Merrick Garland and his team of thugs that now occupy the Department of Justice: Tread very lightly. Our attorney general, I spoke with their representative this morning, I'm not going to put him on the hook for anything, but you're going to walk into a very surprising reception if you try to do anything in this state that interferes with legislative authority in handling our elections. Hard stop.''
        After the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors refused to cooperate with the latest round of subpoenas that would allow the Arizona Audit to finally be completed, Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers suggested the officials be arrested and held in solitary confinement. ''I vote to arrest. Arrest and put them in solitary,'' she continued, further wondering if there were enough ''solitary confinement cells available in Arizona,'' wrote Rogers. ''We are going to need the lot.''
      (19) Disclose.tv ðŸš¨ on Twitter: "JUST IN - Germany is preparing a new lockdown. BILD has obtained an internal document that even proposes restrictions that would apply only to unvaccinated citizens." / Twitter
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:41
        Disclose.tv ðŸš¨ : JUST IN - Germany is preparing a new lockdown. BILD has obtained an internal document that even proposes restrictio'... https://t.co/WTBvuDO63Z
        Tue Aug 03 21:17:46 +0000 2021
      If Spike Protein Facilitates Entry Of a Gain-Of-Function Coronavirus Into Cells, Then Why Are We Coerced To Submit to Spike Protein-Generating Vaccines? - LewRockwell
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:37
        Sometimes the obvious skips right past us.
        We have all viewed film footage of multiple shots hitting President John F. Kennedy's neck and head in a frontal attack, and part of his head was blown onto the trunk of his open limousine, but the story was a shooter behind the President's moving vehicle with a crude rifle with no gunsight, was the lone assassin.
        Commercial aircraft were hijacked beginning at 7:59 AM and flying off course on 9-11-2001 and struck the World Trade Center Towers almost an hour later and no radar system detected or alerted the military in a timely manner. Then Building 7 was ''pulled'' and fell when explosives would have had to have been placed prior to the event to do this. Don't ask questions! Accept the official interpretation of these events.
        Reality
        So, the public is told spike protein is what facilitates the entry of a gain-of-function mutated, laboratory-created virus into living cells in the lungs, so spike protein vaccines are developed to do what? Create more entry of viruses into cells?
        So, why is the public surprised to learn that COVID-19 vaccinated individuals are getting infected again and again which is being blamed on a mutated variant. 75% of the new COVID-19 cases in Singapore already got the shot. But spike protein facilitates entry of all viruses, regardless of viral strain.
        Panic shifts from virus to vaccine
        The pandemic has shifted from virus to vaccine. The spike protein itself is now the disease. It attacks the blood vessels says a report published in the medical journal Circulation Research.
        ''Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.''President George W. Bush
        As 40 trillion RNA particles are injected into the deltoid muscle in the arm, some find their way into the blood circulation and re-program cells in the lining of arteries to perpetually produce spike protein. The vaccinated now have a genetically programmed RNA/DNA spike protein factory inside their small arteries that will endlessly produce spike protein and facilitate micro-blood clots.
        Fingering the anti-vaxxers
        A few brave malcontents call the vaccines bioweapons and they are identified and pilloried in the court of public opinion as the Dirty Dozen anti-vaxxers who spread vaccine hoaxes. But credible researchers at Doctors 4 Covid Ethics are calling the COVID-19 RNA/DNA vaccines ''an unprecedented medical disaster'' and demand the ''poisonous vaccine'' trials be deemed to be a ''crime against society'' and be halted.
        Modern medicine is in denial
        Modern medicine responds that the blood clot risk from the virus is greater than that produced by the vaccines, and therefore the risk is justified. But healthy young people are getting vaccinated and their loved ones are called to identify their body at the morgue. This should never be. Maybe natural immunity, which is proving to be safer and more effective than vaccine-induced immunity, should be public policy. But doctors and politicians are over-committed to vaccines. Halting vaccination would bring down Wall Street and result in politicians losing control over the population. What is happening is not a massive medical mistake, it appears more and more like a crime.
        In the anxiety business
        The news media has deliberately induced panic in the population to boost their ratings. The Centers for Disease Control reveals anxiety is the second most important contributing factor to death from COVID-19, behind obesity. Anxious Americans are 28% more likely to die of COVID-19.
        Doctors are talking about major strokes and heart attacks, not the micro-clotting, which are rare (a few cases among a million vaccine jabs). But doubt over vaccine safety is creeping into the medical literature. One medical journal publishes a report entitled ''Vaccine-Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia: The Shady Chapter Of A Success Story.''
        Social pressure mounts against the unvaccinated
        The 80-million foolish vaccinated Americans now berate the remaining unvaccinated, a witch hunt this writer predicted months ago. But now, how to inform millions of Americans they have been conned? Their lives are at risk. It is so worrisome that when confronted with this information, this writer receives ''remove me from your email list'' messages. It may be too troublesome to bear. Especially for those unsuspecting Americans who feared the contrived virus scam more than their own government. A lot of sleepless nights are coming for vaccinated Americans. But there is a way out. Keep reading.
        The blood clot problem is not going to go away
        As we learn from a cardiologist that the blood clot problem will continue, high blood pressure will initially ensue and three years later the vaccinated will succumb to right-sided heart failure. Other organs and tissues will suffer the same fate. Can we call these RNA/DNA vaccines anything other than bioweapons?
        Below is a photograph of holes literally being drilled into healthy living cells by the antibodies now produced to counter the spike protein. This antibody attack is more robust after booster shots. It's a good idea to skip those booster shots if you haven't already received them.
        Source
        Vaccinated: now what?
        If the vaccinated masses wait for a circulatory problem to occur, it will likely be too late. Even modern medicine can't safely use fast-acting heparin as a blood thinner to break up clots because it may induce further bleeding. What to do?
        Prophylaxis: enzyme from pineapples
        First, every vaccinated individual should take prophylactic action. The simplest way would be to use enzymes to break up spike protein by inhibition of spike protein binding to cells. A pineapple enzyme, bromelain, has been successfully used to inhibit COVID-19 infection but has double-action to break up clots and block spike protein. Bromelain has been combined with an off-the-shelf antioxidant (NAC '' N acetyl cysteine) to inactivate spike protein. The enzyme + antioxidant work synergistically and should be used together. (No wonder the FDA has attempted to ban NAC recently.) Both are widely available at health shops.
        Nattokinase is a longer-acting enzyme that is also widely available (works for up to 8-12 hours) and is superior in some ways to anti-clotting drugs.
        Another disruptor of spike protein is resveratrol, a red wine molecule. Resveratrol is already widely known as a blood thinner that prevents clot-type heart attacks in coronary arteries and is considered a primary antidote against COVID-19. Resveratrol exerts strong binding properties to spike protein that exceeds that hydroxychloroquine, a widely heralded drug used for the same purpose. Fisetin, another natural molecule commonly found in strawberries, was found to have the strongest binding activity to spike protein, thus blocking spike protein entry into cells. Resveratrol was found to be superior to pterostilbene, its molecular cousin, at disrupting spike protein.
        Graphic depiction of RESVERATROL molecular docking to spike protein, thus disrupting spike protein entry into cells.Source: Journal Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics,Volume 39, No. 9, page 3225, 2021.
        What to do when new variants arise?
        A scientific report published in Current Opinion In Food Science (Volume 32, page 149, 2020) say ''therapies such as vaccines may lose their efficiency if the virus mutates and changes its antigenicity. Therefore, drugs that target host-cell viral receptors (ACE2), a doorway for spike protein and viruses themselves to enter cells, may improve the immune response and have strong potential.''
        Resveratrol blocks every known pathway to COVID-19 infection. Of note: while fish oil and garlic inhibit blood clotting via inhibition of sticky blood platelets, they don't address fibrin blood clots that are found among COVID-19 patients. Enzyme therapy and/or resveratrol help to break up fibrin clots. While resveratrol has been demonstrated to protect the very vulnerable endothelial cells that line the interior of arteries, excessive doses (500-1000+ milligrams) of resveratrol are counterproductive. In a lab dish, resveratrol did not harm healthy cells but inhibited the growth of COVID-19 infected cells by 98%.
        D-dimer test
        If vaccinated Americans want to know if they are truly at risk for blood clotting problems, they can ask their doctor for a D-dimer test, which indicates recent clotting problems. COVID-19 survivors have a ten-times lower D-dimer level than non-survivors. Healthy individuals have D-dimer levels less than 0.5 micrograms/ milliliter of blood.
        You can fool all of the people some of the time,and some of the people all of the time,but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
        Vaccinated Americans urged to pressure their unvaccinated friends and family
        The vaccinated are on a campaign, urged on by doctors and politicians, to prod, pressure and even force the unvaccinated to get immunized with a spike-protein vaccine. You might want to hand your vaccinated friends and loved-ones a copy of this report and warn them they have been misled and need to take action to prevent anticipated problems.
      J&J Covid vaccine recipients can get supplemental Pfizer or Moderna dose in San Francisco
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:27
        People stand in line at the mass vaccination site at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center that opened today for healthcare workers and people over 65 on February 5, 2021 in San Francisco, California.
        Amy Osborne | AFP | Getty Images
        The San Francisco Department of Public Health and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital said Tuesday they are allowing patients who received Johnson & Johnson's single-dose Covid-19 vaccine to get a second shot produced by either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.
        J&J recipients can make a special request to get a "supplemental dose" of an mRNA vaccine, city health officials said in a statement to CNBC, declining to call the second shots "boosters." J&J's vaccine requires only one dose and recipients are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the shot.
        On a call with reporters later Tuesday, San Francisco health officials said they are allowing patients to get the extra shots due to the high number of requests they were receiving from residents. They maintained that J&J's vaccine is highly effective against the virus and its variants.
        "We have gotten requests based on patients talking to their physicians, and that's why we are allowing the accommodations," said Naveena Bobba, deputy director of health at the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
        Health officials said they do not recommend booster shots at this time, aligning with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
        "This move does not represent a change in policy for SFDPH," the public health department said in a statement. "We continue to align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and do not recommend a booster shot at this time. We will continue to review any new data and adjust our guidance, if necessary."
        The CDC does not currently recommend Americans mix Covid shots in most circumstances, and federal health officials say booster doses of the vaccines are not needed at this time.
        The announcement from San Francisco health officials comes as some Americans say they are finding ways to get additional doses of the Covid vaccines '-- with some even going as far as receiving the extra shots from different companies '-- due to concerns about the highly contagious delta variant.
        Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Georgetown University, told CNBC last month that she received a booster shot of Pfizer and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine in late June, two months after she got J&J's single dose. She said she was concerned about her level of protection against delta after studies suggested a single dose of a Covid vaccine wasn't adequate.
        Since Rasmussen received her booster shot, a new study has suggested the J&J vaccine is much less effective against the delta and lambda variants than against the original virus. The researchers who led the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, now say they hope J&J recipients will eventually receive a booster shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
        The new research is at odds with a study from J&J, which found the shot is effective against delta, especially against severe disease and hospitalization, even eight months after inoculation. It is likely to reignite the debate of mixing and matching shots in the U.S. as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread across the U.S.
        J&J didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the announcement from the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
      Twitter Partners With AP, Reuters to Combat 'Misinformation'
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:11
        Twitter announced Monday it will partner with The Associated Press and Reuters news agencies to combat alleged ''misinformation,'' although it's not clear how it will be deployed.
        The San Francisco-based company, in a blog post, said the partnership with Reuters and AP will expand its ''efforts to identify and elevate credible information on Twitter.'' That will affect the social media website's trends section, explore tab, its search function, labels, and more, according to the company.
        Twitter's blog post also said it will ''contextualize'' emerging conversations and try to anticipate conversations before they even begin.
        With the move, Twitter stated that one of its goals is ''proactively providing context on topics garnering widespread interest including those that could potentially generate misleading information. Rather than waiting until something goes viral, Twitter will contextualize developing discourse at pace with or in anticipation of the public conversation.''
        Twitter's move to target so-called ''misinformation'' is sure to draw criticism from some of its users. Conservatives have said that Big Tech and social media firms have unfairly targeted prominent users for posting content that is deemed politically sensitive or highlights a certain candidate or politician in a negative light.
        Toward the end of the 2020 election cycle, a bombshell report from the New York Post Hunter Biden's overseas business dealings and the content of his laptop was blocked by the social media company, although CEO Jack Dorsey later wrote that it was handled incorrectly. The NY Post, meanwhile, was locked out of its account for several days, leading to calls for censorship.
        And reports that included speculation about whether an initial COVID-19 outbreak originated from a top-security laboratory in Wuhan, China, were also suppressed by Facebook and Twitter'--with Facebook even blocking and deleting such posts. Conservatives and Chinese human rights activists then accused social media companies of covering up for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has categorically denied that the virus leaked from the Wuhan facility.
        Later, though, some U.S. officials including President Joe Biden acknowledged that the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis is credible. Biden earlier this year announced that the 17-agency U.S. Intelligence Community would deliver a report on the virus's origins within several months.
        Former President Donald Trump last month announced a class-action lawsuit against Twitter, Facebook, and Google-owned YouTube, accusing the companies of denying his rights to free speech. Twitter, Facebook, and Google announced in January that they had suspended Trump over his claims that the Nov. 3 election was stolen and also alleged that he contributed to the Jan. 6 violence.
        Jack Phillips
        Senior Reporter
        Jack Phillips is a reporter at The Epoch Times based in New York.
      Rolls-Royce plans 16 mini-nuclear plants for UK - BBC News
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:55
        By Justin RowlattChief environment correspondent
        Published 11 November 2020
        image source Rolls Royce
        image caption Supporters maintain that small nuclear reactors can be unobtrusive and safeA consortium led by Rolls-Royce has announced plans to build up to 16 mini-nuclear plants in the UK.
        It says the project will create 6,000 new jobs in the Midlands and the North of England over the next five years.
        The prime minister is understood to be poised to announce at least £200m for the project as part of a long-delayed green plan for economic recovery.
        Rolls-Royce argues that as well as producing low-carbon electricity, the concept may become an export industry.
        The company's UK "small modular reactor" (SMR) group includes the National Nuclear Laboratory and the building company Laing O'Rourke.
        Last year, it received £18m to begin the design effort for the SMR concept.
        The government says new nuclear is essential if the UK is to meet its target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 - where any carbon released is balanced out by an equivalent amount absorbed from the atmosphere.
        But there is a nuclear-sized hole opening up in the energy network.
        Six of the UK's seven nuclear reactor sites are due to go offline by 2030 and the remaining one, Sizewell B, is due to be decommissioned in 2035.
        Together they account for around 20% of the country's electricity.
        What is a modular nuclear plant?
        Rolls-Royce and its partners argue that instead of building huge nuclear mega-projects in muddy fields we should construct a series of smaller nuclear plants from "modules" made in factories.
        The aim is to re-engineer nuclear power as a very high-tech Lego set.
        The components would be broken down into a series of hundreds of these modules which would be made in a central factory and shipped by road to the site for assembly.
        The objective is to tackle the biggest problem nuclear power faces: the exorbitant cost.
        The reason it is so expensive is that the projects are huge and complex and have to meet very high safety standards.
        And, because so few new nuclear power stations are built, there are very few opportunities to learn from mistakes.
        image source EDF
        image caption EDF says Sizewell C will provide electricity for six million homes and create 25,000 jobsSo, Rolls-Royce and its partners are saying: let's make them smaller and make lots of them so that we get really good at it.
        The concept would dramatically reduce the amount of construction that would be associated with a nuclear project, claimed Tom Samson, the chief executive of the UK Small Modular Reactor consortium (UK SMR).
        "If we move all that activity into a controlled factory environment that drives down cost by simplification and standardisation," he explained.
        Each plant would produce 440 megawatts of electricity - roughly enough to power Sheffield - and the hope is that, once the first few have been made, they will cost around £2bn each.
        The consortium says the first of these modular plants could be up and running in 10 years, after that it will be able to build and install two a year.
        By comparison, the much larger nuclear plant being built at Hinkley Point in Somerset is expect to cost some £22bn but will produce more than 3 gigawatts of electricity - over six times as much.
        In addition to the six nuclear plants going offline by 2030, there's another challenge. You have to factor in a massive increase in electricity demand over the coming decades.
        That's because if we're going to reach our net zero target, we need to stop using fossil fuels for transport and home heating.
        The government has said this could lead to a three-fold increase in electricity use.
        image source Getty Images
        image caption The government says it remains committed to the construction of new nuclear power stationsThe renewable challenge
        UK SMR isn't the only player which has spotted that there could be a gap in the market for smaller reactors. There are dozens of different companies around the world working on small reactor projects.
        That has got the critics of nuclear power worried. Greenpeace and other environmental groups say small nuclear power stations pose similar risks of radioactive releases and weapons proliferation as big ones.
        Greenpeace UK's chief scientist, Doug Parr, said that if the government wanted to take a punt on some new technology to tackle climate change it would be better off investing in hydrogen or geothermal power.
        And there are other reasons to question the SMR concept, says Prof MV Ramana of the University of British Columbia in Canada. He is a physicist and an expert on nuclear energy policy who has studied small modular reactors.
        He said UK SMR's 10-year time-scale for its first plant may prove optimistic. The one constant in the history of the nuclear industry to date is that big new concepts never come in on time and budget, he said.
        He is sceptical that the factory concept can deliver significant cost savings given the complexity and scale of even a small nuclear plant. Smaller plants will have to meet the same rigorous safety standards as big ones, he points out.
        He said that where the concept has been tried elsewhere - in the US and China, for example - there have been long delays and costs have ended up being comparable to those of large nuclear power stations.
        Finally, he questioned whether there will be a market for these plants by the 2030s, when UK SMR says the first will be ready.
        "Ten years from now, the competition will be renewables which are going to be far cheaper with much better storage technology than we have today," said Prof Ramana.
        Export opportunities
        But Boris Johnson's powerful adviser, Dominic Cummings, is known to be taken with the modular nuclear idea.
        One of the reasons the government has been fighting so hard to free itself from the EU's state aid rules is so it can get its shoulder behind technologies it thinks will give the UK economy and its workers a real boost.
        Modular nuclear has the potential to do just that.
        If Rolls-Royce and its partners can show that the factory concept really does deliver high quality nuclear plants on time and on budget then there is potentially a huge world market for the technology.
        The price per unit of electricity may be higher than with wind or solar, said the clean energy consultant Michael Liebreich, but nuclear delivers power pretty much 24/7 and therefore can command a premium.
        UK SMR is pitching the concept as a UK solution to the global challenge of tackling climate change and says there will be a vast export market as the world starts to switch to low carbon energy.
        Boris Johnson is rumoured to be planning to take a big punt on nuclear power.
        His government has always said new nuclear is going to be a key part of Britain's future energy system.
        As well as the potential investment in SMRs, the BBC has already reported that the government is expected to give the long-discussed new large nuclear plant at Sizewell in Suffolk the go-ahead.
        Mr Johnson is expected to say these investments are essential if the UK is going to meet its promise to decarbonise the economy by 2050 as part of the worldwide effort to tackle climate change.
        And, while there may be good reasons to question whether the SMR concept will deliver on its promise of low-cost nuclear power, there is no question it holds out exactly the kind of optimistic vision for the UK's industrial future the government is desperate for.
        Follow Justin on Twitter.
        I've travelled all over the world for the BBC and seen evidence of environmental damage and climate change everywhere. It's the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced. Tackling it means changing how we do virtually everything. We are right to be anxious and afraid at the prospect, but I reckon we should also see this as a thrilling story of exploration, and I'm delighted to have been given the chance of a ringside seat as chief environment correspondent.
      Rolls-Royce lines up funding for mini nuclear reactor revolution
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:55
        Britain has taken a crucial step towards creating a fleet of mini reactors that would reduce reliance on Chinese money and nuclear technology after Rolls-Royce secured investment to build the world's first production line.
        A consortium led by the FTSE 100 engineer has secured at least £210m needed to unlock a matching amount of taxpayer funding, which will make it the first ''small modular reactors'' (SMR) developer to submit its designs to regulators.
        It is understood heavyweight financial investors specialising in energy are now thrashing out the final details of their backing to drive work on the so-called ''mini nuke'' power plants.
        State support for SMRs '' which each generate about 450 megawatts, about a seventh of the output of conventional nuclear power stations such as Hinkley Point '' was revealed in the Prime Minister's ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution released in the autumn.
        New nuclear has been described as vital in ensuring the Government achieves its net-zero emissions target by 2050, and as a good way to help Boris Johnson achieve his levelling-up agenda.
        It comes as the Government prepares curbs on Chinese involvement in critical national infrastructure as relations between London and Beijing deteriorate.China General Nuclear is a minority investor Hinkley and is lined up as a backer for other future UK nuclear plants.
        This combined with the cost of Hinkley which has spiralled from £16bn to £23bn has prompted the Government to reassess the viability of SMRs.
        Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng sees Rolls's SMR project as a high priority
        Rolls believes the project could create 40,000 new jobs in regions including Midlands and the North of England by 2050, with plans to install at least 16 plants at existing and former nuclear sites.
        Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: ''This is very positive news for the UK nuclear industry. SMRs must play a critical role in our clean energy transition and can open new export markets worth billions of pounds.''To realise this potential, however, the Government needs to establish a siting and policy framework by next year to enable the deployment of a fleet of SMRs and capture the promise of a net zero future.''
        Although officials are engaging with other businesses on SMRs, one Whitehall source described the Rolls-led consortium as ''by far the most advanced''. The UK SMR consortium also includes the National Nuclear Laboratory and Laing O'Rourke, the construction firm.Ministers are expected to push for the Office for Nuclear Regulation to prioritise assessment of the consortium's SMR design, while simultaneously driving the planning process to get potential sites.
        Sites being targeted for SMRs, which each take up the space equal to about two football pitches, a fraction of the size of a conventional plant, are understood to include disused nuclear sites around the country currently in the care of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
        Tom Samson, chief executive of UK SMR, said the consortium offered a ''transformational clean energy solution. We are in the process of securing the funding that will enable the next phase of the SMR development.''
        The consortium estimates it will cost £2bn to get to the stage where it can start constructing the first SMR.
        Getting the first five operating is expected to cost £2.2bn apiece, with the first hoped to be up and running in the early 2030, but prices will then fall to £1.8bn per plant.
        A government spokesman said: ''While the Government is committed to supporting the advancement of large, small and advanced nuclear reactors, we can't comment on specific commercial discussions at this stage.''
        Proving SMRs as practical sources of emissions free energy will not only be key to the UK's net zero target, but could also be a huge money spinner for the country if Britain can perfect the technology first. The global market for SMRs has been estimated as being a potential £450bn.Rolls has been hammered by the pandemic as demand for its jet engines for airliners collapsed in the face of travel restrictions.
        In March the FTSE 100 company posted a £4bn annual loss and revenues almost £4bn lower at £11.7bn.
        All 10,000 staff in Rolls's UK civil aerospace business are on two weeks' unpaid leave as a cost-saving measure with the business in a temporary shutdown.
        Analysts expect the interim results on Thursday to show that Rolls' forecasts for a recovery of the jet engine market were overly optimistic.
        In March, the company said it expected demand for its engines this year to be at 55pc of pre-coronavirus levels but warned in May that it was at just 40pc.
      About '' AURS
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:52
        The FoundersThe AURS was founded in March 2021 and officially launched on July 27, 2021 in Los Angeles, by business partners and friends Doctor Jonathan Morse and Professor Brad Webber.
        In early 2021, Dr. Morse and Prof. Webber noticed the exciting trend of governments mandating COVID-19 vaccines in the European Union and Asia. While still primarily a research team with several high-level consulting contracts, AURS was launched publicly once California Governor Gavin Newsom began mandating vaccinations for all his State employees.
        This launch was perfectly timed, as many of California's counties and cities began to follow suit (California is the 5th largest economy in the world).
        Jonathan Morse, MD, AURS Co-Founder & PresidentDr. Morse and Prof. Webber have taught at some of the most prestigious universities and colleges in both the USA and EU, and now hope to create the leading for-profit United States ''anti-vax'' registry for the government. Eventually, they hope to create similar systems around the world.
        Professor Brad Webber, AURS Co-Founder & CFOAll the while, AURS setting the industry benchmark in tracking (and eventually fining) any and all American citizens that disregard the government mandates for COVID-19 vaccinations and its variant boosters.
        They believe that those who that actively disregard the health and safety of their Family, Friends and Neighbors are truly anti-American, and it's important to begin reporting on them immediately.
        Our AURS team recently received a round of $7.5M in Series-A funding, so we're looking to hire smart, talented and concerned citizens like you that want everyone vaccinated, fined and/or punished.
        Disclaimer: The AURS is a satirical critique by political candidate David Alexander Bramante, in association with his campaign David Bramante for Governor 2021.
        David is hoping to point out how dangerously close our society is to having a company like AURS exist, and a world where friends, family and neighbors are reporting each other to authorities.
        The emergency orders and government mandates must end, especially those involving vaccinations. David is the only candidate not accepting donations for his bid as California Governor.
        Please help get David elected in the upcoming September 14, 2021 recall election, by spreading this website, its meaning, and by pledging your vote. For more information about his campaign, visit www.DavidBramante.com.
      Real Testimonials - C19 VAX REACTIONS
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 13:37
        5/20/21
        I am a 43-year-old woman living in MN. I am a Nationally Board-Certified Massage Therapist with my own practice. I willingly received the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine February 27, 2021 to better protect my high-risk clients and myself. It was lot number # with an Exp of 8/24/2021.
        On February 27th, 2021, at 9:25 am, I was inoculated with the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine in my left deltoid. 4 minutes later while in the post vaccine waiting area, I felt like I was hit by a giant wave that hit me from the top of my head down to my feet. I had to stop the text conversation I was having and just focus on staying seated, breathing deeply. I felt like my body was filled with waves, I was dizzy and started to feel tingling throughout my whole body. I was a different type of dizzy in which it was the same whether I stood up or sat down. I waited out the 15 minutes and then waited longer hoping these sensations would go away. They did not so I called a nurse over. The nurse gave me water, juice and Benadryl and sat with me for a while discussing options such as the ER which was located right there, or going outside to see if I would feel better. She also advised me to take a couple Aleve that were in my purse. As my symptoms did not progress nor feel immediately life threatening, I decided to drive home with the safety plan to pull over and call 911 if I needed to on the way home. I was escorted out by a healthcare worker and got into my car. I arrived home, took some migraine meds in case what I was feeling was the beginning of a migraine, although that is not how my migraines typically start. In fact, these were sensations I have never felt. I laid down to rest before I had to pick my son up at noon. I woke up around 11:30 and my chest felt like a heavy elephant was sitting on it, my throat felt tight and I had no sensation at all from my elbows to fingertips on both arms and knees down to toes on both legs. I also was unable to move at all. Eventually I was able to start moving my fingertips and toes and slowly I was able to regain full movement and sensation. The buzzing sensation was throughout my whole body and I started to feel very light tremors throughout, heavy chest and the constant vertigo continued. The remainder of the day I felt this was so I was just very slow and careful. I had very light injection site pain but full range of motion and the pain was very minor. I also had an aversion to coffee immediately following the vaccine even though I love coffee and had a cup in the car with me that I could not drink. (As of today, I have not been able to resume any caffeine among other things.)
        The following day, Sunday February 28th, I had vertigo the whole day, intermittent numbness in varying areas of all my limbs, dizzying waves throughout my whole body, and what felt like a possible migraine coming on in the evening.
        Monday March 1, 2021 I still wasn't feeling well but it felt as though symptoms were a bit lighter. I worked only half a day and rested the other half. I thought this would be the end of my reactions.
        Tuesday March 2, 2021, I woke up feeling heavy in my heart and throat, light headed, shaky, tinnitus, spotty and blurry vision, and left injection arm pins and needles and numbness down the arm. I felt much worse today than yesterday. I ate a good breakfast and brought plenty of soup to work, drinking water all day. I did see clients and it felt off. I felt like I was going to pass out multiple times and had to take a lot of deep breaths and stay seated in case I passed out. I usually wear a double mask and face shield and I was having such a hard time doing so. I removed a layer of mask and I wore my face shield minimally. My left neck would occasionally spasm and I had a left sided headache. I ate between each client to see if it would help and I didn't see an improvement. After work I immediately took a rizatriptan to see if I could get on top of my headache which was turning to migraine. I didn't notice an improvement so I gave myself an injection of ketorolac. I started to feel a lot of sensation in chest, neck, and face. I called the nurse line describing what was going on. I described it as what hives feel like but I didn't notice any hives. She told me to go to the ER to be assessed. I looked in the mirror and I then noticed I had bright red hives across chest down to abdomen, neck, ears and sides of face and entire back down to butt. I started to freak out so as I was driving to ER I called them, they didn't answer so I called 911 and they had me return home and they sent medical. I was examined and they had me take a Benadryl and drive to ER. I did so. At hospital I had high bp, hives which were still very active although they had calmed down a bit, slight heart pressure, nervy sensations that jumped around my body, the spot on back of R leg still bothering me. They assessed me for blood clot with ultrasound and chest CT scan and ECG. I received IV meds of saline solution, epinephrine, Benadryl, Pepcid, and prednisone for anaphylactic shock. I reacted very strongly to the meds and had a lot of intense sensations in my body that caused a lot of panic and felt like I was climbing the walls. It felt like I was going to die. I eventually started to calm down and so did my hives. I started to feel a little better, not normal but better and like I could go home. The ER doctor who treated me confirmed that he believed this was a vaccine reaction and not to get the next injection. I was given epi pens, Pepcid, and prednisone prescriptions. A lab test also showed that my d dimmer was higher indicating thickened blood. At home I had a hard time sleeping and was feeling a lot of racing in my heart. I did fall asleep and I woke up drenched in sweat a few times. The following day I still felt a bit shaky, dizzy, and like my skin is crawling. I still felt a bit of pressure in center chest, cold shivers off and on, just not feeling right at all.
        On Wednesday March 3, 2021, I was unable to work and was still feeling the same way. Symptoms started to increase in the evening and I again went to the ER as it felt like my throat was tight, I had hives, high blood pressure, chest tightness, dizziness, loss of coordination, muscles giving out such as in I fell down a flight of stairs at home, and I started walking bow legged due to muscle weakness. This doctor also advised to not get a second injection. I had a very hard time sleeping now as it has been feeling for days like every system in my body was driving 100 mph down the freeway constant buzzing, thirst and pooling sweating over my chest.
        On Thursday March 4, 2021I had a telehealth with my primary care doctor, unquenchable thirst, burning mouth, thick and full and dry mouth, dizzy, high bp, hives, chest tightness, tremors throughout and buzzing in each cell of my body. My doctor prescribed me enough medication to make it through the weekend. I was feeling so horrible and didn't want to go back to the ER so was hoping the meds would help. Still cannot sleep due to intense body sensations and excessive pooling sweat over chest.
        Friday March 5, 2021, I woke up early thirsty, drank a liter of water throughout the night, I had hives on upper back and around clothing lines such as hips, felt dizzy, woozy, nauseous, abdominal pains, high bp, face numbness and tingling, really not feeling right and wondering what is next. I did have some shortness of breath and coughing in the night the previous night with excessive sweating over heart, tremors, buzzing, and thirst.
        On Saturday March 6, 2021, my oxygen was slightly lowered (92 as opposed to 98-99) per my oximeter. I was having a hard time breathing. I went to acupuncture which helped for a short time. I sent my son to a neighbor's home and did everything I could to just stay relaxed and calm and see if I could rest. Although I felt like I was calm mentally, emotionally, and my body was as calm as I could get it, I had crushing chest pain, heaviness in the chest, high pulse and high blood pressure. I also had pain down my left arm (injection side). A neighbor then brought me to the ER to have my heart assessed. I had a wonderful doctor who gave me an EKG, heart ultrasound and x rays. They did not give fluids as I was drinking so much water '' 1 liter of water an hour during the day and 1 liter over the night when waking. They assured me I was not having a heart attack but that the way I was describing my symptoms sounded like a case of covid and that I was experiencing these adverse effects from the vaccine.
        On Sunday March 7, 2021, my son was still at the neighbor's house. I called my aunt to come take me to ER. She came and we chatted a long while first. I felt like I was buzzing bee's nest with every cell in my body vibrating constantly and the hives felt all over and internal too crawling everywhere and building like a giant wave that could take 2 hours to get there and they were all over on the inside of my mouth and throat inside and out. I felt the wave subside and I told her I was ok and she left planning to return later. 15 minutes later I called her back to bring me to ER. At the ER they were busy and I was on my own for quite a few hours, no meds but there and available for emergency care if needed. The hives would crawl all over and disappear and reappear in different areas, each time building up in intensity, constricting airways, pressure in chest, and then slowly release. We left after more tests and no medication changes but was reassured that my vitals were ok even though my bp was high. I didn't need fluids as I was drinking so much water.
        Monday May 8, 2021, I was feeling like everything was burning inside and out. I was on fire, unquenchable thirst, high bp, high pulse, weak and dizzy, vertigo, tinnitus, and could no longer care for myself. My aunt came over to care for me. I was concerned each night I went to bed that I would not live through the night.
        Tuesday May 9, 2021. All drinking stopped, eating stopped, I felt like I was going to die and had the last conversations about details should I die and recorded them. I considered going back to the ER but as I had been so many times before, I didn't feel that they could help me. I called the nurse line to discuss this and my vagal tone was so weak and in and out that she couldn't understand me. I decided to ask my mom to come stay with me in case I ended up dying so that my body would be inaccessible.
        Wednesday March 10, 2021, I had a migraine, vomiting, meds give brief relief and then back strong. I was unable to eat a miserable all day.
        Thursday March 11, 2021. The first day was able to eat 3 times since this all started. I had a telehealth with Dr parker. A boil had appeared overnight and I had deep abdominal pressure continuing. I had a lab blood draw appointment, went outside the house for that, first time in days, had boil looked at that late afternoon, looks like cellulitis, wanted to prescribe antibiotics but I want to wait to hear test results, took topical antibiotics and told to rest on heat as much as possible. Abdominal pressure continuing. Wondering if its giant blood clot or swollen bowel. Occasional kidney pain both sides. I was able to talk to my son for the first time since Saturday.
        I continued to have this intensity of symptoms for weeks beyond. I had a family member stay with me for another week until I no longer felt like I was going to die in the night. My son was then also able to come home as long as I had help. My kidneys shook for a few days, the buzzing and tremors continued. After a couple weeks exhaustion hit. My heart rate and pressure regulated after a few weeks. At one point about 4 weeks post vaccine, I had a trial work day. This failed miserably as all the intense chest pain, pressure, tremors returned. I could not try returning to work for another month.
        Today I am on multiple anti histamines, multiple supplements, cromolyn and Chinese herbs. I am receiving acupuncture, cranio sacral therapy and chiropractic weekly. I also am receiving PEMF treatments and eating all low histamine. At this point, 12 weeks out from my vaccine injury, everything is still revolving around my recovery from the injury. I have started working again part time and can take care of my son but I have not been able to do all the things I used to. I am looking forward to healing fully and resuming my life.
        - J.I. - Minnesota
      NYC will require vaccination proof for indoor dining, gyms | WNCT
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 13:29
        NEW YORK (AP) '-- New York City will soon require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for anyone who wants to dine indoors at a restaurant, see a performance or go to the gym, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday, making it the first big city in the U.S. to impose such restrictions.
        The new requirement, which will be phased in over several weeks in August and September, is the most aggressive step the city has taken yet to curb a surge in cases caused by the delta variant. People will have to show proof that they have had at least one vaccine dose.
        ''The only way to patronize these establishments indoors will be if you're vaccinated,'' de Blasio said. ''The goal here is to convince everyone that this is the time. If we're going to stop the delta variant, the time is now.''
        The Democrat said some details still need to be worked out, including rules affecting children under 12, who are not yet eligible for any of the approved vaccines. The policy will go into effect on Aug. 16 but inspections and enforcement won't begin until Sept. 13 '-- the week the city's public schools reopen for fall.
        During a Tuesday news conference, President Joe Biden said he supported New York City's move and said other cities need to give ''the authority to those restaurants or businesses to say: 'In order to come in, you have to give proof that you're either vaccinated or you can't come in.'''
        De Blasio has focused on getting as many New Yorkers vaccinated as possible while resisting calls to mandate masks indoors, as several cities and counties in California have done.
        He said vaccination cards will be accepted as proof of inoculation, along with state and city apps.
        De Blasio said Monday he was making ''a strong recommendation'' that everyone wear a mask in public indoor settings but stressed that the city's ''overwhelming strategic thrust'' remained getting more people vaccinated.
        Asked Tuesday about a mask mandate, de Blasio said all options were on the table but reiterated the city's policy is ''vaccine-centric.''
        ''Right now what we want to nail is people getting vaccinated, and, very bluntly, showing that life is much better when you're vaccinated,'' he added. ''You have more freedom when you're vaccinated, and you have a lot less, you have fewer choices, fewer opportunities if you're not vaccinated.''
        The mayor announced last week that city employees would be required to get vaccinated by mid-September or face weekly testing, and he has offered a $100 incentive for city residents who get inoculated.
        De Blasio said Tuesday that he did not think checking vaccination status should be too difficult for businesses, which already have to take tickets or show diners to a table.
        Some disagreed.
        Seongmin Jun, the manager of Dear Han Cafe in Queens, wondered how he would check vaccination cards while handling the periodic rush of patrons and serving as the cafe's only barista.
        ''Will customers get offended for checking if they got COVID vaccinations? I mean I don't know how to do that, or even if I will have time to do that,'' Jun said.
        The coffee shop opened just months before the pandemic spread early last year.
        ''They're making it too hard for businesspeople,'' Jun said, but acknowledged something has to be done to get the virus under control. ''I get what they are trying to say, but there must be another way to reduce the cases of COVID.''
        Sean Ogs, manager of the nearby Woodside Cafe, said he was ''floored'' when he heard the news about the new vaccination mandate.
        ''We've already been in a struggle. I don't know how I'm going to deal with it,'' Ogs said. ''It's going to be extra work. It'll make things impossible.''
        Woodside Cafe customer Debbie McCarthy, who is unvaccinated, said she was turned away over the weekend from several establishments that had already begun requiring proof of vaccinations from patrons.
        ''I'm a little shocked they would do that,'' said McCarthy, who said she recovered from COVID-19 a few months ago and believes her natural antibodies will protect from future infections. ''Why are they so afraid of people who haven't been vaccinated? I think we should have a choice.''
        Scientists recommend vaccination for people who have had the virus, saying it's unclear how long immunity without vaccination for those who have recovered would last.
        Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance restaurant group, said he supports the new policy to ensure ''that New York City does not revert to restrictions and shut down orders that would again absolutely devastate small businesses that have not yet recovered from the pandemic.''
        The Five-Borough Chamber Alliance agreed that the mandate was a ''complicated decisions,'' but said it was ''worthy of support for protecting public health and keeping the city on the path to full economic recovery.''
        Fitness studio owner Bill Zanker said he supports the policy as well, even though it comes as another hurdle after a long coronavirus shutdown.
        ''We've got to encourage people to get vaccinated. '... We're happy to enforce that,'' said Zanker, the CEO of GRIT BXNG, a Manhattan studio that offers boxing-related workouts and a full bar. ''Unfortunately, it will affect the business again.''
        The studio had been open for just seven months before the pandemic shutdown began in March 2020. Since reopening this past May, GRIT has checked patrons' vaccination status, offering some inoculated-only classes where people could go without masks while unvaccinated people had to take other classes and cover their faces, he said. About 25% of the patrons are unvaccinated, he said.
        Major performance venues including Broadway theaters and the Metropolitan Opera have already announced that vaccinations will be required for patrons.
        About 66% of adults in New York City are fully vaccinated, according to official data.
        On Monday, the U.S. reached the president's goal ofgetting at least one COVID-19 shot into 70% of American adults '-- a month late and amid a surge by the delta variant that is overwhelming hospitals and prompting renewed pandemic regulations around the country.
        ___
        Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.
      Coming soon: America's own social credit system | TheHill
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:37
        The new domestic ''War on Terror,'' kicked off by the riot on Jan. 6, has prompted several web giants to unveil predecessors to what effectively could become a soft social credit system by the end of this decade. Relying on an indirect hand from D.C., our social betters in corporate America will attempt to force the most profound changes our society has seen during the internet era.China's social credit system is a combination of government and business surveillance that gives citizens a ''score'' that can restrict the ability of individuals to take actions '-- such as purchasing plane tickets, acquiring property or taking loans '-- because of behaviors. Given the position of several major American companies, a similar system may be coming here sooner than you think.
        Last week, PayPal announced a partnership with the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center to ''investigate'' the role of ''white supremacists'' and propagators of ''anti-government'' rhetoric, subjective labels that potentially could impact a large number of groups or people using their service. PayPal says the collected information will be shared with other financial firms and politicians. Facebook is taking similar measures, recently introducing messages that ask users to snitch on their potentially ''extremist'' friends, which considering the platform's bias seems mainly to target the political right. At the same time, Facebook and Microsoft are working with several other web giants and the United Nations on a database to block potential extremist content.The actions of these major companies may seem logical in an internet riddled with scams and crime. After all, nobody will defend far-right militias or white supremacist groups using these platforms for their odious goals. However, the same issue with government censorship exists with corporate censorship: If there is a line, who draws it? Will the distinction between mundane politics and extremism be a ''I'll know it when I see it'' scenario, as former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart described obscenity? If so, will there be individuals able to unilaterally remove people's effective ability to use the internet? Could a Facebook employee equate Ben Shapiro with David Duke, and remove his account?
        The implications of these crackdown efforts will be significantly more broad than just prohibiting Donald Trump Donald TrumpFive takeaways from the Ohio special primaries Missouri Rep. Billy Long enters Senate GOP primary Trump-backed Mike Carey wins GOP primary in Ohio special election MORE from tweeting at 3 a.m. Young people cannot effectively function in society if blocked from using Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Uber, Amazon, PayPal, Venmo and other financial transaction systems. Some banking platforms already have announced a ban on certain legal purchases, such as firearms. The growth of such restrictions, which will only accelerate with support from (usually) left-wing politicians, could create a system in which individuals who do not hold certain political views could be blocked from polite society and left unable to make a living.
        The potential scope of the soft social credit system under construction is enormous. The same companies that can track your activities and give you corporate rewards for compliant behavior could utilize their powers to block transactions, add surcharges or restrict your use of products. At what point does free speech '-- be it against biological males playing in girls' sports, questioning vaccine side effects, or advocating for gun rights '-- make someone a target in this new system? When does your debit card get canceled over old tweets, your home loan denied for homeschooling your kids, or your eBay account invalidated because a friend flagged you for posting a Gadsden flag?
        Federal fingerprints aren't directly on recent actions '-- yet. The creation of a ''Digital Dollar'' would put an exclamation point on a new social credit score. Working in conjunction with major tech companies, citizens not convicted of a crime could lose their ability to transact any business. In time, decentralized forms of money, such as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, may be the main means for dissidents to operate '-- as long as the federal government doesn't move to squash them. If the Fed and members of Congress are skeptical of crypto now, its use by political undesirables could lead to a furtive effort to severely restrict or ban these currencies.
        Until and unless there is an organized pushback, our future could track with those of increasingly illiberal societies. Just last week, the British government announced its own version of a health social credit system. China's system was announced only seven years ago. Considering the growth of algorithms and dependence on tech giants, the ability to track, censor and eventually punish ordinary citizens will be mindboggling by 2030. America's descent into a 21st century Gilded Age directed by tech titans isn't an inevitability. However, do you know anyone who would take a 5 percent Amazon coupon in exchange for a ''call to action''? Or someone who would replace their Facebook profile picture to avoid being locked out?
        Peer pressure, trendy movements, and the ability to comply with the new system with the click of a mouse combine all of the worst elements of dopamine-chasing Americans. As it grows in breadth and power, what may be most surprising about our new social credit system won't be collective fear of it, but rather how quickly most people will fall in line.
        Kristin Tate is a libertarian writer and an analyst for Young Americans for Liberty. She is an author whose latest book is ''How Do I Tax Thee? A Field Guide to the Great American Rip-Off.'' Follow her on Twitter @KristinBTate.
      Senate Infrastructure Bill Gives Feds Go-Ahead to Test Taxing Every Mile Americans Drive
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:31
        Buried in the ''Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act'' in the U.S. Senate is approval for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to test a new federal tax on every mile driven by individual Americans.
        The bill directs Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to establish a pilot program to demonstrate a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee designed ''to restore and maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund.''
        The objectives of the pilot program include:
        To test the design, acceptance, implementation, and financial sustainability of a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.
        To address the need for additional revenue for surface transportation infrastructure and a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.
        To provide recommendations relating to the adoption and implementation of a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.
        Although the new tax is described as a pilot program and would initially rely upon ''volunteers'' representing all 50 states, the infrastructure measure would also require the Treasury Department to establish a mechanism to collect motor vehicle per-mile user fees from the participants.
        The legislation would create a new ''Federal System Funding Alternative Advisory Board'' to advise Buttigieg on establishing and operating the program. The legislative language in the bill doesn't specifically call for an end to the advisory board.
        The advisory body would be required to include as members ''at a minimum'' representatives from state departments of transportation, the trucking industry, data security experts ''with expertise in personal privacy,'' academic experts on surface transportation, consumer advocates, operators of toll systems, owners of motor vehicle fleets, and tribal representatives.
        The advisory body would also include ''advocacy groups focused on equity,'' as well as ''any other representatives or entities, as determined appropriate by [Buttigieg].''
        The proposal doesn't elaborate on why a transportation tax advisory board should have members representing nonprofit advocacy groups dedicated to ''equity,'' which is a term often used by advocates of the divisive political and social perspective known as critical race theory.
        The infrastructure text also fails to specify how the advisory board, which appears likely to include a sizable number of members, would create and approve its recommendations to the transportation secretary.
        Buttigieg would also be authorized under the proposal to ''carry out a public awareness campaign to increase public awareness regarding a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.'' Funding for the program is established at $10 million each year through 2026.
        The presence of the pilot program to tax drivers directly for every mile driven reflects the growing problem presented to federal officials by the success of environmental measures they've implemented since the 1990s to encourage more fuel-efficient driving.
        But greater fuel efficiency means less gas consumed, which in turn means declining revenue from the federal tax on every gallon purchased. The gas tax revenue goes into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which is used to pay for road and bridge construction and maintenance, as well as for large-city public light rail and bus systems.
        As a result, Congress has had to appropriate nearly $150 billion from general revenue in the past eight years to supplement the HTF's declining gas tax revenues. Eighty percent of the gas-tax revenue goes to highways, with the remaining 20 percent is devoted to mass transit.
        It isn't clear what would happen to the present federal gas tax if a future Congress were to expand the proposed per-mile user fee pilot program into a mandatory national revenue generator.
        The pilot program proposal quickly drew criticism outside of Congress once word about it spread on Aug. 3.
        ''Making it impossibly expensive to use infrastructure is a perfect addition to a fake infrastructure bill,'' Less Government President Seton Motley told The Epoch Times.
        But Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the ranking Republican member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, told The Epoch Times that he supports replacing the present federal gas tax with a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) levy.
        ''There is broad support behind a national VMT pilot program from members of Congress and stakeholders. Fixing the Highway Trust Fund is the thoughtful and responsible thing to do, and the time to act on it is now. Otherwise, we'll continue having the same debate on how to adequately pay for infrastructure,'' Graves said.
        ''I want to make it clear that my support for moving to a VMT user fee system is contingent on resolving any issues such as privacy and equity for rural and urban drivers, but I have absolutely no doubt that these issues will be addressed.''
        Buttigieg, whose only previous government experience was serving eight years as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a city of about 100,000 residents, appears to be a big winner in the more than $550 billion in new spending included in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package.
        An estimated $274 billion of the $550 billion in new spending goes to DOT, with $105 billion of that being in the form of competitive grants over which Buttigieg has the final say.
        Another big winner in the infrastructure bill's DOT spending is Amtrak, which in a typical year'--prior to the pandemic caused by the CCP virus that's also known as the novel coronavirus'--receives about $2 billion in federal subsidies. Under the infrastructure bill, Amtrak would reportedly receive $58 billion.
        Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) offered an amendment to the infrastructure bill in the nature of a substitute that would, among other things, transfer $119 billion in unused federal money originally meant to help combat the coronavirus to the HTF.
        The Lee alternative included reducing the federal gas tax by 11 cents per gallon, simplifying and speeding up National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements on infrastructure projects, and abolishing federal Davis-Bacon wage regulations that require federal contractors to pay prevailing union wages on government projects.
        The Lee amendment was defeated on a 70''28 vote.
        Congressional correspondent Mark Tapscott may be contacted at: mark.tapscott@epochtimes.nyc. Follow him on Twitter at @mtapscott and on Parler at @Mtapscott.
      Infrastructure Package Gives $1 Billion To Commission Led By Joe Manchin's Wife | The Daily Wire
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:30
        The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocates $1 billion to a commission co-chaired by Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) and Gayle Conelly Manchin '-- the wife of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).
        The Appalachian Regional Commission '-- an ''economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments'' that seeks to ''build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia'' '-- receives $200 million per year through 2026 under the current version of the infrastructure legislation .
        As the Washington Examiner reported, Conelly Manchin was ''appointed to the post by President Joe Biden and unanimously confirmed by the Senate in April.''
        The President's first budget proposal requested a similar degree of funding '-- namely, $235 million for fiscal year 2022, as well as $1 billion for the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative spread over five years through the American Jobs Plan.
        ''The President's budget demonstrates his steadfast commitment to the work already underway to transform Appalachia's economic future through ARC's programs,'' said Conelly Manchin in May. ''Moreover, the proposed funding for POWER will allow ARC to more adequately meet the overwhelming needs of communities impacted by job losses resulting from the decline in the coal industry. These ARC grants will be instrumental to the long-term diversification and economic growth in Appalachia.''
        The Washington Examiner also noted that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would significantly increase funding for the organization; the initiative ''has invested over $238 million in 293 projects touching 353 counties across Appalachia'' since 2015.
        Manchin '-- who, alongside fellow infrastructure bill supporter Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), is widely considered to be a centrist '-- is an important vote in the evenly-divided Senate. His opposition to amending the filibuster '-- which sets the threshold to hold debate in the Senate at sixty votes '-- has created headaches for Democratic leadership.
        Sinema revealed last week that she does not support Democrats' $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation plan '-- which requires lock-step allegiance from Senate Democrats in order to pass President Biden's agenda without sixty votes.
        ''I have also made clear that while I will support beginning this process, I do not support a bill that costs $3.5 trillion '-- and in the coming months, I will work in good faith to develop this legislation with my colleagues and the administration to strengthen Arizona's economy and help Arizona's everyday families get ahead,'' Sinema explained in a statement to The Arizona Republic .
        The Daily Wire is one of America's fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member .
      CDC issues eviction moratorium extension after Democratic outcry | TheHill
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:29
        The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday issued a moratorium on evictions targeting areas of the country with high levels of COVID-19 transmission, extending an eviction ban for much of the nation just days after a blanket moratorium had expired.
        The CDC order applies to counties experiencing significant levels of virus spread, defined by the agency as 50 to 100 cases per 100,000 people. A congressional source said the order will likely apply to roughly 90 percent of the renter population in the U.S.
        The order will expire on Oct. 3. It was issued after days of back-and-forth between the White House and congressional Democrats over who was responsible for extending the moratorium while scores of Americans faced uncertainty about potential removal from their homes.
        "A surge in evictions could lead to the immediate and significant movement of large numbers of persons from lower density to higher density housing at a time in the United States when the highly transmissible Delta variant is driving COVID-19 cases at an unprecedented rate," the CDC order states, citing data showing that just under half of households behind on rent believe they could be evicted in the next two months.
        "Evicted renters must move, which leads to multiple outcomes that increase the risk of COVID-19 spread. Specifically, many evicted renters move into close quarters in shared housing or other congregate settings," the CDC order states. "These moves may require crossing state borders. According to the 2017 Census Bureau American History Survey, 32 percent of renters reported that they would move in with friends or family members upon eviction, which would introduce new household members and potentially increase household crowding. Studies show that COVID-19 transmission occurs readily within households."
        President Biden acknowledged at a news conference earlier Tuesday that the CDC order may not hold up in court. But he argued it would minimally buy time for state and local governments to distribute aid to renters and landlords.
        "Whether that option will pass constitutional measure with this administration, I can't tell you. I don't know," Biden said before the order was released. "There are a few scholars who say it will and others who say it's not likely to. But, at a minimum, by the time it gets litigated, it will probably give some additional time while we're getting that $45 billion out to people who are in fact behind in the rent and don't have the money."
        The move comes after days of outcry from Democrats over the lapsed moratorium, which had been in place since the early months of the pandemic. The White House had insisted Monday its hands were tied and only Congress could pass an extension, but Democratic leaders said the Biden administration was in a position to act.
        The Supreme Court upheld the CDC's moratorium, reversing a ruling from a federal appeals court on June 29, but warned that a further extension of the ban beyond its July 31 deadline would exceed the agency's authority unless Congress passed a law to expand it. The House did not attempt to do so until Friday, two days before the ban lapsed and one day after Biden asked Congress to extend the CDC moratorium.
        Republicans opposed extending the moratorium, as did some Democrats in the House.
        Some Democrats had expressed frustration that the White House had asked for House action just days before the moratorium expired.
        White House officials said as recently as Monday that the agency was unable to justify even a narrowed extension of the ban to hard-hit areas given the court's decision."To date, the CDC director and her team have been unable to find legal authority, even for a more targeted eviction moratorium that would focus just on counties with higher rates of COVID spread," said Gene Sperling, Biden's economic recovery czar.
        The update from the CDC was celebrated by Democrats, especially progressives who'd been among the most vocal in pushing for the Biden administration to act. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) camped outside the Capitol for days to raise awareness of the issue and call for federal action. She embraced Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck Schumer'The Squad' celebrates Biden eviction moratorium Overnight Health Care: Florida becomes epicenter of COVID-19 surge | NYC to require vaccination for indoor activities | Biden rebukes GOP governors for barring mask mandates National Organization for Women calls for Cuomo resignation MORE (D-N.Y.) as news broke that the CDC planned to extend the moratorium for most renters.
      'Nakamoto's innovation is real,' says SEC Chair Gary Gensler
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 04:03
        Gary Gensler, chair of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, believes that the blockchain revolution started by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008 is more than just a fad, but a real value proposition for the future of the internet.
        In an interview with the Aspen Security Forum on Tuesday, Gesler talked about his role at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology teaching about the intersection of finance and technology:
        ''[...] in that work I came to believe that though there was a lot of hype masquerading as reality in the crypto field, Nakamoto's innovation is real.'' Gensler noted that, while some within the public sector wish that cryptocurrency would just go away, the technology likely has a big role to play in the future of finance.
        ''I really do think there's something real about the distributed ledger technology, moving value on the internet,'' he said.
        Related: Today marks the 10-year anniversary of Satoshi Nakamoto's final message
        Some within the crypto community took Gensler's comments to mean that he's studied the entire field of blockchain and concluded that Bitcoin is the only real innovation. A transcript of Gensler's address to the Aspen Security Forum appeared to be hyper-focused on the Bitcoin (BTC) white paper published by Satoshi Nakamoto more than a decade ago.
        ''At its core, Nakamoto was trying to create a private form of money with no central intermediary, such as a central bank or commercial banks,'' Gensler said in his remarks. Although he acknowledged that no single cryptocurrency broadly fulfills all the functions of public currencies like the dollar, he said assets like Bitcoin provide a different value proposition:
        ''Primarily, crypto assets provide digital, scarce vehicles for speculative investment. Thus, in that sense, one can say they are highly speculative stores of value.''After being confirmed by the Senate Banking Committee in April of this year, Gensler assumed the role as SEC chair in June, replacing the outgoing Jay Clayton, whose term expired the same month. Gensler's five-year term is scheduled to last through 2026. He believes in creating a ''robust'' regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies in the United States, especially in emerging DeFi markets such as lending.
        Related: SEC Chair wants robust crypto regulatory regime for the US
      Microsoft is ready to rent Windows 365 cloud PCs for as little as $20 per month - The Verge
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 03:58
        Depending on your RAM, CPU, and storage needs, the price can go up to $162 per month
        By Richard Lawler on August 2, 2021 4:10 pm Today Microsoft opened availability for Windows 365, the cloud PC setup that lets businesses stream Windows 10 or Windows 11 via a web browser. As described earlier this spring, it's one way for businesses to support hybrid and remote work, with an instant-on PC experience that can work across different devices.
        After it was announced, Microsoft revealed one pricing option of $31 per month, per user to access a cloud PC instance with the equivalent of two CPUs, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Now that it's available, the complete Windows 365 pricing page reveals more packages, ready for business (300 seats or less), or enterprise-level subscriptions.
        Windows 365 pricing options
        Image: Microsoft.com
        The per-user pricing is similar, with slight differences in the packages that grow to include more CPUs, RAM, storage, and (for business packages) bandwidth. If you're already using a Windows 10 Professional license, then the cheapest setup (one vCPU, 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and 12GB of bandwidth) starts at $20 per user, per month, and $24 without the license.
        A ''Premium'' package with four vCPUs, 16GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage costs $66 per month with the $4 discount, and Microsoft's FAQ indicates that users can upgrade if they run into tasks that require more power. The most powerful package hits $158 per month (discounted) to stream a PC with eight vCPUs, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. It's certainly cheaper up front than buying an equivalent PC and doesn't require any kind of maintenance if it fails to power on, gets broken, or is stolen. For remote workers, that may be the difference between getting shipped a new work laptop or simply receiving a login for Windows365.com.
      President Biden Announces on Live TV That He Intends to Break His Oath of Office | National Review
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 03:56
        President Joe Biden speaks about the pace of coronavirus vaccinations at the White House in Washington, D.C., July 29, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)President Biden knows that the CDC's eviction moratorium is illegal, having, per Gene Sperling, ''not only kicked the tires,'' but ''double, triple, quadruple checked.'' He also knows that the Supreme Court has ruled that it is illegal, and that the majority of the legal scholars he has consulted think that the Court is correct.
        And yet, because a bunch of progressives have spent the day complaining, Biden announced just now that he intends to violate his oath and reissue the order anyway. ''The bulk of the constitutional scholars,'' Biden admitted at his press conference just now, ''say it's not likely to pass constitutional muster.'' Then he said that he was prepared to try his luck anyway.
        Big day for the ''norms'' crowd.
      Cori Bush steers progressives to win on eviction crisis
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 03:55
        Rep. Cori Bush speaks with reporters as she camps outside the U.S. Capitol. | AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
        Cori Bush arrived in Congress as an heir to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Now the political neophyte is coming into her own.
        Bush has led a one-woman protest on the Capitol steps over the last several days that forced the eviction crisis to the top of the nation's agenda even after the House left town without taking action on the issue. Under intense pressure from the left, President Joe Biden on Tuesday afternoon announced a short-term fix to prevent millions of families from losing their homes despite questioning the constitutionality of doing so.
        AdvertisementThe Missouri Democrat's surprising win after an impromptu vigil on the East Front '-- which has been broadcast on national television and drawn high-profile figures such as Jesse Jackson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer '-- illustrates the burgeoning influence held by the freshman progressive and other members of the so-called Squad both inside and outside the Capitol. Once dismissed as liberal firebrands with large Twitter followings but little impact inside Congress, the Squad has added members and continued knocking off high-profile incumbents, forcing senior Democrats to listen.
        ''This is why this happened. Being unapologetic. Being unafraid to stand up,'' Bush told reporters as Biden made his announcement Tuesday after she'd spent several days sleeping, mostly sitting up, on the building's steps.
        Rep. Cori Bush speaks alongside civil rights activist Jesse Jackson at a rally against the end of the eviction moratorium at the U.S. Capitol. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
        ''You did this,'' a jubilant Schumer told Bush and her group of allied Democrats after jogging across the Capitol plaza as the news broke. He bear-hugged Bush and Ocasio-Cortez, who hasn't ruled out a primary challenge to him next year, declaring: ''You guys are fabulous.''
        As Bush continued her protest through Tuesday, she got a boost from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was pushing Biden privately. Pelosi spent the weekend phone banking with the White House, including chatting with Biden, pressing the administration to extend the moratorium. Notably, Bush's strategy shifted over the weekend to align with Pelosi, going from calling for a House vote that was doomed to fail to pushing for the White House to act.
        AdvertisementBush, 45, is the latest member of the group to capture national headlines and has arguably delivered the most impactful result since the Squad first formed in 2018. After the Capitol sit-in by Bush, who has experienced homelessness after eviction, millions of Americans will see at least a temporary reprieve from the same threat.
        "I can't tell you just how important it is, and how much of a change can be brought, by having people who have personal experiences [with] the policy that they are trying to implement," said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) a founding member of the group.
        Their fight almost certainly isn't over: Biden's evictions fix is expected to draw a court challenge that could put the onus back on Congress to cobble together a response. Still, Bush's allies say the intense pressure from her and other Democrats this week compelled the White House into a step it had been highly reluctant to take just hours earlier.
        But beyond the power of grassroots activism, the Missouri Democrat's move also shows that she's building bonds with influential Democrats after coming to Congress as an outsider who knocked off a beloved member of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus.
        Advertisement''I don't care about the spotlight. It doesn't bother me, it doesn't make me feel good,'' she told POLITICO in a brief interview after holding court on the building's steps since Friday. ''I just want to see this happen for my people.''
        While Bush was quick to join the Squad after arriving in January, her ties to the CBC had been more fragile after her defeat of former Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.), whose father had co-founded the group 50 years ago. But Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), the chair of the Black Caucus, said she had flown back from Ohio and joined the vigil after Bush called to invite her.
        ''She called me to tell me what she was doing, and she said it would mean a lot to her to have me here. She's one of my members, so I'm here,'' Beatty said in an interview after taking part in Bush's vigil.
        Congresswomen Joyce Beatty. | Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch via AP
        And despite the tensions within the Black Caucus over this week's Ohio primary battle to replace Marcia Fudge, Beatty said housing was something they could unite around: "Fifty-seven members of the Congressional Black Caucus all support extending the moratorium,'' she told attendees of the vigil.
        Rep. Barbara Lee, a former chair of the CBC and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, went so far as to praise Bush for stirring ''the conscience of the nation'' in a victory call late Tuesday for the latter group.
        It's not just the CBC who showed up to support Bush. The freshman progressive has entertained a wide array of Democratic luminaries and crowds of selfie-taking supporters during her outdoor protest. The line-up of fellow Democrats '-- from House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to moderate Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) '-- illustrates not just the progressives' power in a tightly held majority, but also their growing sway.
        As a nearly 100-member coalition, progressives remain a major power center in caucus decisions. They will have a huge role to play in as the looming, intergenerational battle over House Democrats' next leaders after Pelosi and her longtime deputies step aside.
        ''She wasn't going to give up. And then we didn't give up on her either,'' said Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who joined Bush in her protest on the steps. ''All of us were a team, trying to push the administration to get the quickest result to this.''
        Rep. Mondaire Jones, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Cori Bush and Rep. Jimmy Gomez celebrate the announcement that the Biden administration will enact a targeted nationwide eviction moratorium. | AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades
        With the House deadlocked and about to head home Friday night, a visibly nervous Bush and Ocasio-Cortez held an impromptu presser outside Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, insisting that inaction was not an option. Inside, House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), a progressive dean who's spent 30 years in Congress, worked the phones with Democratic leadership.
        AdvertisementAfterwards, the two junior members dashed to the House floor in an eleventh-hour attempt to disrupt their party's plan to leave town by forcing a roll-call vote on whether the House should leave '-- using a procedural move borrowed from GOP hardliners. But the House had adjourned before Bush and Ocasio-Cortez could get to the floor in time.
        Bush later said that she and Ocasio-Cortez were walking away from the Capitol together on Friday night when she made the snap decision to stay. Bush recalled turning to her friend and asking if Ocasio-Cortez wanted to join her.
        ''And she said yes,'' Bush said in an interview.
        Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talks with a reporter as she protests the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images
        While just a freshman, Bush is no stranger to the public eye after her stunning upset of Clay last fall. Even before she was sworn in this January, she was the subject of a New Yorker profile. She made the cover of Teen Vogue during her first month in office.
        Before that, she first rose to prominence leading Black Lives Matter protests near Ferguson, Mo., a short drive from where she was living as a nurse and pastor when 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by police in 2014.
        And this week isn't Bush's first sleep-in. In 2018, the then-activist remained outside Sen. Roy Blunt's (R-Mo.) district office for days to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
        Police brutality was one of a long list of priorities when Bush launched her third congressional bid, which she won with a boost from Bernie Sanders '-- the Vermont independent and liberal lion who also visited Bush and Ocasio-Cortez on the Capitol steps this week. Another of Bush's top issues was homelessness; she and her two young children were forced to live out of her car after failing to make rent.
        As a long line of advocates-turned lawmakers have often encountered before her, Capitol Hill is a uniquely stressful stage, but Bush bet that her tactics as an organizer could bring her success in Washington. That bet paid off on Tuesday '-- at least for now.
        Advertisement''Activists in Congress '-- so expect for things to be different than what maybe people are used to," she told reporters on Tuesday night, as she prepared to wrap her protest and return home. "We don't have the same eyes, we don't have the same background or the same agenda as some others.''
      Restaurants Nationwide Should Require Vaccination for Indoor Dining - Eater
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        Archived Version
        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 00:36
        New York City is the first to require proof of vaccination for indoor dining. It's time for other cities to do the same.
        By Elazar Sontag on August 3, 2021 3:20 pm On August 3, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio announced the U.S.'s first citywide mandate requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining. If we ever want to move beyond the pandemic, this should become a mandate in every city.
        Just three months ago, when the CDC announced that vaccinated people no longer had to wear masks in most indoor settings, it felt like a corner had been turned after a brutal year. But in recent weeks, the extremely contagious delta variant, paired with low vaccination rates in parts of the country, has shifted that trajectory in the U.S., and daily cases continue to rise on a trend that triggers memories of the spikes of this past winter when cases reached a fever pitch across the country '-- earlier this week, Florida broke its all-time record for COVID-19 hospitalizations, with more than 10,000 people hospitalized.
        What sets the current spike in national cases apart from those of late 2020 is that it is '-- or at least, could have been '-- largely preventable. The rate of daily vaccination has been trending upward in parallel with growing fears of the delta variant, but nationwide only 50 percent of people eligible to get the jab have been fully vaccinated. Most of the new cases being recorded each day are in unvaccinated individuals '-- who, in July, also made up some 97 percent of COVID-related hospitalizations.
        With delta on the rise, mask mandates, social distancing, and occupancy limits aren't enough to make restaurants entirely safe gathering spaces '-- nor is it fair to require restaurateurs to indefinitely face the time-intensive and costly challenges of reimagining their spaces, their menus, and everything else about their restaurants. At this point in the pandemic, anyone who wants to eat indoors at a restaurant, and is eligible, should be required to show proof that they are vaccinated. (An obvious exception, taken into account by New York's new mandate, is that until trials conclude and a vaccine is approved for children under 12, parents and guardians should be allowed to eat indoors with their families. Though this would mean some restaurant diners are unvaccinated, it would greatly diminish the number of unvaccinated individuals in a dining room at any given time.)
        Some restaurants around the country have already started requiring proof of vaccination from those who wish to dine indoors. But much like individual restaurants and their staff having to shoulder the burden of enforcing mask mandates, this never should have been their responsibility in the first place. ''Unless there is some concerted effort from the city, from the county, or from the state to help us enforce it, it's just a paper tiger,'' San Francisco restaurateur Pim Techamuanvivit, who supports vaccine requirements but has yet to implement one at her restaurants, told Eater last week. ''Until the city, the county, or the state comes up with some standardized way of proving someone's vaccination record without violating their privacy, and also make it easy for us to be able to verify these things, then I don't know how we're supposed to do it.''
        A vaccine requirement would protect restaurant workers and diners alike '-- and incentivize vaccination.A vaccine requirement for indoor diners would protect restaurant workers as well as fellow diners '-- particularly as concern about breakthrough COVID-19 cases grows '-- allowing staff to focus on the jobs they were hired for, without the stress, anxiety, and legitimate danger that comes with being the enforcers of a scattershot health measure that has been so intensely politicized it has led to violence. Widespread mandates would also incentivize more eligible people to get the vaccine. Increasing vaccination won't, on its own, completely temper the risk of new variants arising, but paired with social distancing and mask wearing, we can effectively lower the risk of the emergence of another new and more vaccine-resistant COVID variant.
        To call for vaccination as a prerequisite for indoor dining and other activities when vaccination efforts first got underway this past spring would have been to reserve those experiences for only the most privileged: those who had the easiest access to vaccines. Though vaccine equity remains a concern, availability is now, by and large, widespread. In many parts of the country, one can walk into a local pharmacy or vaccination site and get the shot within minutes. That's not to say vaccine distribution is perfect: There are still communities where vaccination is lagging because of structural access issues, and hesitancy due to medical racism, among other reasons. In making vaccination for certain activities a widespread requirement, government bodies would also have to own the responsibility of ensuring underserved and overlooked communities are adequately reached and served.
        Requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining would certainly highlight some of the unfairness that has colored this year. My mother, for instance, is among those who are immunocompromised, and though she was able to receive both doses of her vaccine, it is possible that her health condition will not allow her to receive future booster shots. These kinds of challenges for those who are ill, or otherwise legitimately unable to receive the vaccine, could prohibit them from dining indoors, depending on the scope of the mandate. But for those with weakened immune systems, or other severe illnesses, dining in close confines with unvaccinated individuals '-- particularly as accounts of breakthrough cases and more contagious variants ramp up '-- already makes indoor dining unrealistic and potentially life threatening. All indoor activities are higher risk for unvaccinated individuals, but this is particularly true in restaurants, where masks come off to eat. It will require truly curbing the pandemic, and bringing case counts down to single and low double digits again in communities across the country for people like my mother to safely dine indoors. This is unlikely to happen soon, without serious intervention.
        It's unrealistic to imagine a suggestion such as this would be accepted in every city or state, considering how hard some leaders have fought against COVID-related public health precautions thus far. But to act as if such a measure is not necessary, as we enter yet another spike of what is now, in large part, a preventable catastrophe, would be delusional. Some Republican leaders, and other officials who claim to be so deeply concerned with the freedoms of their constituents, must acknowledge that true freedom lies in being able to engage in public life without a high risk of COVID exposure. Though this truth may not be politically expedient, it can't be ignored.
        For those who can not currently be vaccinated, safety will only ever arrive when enough people who can be, are. This will serve both to flatten the curve and take pressure off of our health system, and to mitigate the risk of this virus continuing to mutate, plunging us into a never-ending cycle. And for those who have made the conscious and voluntary decision not to be vaccinated, indoor dining remains an incredibly high-risk activity. Though they may perceive a vaccine mandate for indoor dining as an infringement on their personal freedom, preventing these people from eating indoors while a pandemic rages on is the most life-affirming and fair measure we could take. The sooner we do, the sooner each and every one of us can safely return to our favorite corner table.
        Gastropod How Edible Cannabis Went From 'Mulchy' Brownies to a Booming Industry
      Disclose.tv ðŸš¨ on Twitter: "JUST IN - Germany is preparing a new lockdown. BILD has obtained an internal document that even proposes restrictions that would apply only to unvaccinated citizens." / Twitter
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 23:16
        Disclose.tv ðŸš¨ : JUST IN - Germany is preparing a new lockdown. BILD has obtained an internal document that even proposes restrictio'... https://t.co/WTBvuDO63Z
        Tue Aug 03 21:17:46 +0000 2021
        OPensador89 : @disclosetv Disciples of Hitler.
        Tue Aug 03 23:15:55 +0000 2021
        ahmed eladrousy : @disclosetv He is back ....!!! https://t.co/z0hVlY27b4
        Tue Aug 03 23:15:09 +0000 2021
      EndGameWW3 on Twitter: "Update: US State Department: We are concerned about reports of a hijacking of a ship in the Gulf of Oman, and we will share information with our allies." / Twitter
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 23:14
        EndGameWW3 : Update: US State Department: We are concerned about reports of a hijacking of a ship in the Gulf of Oman, and we wi'... https://t.co/uBem2CjS14
        Tue Aug 03 18:47:24 +0000 2021
      Off Road: Infrastructure Bill Contains Mileage Tax Pilot, Makes it Expensive to Drive.
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 19:50
        Newsroom / Government Will Seek Out Volunteers to Monitor, Test Data Collection Methods. 2,702 pages later, we have an infrastructure bill. But it's not without a few (many) questionable government oversteps, including plans to monitor driving habits and test a mileage tax.
        Flipping quickly to page 511, we find details on the proposed tax pilot program.
        The objectives of the pilot program are'--
        (A) to test the design, acceptance, implementation, and financial sustainability of a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee;
        (B) to address the need for additional revenue for surface transportation infrastructure and a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee; and
        (C) to provide recommendations relating to the adoption and implementation of a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee.
        A tax on the American people for driving, enforced by the mile. But more alarming, perhaps, is all the ways the government intends to monitor Americans to collect data on miles driven:
        (A) Third-party on-board diagnostic (OBD-II) devices.
        (B) Smartphone applications.
        (C) Telemetric data collected by automakers.
        (D) Motor vehicle data obtained by car insurance companies.
        (E) Data from the States that received a grant under section 6020 of the FAST Act (23 U.S.C. 503 note; Public Law 114''94) (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act).
        (F) Motor vehicle data obtained from fueling stations.
        (G) Any other method that the Secretary considers appropriate.
        Any other method that the Secretary considers appropriate? That sounds like a blank check to track American drivers however they want.
        According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, the average person drives close to 13,500 miles every year. And now they can look forward to being watched and taxed for every mile.
        Until they can no longer afford to drive.
      > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:13
        ARMY
        Pfizer Inc., New York, New York, was awarded a $3,500,000,001 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the purpose of international donation. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in New York, New York, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $3,500,000,001 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W58P05-21-C-0002). (Awarded July 30, 2021)
        General Electric Aviation, Lynn, Massachusetts, was awarded a $208,162,355 firm-fixed-price contract for overhaul of the cold section module in support of the T700 engine. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-21-D-0065).
        Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $15,697,708 firm-fixed-price contract for berm reconstruction at Ocean City, Maryland. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Ocean City, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of April 11, 2022. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-21-C-0020).
        Keller North America Inc., Alpharetta, Georgia, was awarded a $9,118,588 firm-fixed-price contract for bluff stabilization at Natchez National Cemetery. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Natchez, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration funds in the amount of $9,118,588 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (W912EE-21-C-0008).
        NAVY
        General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $225,117,921 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2125 for engineering, technical, design agent, and planning yard support for operational strategic and attack submarines. The contract provides for drawings and related technical data; design change documentation; logistics technical data; configuration management; hull, mechanical and electrical engineering; submarine safety design review; non-propulsion plant electrical system engineering; propulsion plant engineering; maintenance engineering; refit/availability technical support; on-site support; configuration change program design and installation support; configuration change program material support; submarine technical trade support; training and facility support; research development test and evaluation program support; research and development submarine/submersibles support; miscellaneous special studies; temporary alteration support; modernization of submarine/submersible systems/subsystems; and affordability/cost reduction technical support. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (70%); Kings Bay, Georgia (13%); Bangor, Washington (10%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (3%); North Kingston, Rhode Island (2%); and Newport, Rhode Island (2%), and is expected to be completed by September 2023. Fiscal 2021 other procurement, Navy funding in the amount of $3,104,008 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
        Lockheed Martin Corp., Owego, New York, is awarded an $117,686,514 modification (P00002) to a firm-fixed-price order (N0001921F0841) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0017). This order provides non-recurring engineering and field services representative efforts to bring 12 MH-60R aircraft from standard Foreign Military Sales (FMS) configuration to a Republic of Korea Navy configuration. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (38%); Best, France (37%); Owego, New York (18%); and Portsmouth, Rhode Island (7%), and is expected to be completed in November 2026. FMS funds in the amount of $117,686,514 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
        Seemann Composites LLC,* Gulfport, Mississippi, is awarded an $74,922,276 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for design engineering and manufacturing support. Work will be performed in Gulfport, Mississippi (60%); Chesapeake, Virginia (20%); and Horsham, Pennsylvania (20%), and is expected to be completed by July 2026. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $18,842 will be obligated at time of award for the first order and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Beta.Sam.gov website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Bethesda, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0016721D0010).
        Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $51,793,127 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. This contract provides for program management support to include development of customer unique capabilities in support of the continued development of the air system for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program for a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (71%); Redondo Beach, California (13%); Melbourne, Florida (1%); and various undisclosed locations outside the continental U.S. (15%), and is expected to be completed in January 2024. FMS customer funds in the amount of $18,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(C)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001921C0040).
        Lockheed Martin Corp., Owego, New York, is awarded a not-to-exceed undefinitized $34,400,000 modification (P00028) to a previously awarded, firm-fixed-price contract (N0001919C0013). This modification adds scope to provide integration and installation of a Hellenic Navy System configuration on three USN8 time configuration remote sensors for aircraft. This modification also provides for efforts on three replace in kind aircraft to bring the aircraft into a USN8 configuration. Additionally it procures four Airborne Low Frequency Sonars in support of the MH-60R program for the Navy and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Best, France (46%); Owego, New York (40%); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (9%); and Stratford, Connecticut (5%), and is expected to be completed in April 2025. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,300,976; and FMS funds in the amount of $11,855,070 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
        DEFENSE MICROELECTRONICS ACTIVITY
        Marvell Government Solutions LLC, Essex Junction, Vermont, is awarded a $98,216,265 ceiling increase modification (P00019) to previously awarded HQ072720C4000 for Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $212,348,848 from $114,132,583. Work will be performed at Burlington, Vermont, with an expected completion date of March 31, 2022. The contract is being incrementally funded and $55,969,855 in funds are being obligated at time of modification. The Defense Microelectronics Activity, McClellan, California, is the contracting activity.
        DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY
        Soliel LLC, Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a competitive 8(a) hybrid (firm-fixed-price/cost-plus-fixed-fee) contract for National Bureau of Investigation Service (NBIS) Development, Deployment and Sustainment (DD&S-II). The face value of this action is $22,407,525, funded by fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance; and research, development, test and evaluation funds. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $22,407,525. Performance will be at both the government's facilities and the contractor's facilities. Proposals were solicited from 8(a) companies identified during market research, and five proposals were received from seven proposals. The period of performance is Aug. 5, 2021 '' Aug. 4, 2022, with four three-month option periods. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC108421C0005).
        AIR FORCE
        Raytheon Intelligence and Space, Aurora, Colorado, has been awarded a $13,515,800 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification (P00347) to the previously awarded contract FA8807-10-C-0001 for the Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX). The contract modification is for an equitable adjustment for COVID-19 impacts to OCX, including late government-furnished equipment impacts and excusable delay overrun costs. The location of performance is Aurora, Colorado. The work is expected to be completed by June 30, 2022. The contract is incrementally funded with Space Force Research and Development funding, and no additional funds are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $3,758,106,396. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity.
        DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY
        Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Groton, Connecticut, has been awarded a $9,994,747 modification (P00003) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract HR001120C0038 to exercise the Contract Line Item Number 0003 option to support a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research project. Fiscal 2021 research and development funds in the amount of $9,994,747 are being obligated at the time of award, with an estimated completion date of June 2022. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001120C0138). (Awarded July 30, 2021)
        *Small business
      How to Get Ivermectin | FLCCC | Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:11
        How to Get IvermectinWe understand and empathize with the challenges faced in obtaining a prescription for ivermectin during this time period prior to its use being formally adopted in national or international COVID-19 treatment guidelines. However, we are anticipating these treatment guidelines to be updated in the near future. Alternately, please know our scientific review manuscript on ivermectin in COVID-19 is undergoing expedited peer-review at a prominent American medical journal, and if it passes peer review and becomes published, we anticipate that this will also make access to ivermectin more widespread. However, until such a time when its use as both a preventive and treatment agent is more widely accepted or recommended, many physicians will be reluctant to prescribe. We can only suggest the following approaches:
        Discuss with your primary health care provider. If they are unconvinced of the data, share with them our manuscript which can be downloaded from the FLCCC Alliance Website. Please understand that many will prefer to avoid adoption of ivermectin treatment until such a time as the guidelines are updated or the manuscript gets published.The second option is to try one of the doctors that can provide telemedicine consultation here: Directory of Doctors Prescribing Ivermectin (international), or from the table below (US only) '-- Confirm the price of any visit prior to the consultation. We have reports of some doctors charging exorbitant fees.If your doctor will not prescribe ivermectin for you, please contact one of the following tele-health companies (US only):
        IMPORTANT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER: This list of doctors and medical providers is ONLY a collection of information offered as a convenience to interested members of the public and is neither a recommendation of the provider nor a verification of the provider's qualifications or practices, medical or otherwise. FLCCC has not undertaken any investigation of the medical providers or the accuracy of the information provided herein. Accordingly, reliance on any such information provided herein is solely at your own risk. Your independent investigation and evaluation is therefore strongly advised. Neither the FLCCC, its physicians and principals nor any individual associated with FLCCC is responsible or liable for the use or misuse of the information provided herein, and your use thereof or of this website acknowledges and accepts these terms.
        NAMECONTACT INFORMATIONSTATES SERVEDINTERNATIONALRafael Cruz, MD, Kentuckiana Integrative Medicine(812) 913-4416http://www.regenmedky.com/AK, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, GU, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, WAMiguel Antonatos, MDText2MD(855) 767-8559,https://text2md.com/AL, AZ, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, MD, ME, MN, MS, ND,NV, NY, OKRobert C. Karas, MDKaras Health Care(479) 770-4343https://karashealthcare.com/AR, ID, GU, MO, MT, TX, VIKayla Berns, RN, BSN, Banner Health Del E Webb(623) 524-4000https://www.bannerhealth.com/locations/sun-city-west/banner-del-e-webb-medical-center?y_source=1_MTE5MDczNzAtNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLmdvb2dsZV93ZWJzaXRlX292ZXJyaWRlAZSyed Haider, MD(281) 219-7367https://www.drsyedhaider.com/AZ, AK, CO, CT, DE, FL, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MD, MA, MIM MO, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, PA, SC, SD, TX, UT, VT, VA, WI, WV, WYJanna Mustafina, CRNP, eCareNow Telehealth(240) 815-5978, [email protected]https://www.ecarenow.net/AZ, CO, DC, FL, NV, MD, RI, UT, WYScott Milton Jensen, MD, Jensen Family Wellness(928) 224-4270, [email protected][email protected]http://www.jensenfamilywellness.com/AZ, CO, NV, UT, WIPatricia Trafford, FNP , Anew Health(480) 496-8340http://anewhealth.orgAZ, CT, DE, FL, OH, KY, MD, NE, NV, NJ, NM, ND, SD, VT, WY Felicia Sumner, DOSynergize Direct Primary Carehttps://www.pushhealth.com/practices/16805/new-patients/fsummerAZ, FL, IL, NC, NJ, PAJP Denham, ARNP, Objective Health Partnership[email protected]https://www.pushhealth.com/practices/104928/new-patients/jdenhamAZ, FL, ID, MD, MI, OR, WAHarolyn Gilles, MD, A Renewed You(602) 909-6347, [email protected]https://drharolyn.com/contact-us/AZ, NVAccuDoc Urgent Care(812) 932-3224, [email protected] https://www.accudocurgentcare.com/CAAlice Pien, MDAMA Regenerative Medicine(949) 428-4500https://www.amaskincare.com/CAMelissa Mondala, MDDr. Lifestyle(949) 569-8877, [email protected]https://www.drlifestyle.org/CATom Yarema, MD, Center for Wellness & Integrative Medicine with Tom Yarema, M.D. Tuesdays, 5pm PST for Dr. Tom's Zoom open clinic hours. Please visit website to schedule. California only '' some TELEMED within CAhttps://drtomyarema.com/CAJoshua Batt, DO24 hr Telemed consults for California and Nevadahttps://www.amaskincare.com/CA, NVBrenden Cochran, NDInteractive Health Clinic(425) 361-7945, [email protected]https://interactivehealthclinic.com/ CA, WAChad Prusmack, MDResilience Code(303) 577-1916 https://www.myresiliencecode.com/CODenise M Chism, MSN, NPBella Health + Wellness(719) 435-7070https://www.bellawellness.orgCOAubrey A. Weber, DOSynergy - Personalized Lifestyle Medicinehttps://myhealthsynergy.com/CTRobet Hedaya, MD, DLFAPA, ABPN, IFMCPThe Whole Psychiatry and Brain Recover Center and MedStar Gerogetown University(240) 242-4461https://wholepsychiatry.com/DC, FL, MD, NJCordelia Okwuosah, RN, MSN, FNP-BC(855) 787-4432https://www.pushhealth.com/practices/6223/new-patients/cokwuosahfnpbc#FLJanice A. Dennis, APRN, FNP-C, CCRN(561) 847-0573 (call or text), [email protected]FLJennifer Colon, MSN, APRN and Samantha Noah, MSN, APRN, Flourish Health Network(352) 448-6800 (Text only)https://www.flourishhealthnetwork.com/FLKhristopher M. Lugo, PASSCM, 3644 Henderson Blvd, Ste B, Tampa, FL 33609(844) 789-2266 https://www.bammc.com/FLMichael Austin, DO, Affinity Wellness Group(813) 964-5901, [email protected] Provider can only prescribe to patients living or visiting Florida. https://www.affinitywellness.net/FLStasha-Gae Roberts, Adult - Gerontology Primary Care Nurse PractitionerCompassion Primary Care(813) 669-3084http://compassionprimarycare.comFLSusan Spell, MSN, FNP-BC, DipACLMHeadwaters Health(904) 290-6028http://headwatersjax.com/FLNadia D. Taylor, MDEssential Wellness Grouphttps://essentialwellnessgroup.practicebetter.io/#/609c398e2a832607ac9863a1/bookings?step=servicesFL, GAPamela Svendson, MD(850) 936-9343, [email protected]https://navarrewellness.com/FL, GA, CO, KS, MSUmbrine Fatima,MD, My Health 360(716) 407-3250, [email protected]https://myhealth360wellness.com/FL, NYCanada, OntarioCustomedica Pharmacy (precription required)(208) 585-4350https://www.customedica.com/IDCynthia Culp, MSN, NP-C, IFMCP, Foot Hills Functional Medicine(208) 888-6886, [email protected]https://www.fmidaho.com/IDAlan Bain, MD, Chicago Health & Wellness Alliance(312) 236-7010 ext 2, [email protected]https://docintheloop.com/ILScott Roethle, MDACHIEVE Health and Vitality[email protected] (Email is the preferred method of contact)www.achievehealthandvitality.comKS, MO, TXKenneth B. Singleton, MD, MPHCytokine Storm Solutions(410) 296-3737[email protected]No Telehealth services until late August. New Covid-19 patients can still be seen IN PERSON ONLY in our Maryland office until the TeleHealth is available in late August.MD (Only in-person appts)Mimi Peak, MD, Medical and Longevity Center of Virginia(757) 599-7899http://www.mlcva.com/MD, VAMylene T Huynh, MD, MPH, FAAFP, IFMCP, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences(703) 854-1108, [email protected]https://www.trupointhealth.org/MD, VAJacqueline Chirco, DODr. T's Website & Webstore(248) 302-0473/(419) 707-4110MIKeri topuzian, DO, FACOEP, FAAAM(248) 302-0473https://askdrt.weebly.com/MIRena Sayler, DOMy Emergency Room 24/7 (Locations in Boerne, Texas and San Marcos, Texas)In app store download Care Convene, Provider Code DOC247(512) 626-5764 (Text is preferred) ER: (325) 704-4470(512) 392-7800, [email protected]https://myemergencyroom.com/MI, TXTimothy Hubbard, MHSc, MPAS, PA-C417 House Calls(417) 363-3900, [email protected]https://417housecalls.com/MOPoppy Daniels, MD, Cinic: Dr. Poppy(417) 485-5700, [email protected]MO, PACynthia Denmark, FNP-BC(601) 394-2910MSCanadian Pharmacy King(877) 745-9217 http://canadianpharmacyking.comNational/International Please check website for states/countries they serveAlieta Eck, MD(732) 463-0303, [email protected]NationwideBrian J Weinstein, MS, APN, NPC, RN, Synergy Health DPC(888) 329-0120 (text or call), [email protected]https://synergyhealthdpc.com/NationwideJoseph N. Holmes, MD(980) 264-9020 (text preferred)NationwideLisbeth W. Roy, MD and Jennifer Wright MSN, ACP-C, Doctors StudioPlease visit website regarding states we serve. [email protected]https://doctorsstudio.com/NationwideLung Center of America(937) 859-5864NationwideMargaret Aranda, MDAranda MD Enterprises(818) 852-2225 (text/call), [email protected]https://arandamdenterprises.com/NationwideMy Free Doctor(850) 750-1321 (text only)NationwideNicole Sirotek, RN, Americans Frontline Nurses(775) 560-7216, [email protected]Patient advocacy, helps patients get connected to services across the US and abroad.NationwideRichard Herrscher, MD, AIR Care, Allergy, Immunology & Respiratory Care(972) 473-7544NationwideCustom RX Pharmacy & Wellness Concepts (prescription is required)(855) 287-6879 http://customrx.netNationwide (44 states, please check website for states they serve)Nicole Schertell, NDVibrant Health Naturopathic Medical Center(603) 610-8882https://www.vibranthealthnaturalmedicine.com/NHArezo Fathie, MDGenerations Medical Center(702) 407-9994NVJames Gocke, APRN-CIronwood Primary Care (775) 782-1610https://www/cvmchospital.org/NVJosie Cervantes, NP, Medallus Medical Urgent Care(775) 400-1510https://www.medalluselko.com/NVMary-Beth Charno, NPhttps://www.marybethcharno.com/NYAlexis Lieberman, MD, Advocare Fairmount Pediatrics(215) 774-1166https://advocarefairmountpediatrics.com/Contact-Us/Location/Main-OfficePAKimberly M. DeVolld, MD, Carolina Health & Wellness Pediatric & Adult Medicine(843) 996-4908http://www.chwpeds.com/SC, VAAudrey Jones, DO, Advantage Health(956) 325-3138TXSteven Jones, NP, MSNAlpine Clinic(801) 407-3000https://alpineclinic.net/UTHolly Hagglund, ND, Stanwood Integrative Medicine(360) 629-2222https://stanwoodintegrativemedicine.com/WAKara M. Nakisbendi, MD, Holistic Naturopathic Medical Center[email protected]https://holistiquehealth.com/WAMythili Ramachandran, MDBonney Lake Medical Center(253) 891-2160WAWallace Robert Hodges, MD, Swedish First Hill/Better Internal Medicine/Providence(206) 467-1457, [email protected]http://www.betterinternalmedicine.com/WACarrie Hardy, ND, Stanwood Integrative Medicine(360) 629-2222https://stanwoodintegrativemedicine.com/WAAdam Christopher Miller, MD, ARISE MD(414) 386-2600https://arisemd.com/WIAkshat Singh Thakur, MD, R+emedo Connecting Healthcarehttps://remedoapp.com/rweb/doctors/dr-akshat-singh-thakur/consultIndia, New DelhiClarice Van Vreden, MD012/259/1059http://www.ifafimedical.com/contactSouth Africa, North West, HartbeespoortErica Drewes, MD2/721/201/7036https://drdrewes.agrista.com/South Africa, CapetownFabio Lopez Buenos Netto, MDClinic Bem Estar55 (11) 99 118 5051 (telephone/WhatsApp) [email protected]Brazil, S£o PauloJohan Kim T. Manez, MD, DipBLM, FACLMFour Leaf Lifestyle Medical Group(+63) 932-872-2468www.solidrocklifestylemedicine.comPhilippines, Metro Manila, PasayJussara Franca Resende, MD, MEDITThttps://www.meditt.com/Brazil, S£o Paulo, S£o Bernardo do CampoKai-Jow Tsai, MD, Dr. Tsai Kai-Jow Orthopaedic Clinichttps://www.drtsaiclinic.com/Taiwan, TaipeiLeonardo Reyes Ortiz, MD, PhDhttps://drleonardojosereyesortiz.com/Spain, Catalonia, Barcelona
      Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:07
        Parallel Verses New American Standard BibleHere is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        King James VersionHere is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
        Holman BibleHere is wisdom: The one who has understanding must calculate the number of the beast, because it is the number of a man. His number is 666.
        International Standard VersionIn this case wisdom is needed: Let the person who has understanding calculate the total of the beast, since it is a human multitude, and the sum of the multitude is 600, 60 and six.
        A Conservative VersionHere is wisdom: He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is a number of a man. And its number is 666
        American Standard VersionHere is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
        Amplified Here is wisdom. Let the person who has enough insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the [imperfect] number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        An Understandable VersionThis calls for wisdom; the person who has understanding should calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. And his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        Anderson New TestamentHere is wisdom. Let him that has understanding, count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        Bible in Basic English Here is wisdom. He who has knowledge let him get the number of the beast; because it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty-six.
        Common New TestamentThis calls for wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        Daniel Mace New Testamenthere is wisdom. let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred sixty six.
        Darby TranslationHere is wisdom. He that has understanding let him count the number of the beast: for it is a man's number; and its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        Emphatic Diaglott Bible Here is wisdom: let him who has understanding, compute the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        Godbey New TestamentHere is wisdom. Let the one having understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man. And his is, Six hundred and sixty-six.
        Goodspeed New TestamentThere is wisdom hidden here! Let everyone of intelligence calculate the animal's number, for it indicates a certain man; its number is 666.
        John Wesley New TestamentHere is the wisdom. Let him that hath an understanding count the number of the wild beast: for it is the number of a man: and his number is six hundred sixty six.
        Julia Smith TranslationHere is wisdom. Let him having intelligence calculate the number of the wild beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number Six hundred and sixty-six.
        King James 2000Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred three score and six.
        Lexham Expanded BibleHere is wisdom: the one who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number, and his number [is] six hundred sixty-six.
        Modern King James verseionHere is the wisdom. Let him having reason count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. And its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        Modern Spelling Tyndale-CoverdaleHere is wisdom. Let him that hath wit count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred, threescore and six.
        Moffatt New TestamentNow for the gift of interpretation! Let the discerning calculate the cipher of the Beast; it is the cipher of a man, and the figures are six hundred and sixty-six.
        Montgomery New TestamentHere is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is 666.
        NET BibleThis calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast's number, for it is man's number, and his number is 666.
        New Heart English BibleHere is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
        Noyes New TestamentHere is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixtysix.
        Sawyer New TestamentHere is wisdom. Let him that has a mind count the number of the beast; for the number is man's. And his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        The Emphasized BibleHere, is, wisdom: he that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast, for it is, the number of a man; and, his number, is 666.
        Thomas Haweis New TestamentHere is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding calculate the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred sixty-six.
        Twentieth Century New Testament(Here there is need for discernment.) Let him who has the ability compute the number of the Beast; for the number indicates a man's name. Its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        WebsterHere is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty six.
        Weymouth New TestamentHere is scope for ingenuity. Let people of shrewd intelligence calculate the number of the Wild Beast; for it indicates a certain man, and his number is 666.
        Williams New TestamentHere is scope for wisdom! Let anyone who has the mental keenness calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is the number of a certain man; his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
        World English BibleHere is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
        Worrell New TestamentHere is wisdom. He that has understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is a number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty six.
        Worsley New TestamentHere is wisdom required; and let him, that hath understanding, compute the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred sixty six.
        Youngs Literal TranslationHere is the wisdom! He who is having the understanding, let him count the number of the beast, for the number of a man it is, and its number is six hundred and sixty six.
        Interlinear English(KJV)
        Strong's
        Root Form
        Definition
        Usage
      The Pentagon Is Experimenting With Using Artificial Intelligence To "See Days In Advance"
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:56
        The Pentagon aims to use cutting-edge cloud networks and artificial intelligence systems to anticipate adversaries' moves before they make them. DODU.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) recently conducted a series of tests known as the Global Information Dominance Experiments, or GIDE, which combined global sensor networks, artificial intelligence (AI) systems, and cloud computing resources in an attempt to "achieve information dominance" and "decision-making superiority." According to NORTHCOM leadership, the AI and machine learning tools tested in the experiments could someday offer the Pentagon a robust ''ability to see days in advance," meaning it could predict the future with some reliability based on evaluating patterns, anomalies, and trends in massive data sets. While the concept sounds like something out of Minority Report, the commander of NORTHCOM says this capability is already enabled by tools readily available to the Pentagon.
        General Glen VanHerck, Commander of NORTHCOM and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told reporters at the Pentagon this week that this was the third test of GIDE, conducted in conjunction with all 11 combatant commands ''collaborating in the same information space using the same exact capabilities.'' The experiment largely centered around contested logistics and information advantage, two cornerstones of the new warfighting paradigm recently proposed by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A full transcript of VanHerck's press briefing is available online.
        USAF/TSgt. Peter Thompson
        A Starlink antenna deployed during the Global Information Dominance Experiment 3 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Alpena, Michigan, July 15, 2021.
        VanHerck told reporters that this AI-enabled decision making could actually allow for a type of proactive forecasting that sounds truly like the stuff of science fiction:
        The machine learning and the artificial intelligence can detect changes [and] we can set parameters where it will trip an alert to give you the awareness to go take another sensor such as GEOINT on-satellite capability to take a closer look at what might be ongoing in a specific location.
        [...]
        [W]hat we've seen is the ability to get way further what I call left, left of being reactive to actually being proactive. And I'm talking not minutes and hours, I'm talking days.
        The ability to see days in advance creates decision space. Decision space for me as an operational commander to potentially posture forces to create deterrence options to provide that to the secretary or even the president. To use messaging, the information space to create deterrence options and messaging and if required to get further ahead and posture ourselves for defeat.
        Gen. VanHerck says this most recent experiment, GIDE 3, was a way of testing ''a fundamental change in how we use information and data to increase decision space for leaders from the tactical level to the strategic level -- not only military leaders, but also gives opportunity for our civilian leaders.'' The NORTHCOM and NORAD Commander claims that GIDE shifts the Department of Defense's (DOD) focus ''away from pure defeat mechanisms for homeland defense towards earlier, deter-and-deny actions well outside a conflict'' and will allow faster, more proactive decision making.
        To do this, the experiment used artificial intelligence tools to perform real-time analysis of data gathered by a network of sensors across the globe including ''commercially available information'' from unnamed partners. That information, VanHerck says, could be shared via cloud-based systems to allies and other partners in real-time, should NORTHCOM decide to. The tests also included support from the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center and Project Maven, a DOD project that leverages AI to sift through massive amounts of persistent surveillance imagery and rapidly identify useful information.
        The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army have already been testing similar concepts which are exploring the convergences of real-time data collection and artificial intelligence in order to enable faster and more informed decision making. VanHerck says the GIDE 3 experiments were different, however, in that NORTHCOM isn't looking to create new tools or concepts, but instead use what is already available to give the highest levels of military leadership a new level of awareness:
        The primary [difference] between what I'm doing and what the services are doing is I'm focused at the operational to strategic level. Taking data and information that is available today. That's key.
        We're not creating new capabilities to go get data and information. This information exists from today's satellites, today's radar, today's undersea capabilities, today's cyber, today's intel capabilities. The data exists. What we're doing is making that data available'... and shared into a cloud, where machine learning and artificial intelligence look at it and they process it really quickly and provide it to decision makers, which I call decision superiority.''
        This gives us days of advanced warning and ability to react. Where, in the past, we may not have put eyes on with an analyst of a GEOINT satellite image, now we are doing that within minutes or near real-time. That's the primary difference that I'm talking about.
        DOD/SSgt Brittany A. Chase
        U.S. Northern Command Commander U.S. Air Force General Glen D. VanHerck speaks during a press briefing about the completed global information dominance experiment (GIDE) 3, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., July 28, 2021.
        The types of global cloud services, data fusion, and other concepts used in the experiments aren't anything new per se, and VanHerck says that NORTHCOM has simply ''stitched everything together to make this happen'' on a military level. ''I wouldn't think of this as a thing or a- you know, a gadget we're going to buy and move forward,'' the general told reporters. ''This is a software-based capabilities [sic] utilizing technology that is readily available today.'' While the systems used in GIDE 3 are still being tested and developed, VanHerck used the metaphor of ''building the bike while we ride it,'' which he elaborated on earlier this month in a War on the Rocks op-ed.
        USAF/SSgt. Sean Carnes
        USAF personnel align a Tampa Microwave Satellite Terminal to receive signals while supporting a combat camera team during the Global Information Dominance Experiment 3.
        VanHerck also added that United States Space Command (SPACECOM) was ''intimately involved'' with the experiments, stating that the experiments explored options to hold competitors' space-based and land-based capabilities at risk, while also considering the fact that potential adversaries would put our own space assets at risk in any conflict.
        In his remarks, the NORAD commander obliquely referred to Russia and China, claiming that the United States currently has ''two peer competitors, both nuclear-armed, that are competing against us on a daily basis.'' When a reporter then asked the general to elaborate about the GIDE 3 exercise, the Pentagon wouldn't name a specific simulated adversary but noted it was ''focused on a peer competitor.''
        USAF/SSgt. Nicholas Byers
        Air National Guard personnel monitor aircraft at Tyndall Air Force Base during the Global Information Dominance Experiment 3 on July 14, 2021.
        The Pentagon's third Global Information Dominance Experiment is just one more signal that future conflicts could largely be determined by which forces can deploy the best artificial intelligence systems and leverage information the fastest. Given the rate and scale at which data flows around the world thanks to modern communication networks, satellites, and other technologies, it could be in the very near future that battlefield decisions will be dominated by suggestions from AI tools, and eventually, left to AI themselves, as they can make decisions much faster than a human could. But for now, just being able to better predict the future is of extreme interest to America's top military leadership.
        Contact the author: Brett@TheDrive.com
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      Oklahoma Democrats calling for special session to repeal bill that bans mask mandates in schools | KFOR.com Oklahoma City
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:55
        OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) '' As COVID-19 cases continue to climb across the country and the state, many doctors are stressing the importance of taking precautions when the school year begins.
        The CDC has recommended that all teachers, staff, students, and visitors wear masks indoors at schools, regardless of vaccination status.
        High school students at school, wearing N95 Face masks.Sitting in a classroom.Last week, the Chairwoman of the Oklahoma City School Board urged families to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear face masks to protect their children.
        Oklahoma City Public Schools is set to kick off the school year on Monday, Aug. 9.
        ''Science tells us that the two most important mitigation strategies in the school setting are the appropriate wearing of masks and vaccinations,'' Paula Lewis said. ''We highly encourage those who are eligible to receive the vaccine to do so as soon as possible. Because our youngest learners can not yet be vaccinated, we are asking our families and staff to consider wearing a mask to help protect them.''
        Gov. Kevin StittGov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 658 in May, preventing school districts from requiring masks and vaccines.
        ''We're not going to mandate that someone else has to send their 4-year-old to school with a mask or get vaccinated,'' Stitt said last week in defense of the bill.
        Lewis criticized Stitt and the state Legislature for taking the power to enforce COVID precautions away from schools.
        ''Unfortunately, the Governor and State Legislature have taken decision-making authority regarding these two measures out of the control of school districts and their boards,'' Lewis said.
        Now, Oklahoma Democrats are calling for a special session to repeal Senate Bill 658.
        ''What has to happen before we take COVID seriously? We have children in ICU. Our schools are about to open without the ability to protect staff and students, and as cases continue to rise, our vaccination rate is one of the worst in the nation. If the Governor is going to abdicate his responsibility, the Legislature must act. The House Democratic Caucus is calling for the Legislature to convene a special session immediately to repeal Senate Bill 658 and give school districts a chance to act,'' said House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, (D-Norman.)
        ''It is frustrating that leadership in this state has championed local control until now when the lives of our children are at stake''
        Rep. mICKEY DOLLENS (d. okc) Virgin and several members of the House Democratic Caucus released statements, calling for a special session to repeal SB 658.
        ''It is frustrating that leadership in this state has championed local control until now when the lives of our children are at stake. Local control is good for schools, the economy, and communities. Whether you are for or against any particular health provision, I think we all can agree that decisions are best made by the people directly impacted by them. We need to allow communities and schools to protect themselves. I join my colleagues in calling for a special session,'' said Rep. Mickey Dollens, (D-OKC.)
        (AP File Photo)On Monday, data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health shows that the state has had 486,232 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March of 2020.
        That's an increase of 5,597 cases since Friday, July 30.
        At this point, officials believe there are 14,283 active cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
        According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oklahoma has seen 8,746 deaths as of Monday.
        ''Close your eyes to a tidal wave and it will still hit you in the face. An emergency should be declared by Governor Stitt, this Covid variant is more contagious, more deadly for many. Numbers are doubling weekly and patients are forced out of state as we have run out of emergency Covid beds in Oklahoma. We should move to protect each other, the worst is yet to come, as new Covid deaths mount,'' said Rep. Regina Goodwin, (D-Tulsa.)
      Second lab worker with deadly prion disease prompts research pause in France | Ars Technica
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        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 16:21
        Yikes '-- A lab worker died of prion disease in 2019, nine years after a lab accident. Beth Mole - Jul 29, 2021 10:16 pm UTC
        Enlarge / A pathologist examines brain tissue of a diseased deer. The white circular shapes are the sponge-like holes found with prion-related diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).
        Five public research institutions in France announced a three-month moratorium on prion research this week, following a newly identified case of prion disease in a retired lab worker.
        If the case is found to be linked to a laboratory exposure, it would be the second such case identified in France. In 2019, another lab worker in the country died of a prion disease at the age of 33. Her death came around nine years after she accidentally jabbed herself in the thumb with forceps used to handle frozen slices of humanized mouse brains infected with prions.
        Prions and diseasePrions are misfolded, misshapen forms of normal proteins, called prion proteins, that are commonly found in human and other animal cells. What prion proteins do normally is still unclear, but they're readily found in the human brain. When a misfolded prion enters the mix, it can corrupt the normal prion proteins around them, prompting them to misfold as well, clump together, and corrupt others. As the corruption ripples through the brain, it leads to brain tissue damage, eventually causing little holes to form. This gives the brain a sponge-like appearance and is the reason prion diseases are also called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).
        Outward symptoms of TSEs can include rapidly developing dementia, painful nerve damage, confusion, psychiatric symptoms, difficulty moving and/or speaking, and hallucinations. There are no vaccines or treatments for TSEs. They often progress rapidly and are always fatal.
        The most common type of TSE in humans is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), which has two forms: "classic" and "variant." The classic form strikes about one person in a million in the US and other countries, and patients typically die within a year of the onset of symptoms. In roughly 85 percent of classic CJD patients, the disease is found to be sporadic. That is, there's no clear explanation of what sparked the protein misfolding. In about 5 percent to 15 percent of cases, the disease is determined to be hereditary, linked to a family history of CJD or a mutation in a prion protein that's linked to misfolding. In extremely rare cases, classic CJD can also be acquired, usually through prion-contaminated medical procedures, such as a cornea transplant.
        Advertisement Variant CJD, on the other hand, is an infectious type, and it's often associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), aka "mad cow" disease. People can contract variant CJD by eating prion-contaminated meat, which appeared to be the case in a large outbreak of BSE among cattle and variant CJD among people in the United Kingdom during the 1980s and 1990s. It also seems possible to develop variant CJD through prion-infected wounds, and prions may even be able to spread in aerosols'--at least researchers have shown that it's possible in mice. Once an exposure occurs, variant CJD tends to incubate for around 10 years. That is, symptoms show up around a decade after the prion exposure.
        ‰milie JaumainImportantly, the classic and variant forms of CJD have distinct clinical and pathological features. For one thing, classic CJD tends to afflict older adults (median age of death is 68), while the variant form tends to strike earlier (median age at death is 28). Classic CJD may start with memory problems and confusion, while variant CJD may start with psychiatric symptoms and painful nerve damage.
        Variant CJD was the clear cause of the 2019 prion disease in the young lab worker, named ‰milie Jaumain. In May of 2010, a 24-year-old Jaumain was working in a prion lab in France's National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) when she tragically stabbed her thumb, piercing through a double-layer of latex gloves and drawing blood. "‰milie started worrying about the accident as soon as it had happened, and mentioned it to every doctor she saw," her widower, Armel Houel, told Science Magazine.
        According to a case report of her disease and death published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year, Jaumain first developed symptoms in November 2017, about 7.5 years after the accident. The symptoms started as burning pain in her right shoulder and neck, which worsened and spread to the right half of her body over the next six months. In January 2019, she became depressed and anxious and had memory impairment and visual hallucinations. The muscles on the right side of her body stiffened. According to an association set up in Jaumain's name to promote lab safety, she was diagnosed with variant CJD in April 2019, and, before her death in June, lost the ability to move and speak. Postmortem analysis included in the NEJM case report confirmed the diagnosis of variant CJD.
        Advertisement Researchers cannot entirely rule out the possibility that Jaumain developed variant CJD after eating contaminated meat. However, the authors of the NEJM report noted that the last similar case of variant CJD in France died in 2014. The authors concluded that the risk of developing variant CJD in France in 2019 was "negligible or nonexistent."
        Lab safetyThe authors also note that the occupational cases of variant CJD are not unheard of. "The last known Italian patient with variant CJD, who died in 2016, had had occupational contact with BSE-infected brain tissues, although subsequent investigation did not disclose a laboratory accident," the authors wrote.
        So far, little is known about the new case in France that prompted the moratorium this week. In a joint statement announcing the moratorium, the research institutions said that it was not yet known if the retired researcher, who also worked at the INRAE, had variant or classic CJD.
        "The suspension period put in place as of this day will make it possible to study the possibility of a link between the observed case and the person's former professional activity and to adapt, if necessary, the preventive measures in force in the research laboratories," the joint statement, released Tuesday, reads.
        According to reporting by Science magazine, Jaumain's family has filed both criminal charges and an administrative lawsuit against the INRAE. The family's lawyer told the magazine that she had not been properly trained to safely handle dangerous prions, did not wear metal mesh or surgical gloves, and did not immediately soak the thumb in bleach, which the lawyer said should have been done.
        Prion decontamination is notoriously difficult. The World Health Organization recommends decontaminating waste materials by soaking them in a high concentration of bleach for an hour, then putting them in an autoclave (a steam- and pressure-based sterilization machine) at or above 121° Celsius (~250° Fahrenheit) for an hour. That said, for skin punctures, the WHO suggests people should "gently encourage bleeding" and wash the wound with soap and water.
        French investigators identified 17 other lab accidents involving prions in the past decade in the country, five of which involved cuts or stabs, Science noted. Some labs have said they had improved safety in light of Jaumain's death, such as by using plastic tools that are less sharp than metal ones and using cut-resistant gloves.
      Tobacco Plants Used to Develop a COVID-19 Vaccine | Nature World News
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        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:42
        In an interview conducted by Technology Networks to the Scientific Research Director of British American Tobacco (BAT), David O'Reilly, PhD, it was confirmed that there was an undergoing preclinical testing for COVID-19 vaccine using tobacco plant as a "biomanufacturing factory."
        This simply means that tobacco plants were being used as a vessel where a key protein from the coronavirus is being processed so that it can be used in developing a vaccine. Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), the BAT's US bio-tech subsidiary, also known for their successful development of treatment for Ebola, is the one conducting this procedure.
        The use of tobacco plants as a processing unit for extracting key proteins were proven to be more efficient and cost-effective compared with other traditional biomanufacturing methods.
        Aside from that, KBP claims that it also produces faster results as it only takes approximately 6 weeks of production cycle compared to other methods which takes more months to complete.
        Furthermore, Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP) made sure to have used authorized technologies and machines to extract these target proteins from the fast-growing tobacco plants. To simplify the KBP's approach, they clone a portion of the genetic sequence from the coronavirus antigen and insert the said sequence to the tobacco plant, where the plant takes up its instructions.
        They then go through extraction and purification process and at the end of the cycle, it was concluded that the antigens were refined and ready to undergo preclinical testing.
        Challenges in Vaccine Development The procedure itself in developing tobacco plant-based vaccines were complex, as it normally should. Just like other vaccines, they undergo testing and approval process , as well as developing safety measures and continuing formal and informal consultations among government agencies and third-party manufacturers.
        KBP has expressed their willingness to seek help from these partners, not just from US but also from out of the country, as they are open for collaboration. These collaborations will not just help expedite the clinical process, but will also assist them with the resources, the physical space being one of them. BAT also stated that through the stakeholder's assistance, a dose of 1-3M per week can be made.
        Also read: Gardener-Scientist Doctor Harnesses the Power of the Tobacco Plant To Cure Deadly Dreaded Diseases
        Benefits of Tobacco Plants in Vaccine Development Compared to Conventional MethodsTobacco plants are said to produce way safer and faster results than conventional methods because of its elements and composition being plant-based. In addition, it does not cause harmful side effects as it cannot host disease-carrying pathogens.
        KBP also stated that the vaccine they are formulating costs less than most traditional methods. The tobacco plants can be grown in controlled room temperature and does not necessarily require refrigeration, making it easier to distribute.
        They have also confirmed the tobacco plant-based vaccine to be considered GMO. During harvest, only the antigens and Tobacco Mosaic Virus scaffold are being kept and the tobacco plant is discarded. The new antigen identified in the process develops into a final vaccine that can be evaluated through preclinical and clinical studies to determine the safety and efficacy
        Also read: Tobacco Plant 'Stickiness' Aids Helpful Insects, Plant Health
        (C) 2021 NatureWorldNews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
      British American Tobacco - Our COVID-19 candidate vaccine given approval to progress into human trials
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        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:42
        This would be a first-time-in-human study and follows approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Investigational New Drug application submitted by BAT.
        This potential vaccine, developed by our U.S Bio-tech arm, Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), has been created using innovative plant-based technology. It has been developed using a unique vaccine platform that may enable the development of vaccines that have advantages over traditional vaccines, including rapid reproduction of the antigen and potential stability at room temperature.
        Find out more about KBPOur U.S biotech subsidiary, Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), is a world leader in using plants to express, extract and purify proteins for use as vaccines and other pharmaceuticals. Watch the video on YouTube to find out more about their expertise and approach.
        Enrollment into the study is expected to begin shortly. This move to human trials is the first phase of studies that could, if successful, form part of a full-scale development programme. Subject to regulatory approval, this could include phase 1-3 clinical trials that would aim to fully assess the safety and efficacy of the candidate vaccine.
        Dr David O'Reilly, BAT's Director of Scientific Research said: ''Moving into human trials with both our COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccine candidates is a significant milestone and reflects our significant efforts to accelerate the development of our emerging biologicals portfolio.
        ''This is part of our ongoing commitment to innovation and science, which are fundamental to our business. As a company committed to building A Better Tomorrow, we are proud to play our part in the global fight against this virus and '' hopefully '' we can contribute to the solution.''
        BAT/KBP's COVID-19 candidate vaccine is not currently approved or licensed for use anywhere in the world.---Dr Hutan Ashrafian, BAT's Chief Medical Officer, explains what a Phase I clinical study is and why it will be important milestone for KBP and BAT. Watch the video below to find out more.
        ---This clinical study plans to enroll 180 healthy volunteers, divided into two age groups: 18-49 and age 50-70. They will be given either a high or low dose of the candidate vaccine, or a placebo and be assessed for up to 1 year, with the primary evaluation taken 44 days following treatment.
        The candidate vaccine's unique use of innovative fast-growing plant-based technology means rapid production of the vaccine's active ingredients in around six weeks compared to several months using conventional methods. The vaccine also has the potential to be stable at room temperature, which could be a significant advantage for healthcare systems.
        Read our press release in full here.
      The Big Money Behind the Big Lie | The New Yorker
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:13
        It was tempting to dismiss the show unfolding inside the Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, as an unintended comedy. One night in June, a few hundred people gathered for the premi¨re of ''The Deep Rig,'' a film financed by the multimillionaire founder of Overstock.com, Patrick Byrne, who is a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump. Styled as a documentary, the movie asserts that the 2020 Presidential election was stolen by supporters of Joe Biden, including by Antifa members who chatted about their sinister plot on a conference call. The evening's program featured live appearances by Byrne and a local QAnon conspiracist, BabyQ, who claimed to be receiving messages from his future self. They were joined by the film's director, who had previously made an expos(C) contending that the real perpetrators of 9/11 were space aliens.
        But the event, for all its absurdities, had a dark surprise: ''The Deep Rig'' repeatedly quotes Doug Logan, the C.E.O. of Cyber Ninjas, a Florida-based company that consults with clients on software security. In a voice-over, Logan warns, ''If we don't fix our election integrity now, we may no longer have a democracy.'' He also suggests, without evidence, that members of the ''deep state,'' such as C.I.A. agents, have intentionally spread disinformation about the election. Although it wasn't the first time that Logan had promoted what has come to be known as the Big Lie about the 2020 election'--he had tweeted unsubstantiated claims that Trump had been victimized by voter fraud'--the film offered stark confirmation of Logan's entanglement in fringe conspiracies. Nevertheless, the president of the Arizona State Senate, Karen Fann, has put Logan's company in charge of a ''forensic audit'''--an ongoing review of the state's 2020 Presidential vote. It's an unprecedented undertaking, with potentially explosive consequences for American democracy.
        Approximately 2.1 million Presidential votes were cast in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and accounts for most of the state's population. In recent years, younger voters and people of color have turned the county's electorate increasingly Democratic'--a shift that helped Biden win the traditionally conservative state, by 10,457 votes. Since the election, the county has become a focus of ire for Trump and his supporters. By March, when Logan's company was hired, the county had already undergone four election audits, all of which upheld the outcome. Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican and a former Trump ally, had certified Biden's victory. But Trump's core supporters were not assuaged.
        As soon as the Fox News Decision Desk called the state for Biden, at 11:20 p.m. on November 3rd, Trump demanded that the network ''reverse this!'' When Fox held firm, he declared, ''This is a major fraud.'' By the time of the ''Deep Rig'' premi¨re, the standoff had dragged on for more than half a year. The Cyber Ninjas audit was supposed to conclude in May, but at the company's request Fann has repeatedly extended it. On July 28th, the auditors completed a hand recount, but they are still demanding access to the computer routers used by Maricopa County and also want to scrutinize images of mail-in-ballot envelopes. The U.S. Department of Justice has warned that ''private actors who have neither experience nor expertise in handling'' ballots could face prosecution for failing to follow federal audit rules. Trump, meanwhile, has fixated on Arizona's audit, describing it as a step toward his ''reinstatement.'' On July 24th, he appeared in Phoenix for a ''Rally to Protect Our Elections,'' and said, ''I am not the one trying to undermine American democracy'--I'm the one trying to save American democracy.'' Predicting that the audit would vindicate him, he rambled angrily for nearly two hours about having been cheated, calling the election ''a scam'--the greatest crime in history.''
        In June, I stood in the bleachers at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, where the audit was taking place, and witnessed people examining carton after carton of paper ballots cast by Arizonans last fall. Some inspectors used microscopes to investigate surreal allegations: that some ballots had been filled out by machines or were Asian counterfeits with telltale bamboo fibres. Other inspectors looked for creases in mail-in ballots, to determine whether they had been legitimately sent in envelopes or'--as Trump has alleged'--dumped in bulk.
        As the audit has unfolded, various violations of professional norms have been observed, including inspectors caught with pens whose ink matched what was used on ballots. One auditor turned out to have been an unsuccessful Republican candidate during the election. As I watched the proceedings, black-vested paid supervisors monitored the process, but their role was cloaked in secrecy. The audit is almost entirely privately funded, and a county judge in Arizona recently ordered the State Senate to disclose who is paying for it. Last week, Cyber Ninjas acknowledged having received $5.7 million in private donations, most of it from nonprofit groups led by Trump allies who live outside Arizona, including Byrne.
        I was joined in the bleachers by Ken Bennett, a former Arizona secretary of state and a Republican, whom the State Senate had designated its liaison to the audit. He acknowledged that, if the auditors end up claiming to have found large discrepancies, ''that will of course be very inflammatory.'' Indeed, a recent incendiary claim by the auditors'--that the vote had tallied about seventy thousand more mail-in ballots than had been postmarked'--prompted one Republican state senator to propose a recall of Arizona's electoral votes for Biden. (In fact, the auditors misunderstood what they were counting.) Nevertheless, Bennett defended the audit process: ''It's important to prove to both sides that the election was done accurately and fairly. If we lurch from one election to another with almost half the electorate thinking the election was a fraud, it's going to rip our country apart.''
        Many experts on democratic governance, however, believe that efforts to upend long-settled election practices are what truly threaten to rip the country apart. Chad Campbell, a Democrat who was the minority leader in the Arizona House of Representatives until 2014, when he left to become a consultant in Phoenix, has been shocked by the state's anti-democratic turn. For several years, he sat next to Karen Fann when she was a member of the House, and in his view she's gone from being a traditional Republican lawmaker to being a member of ''Trump's cult of personality.'' He said, ''I don't know if she believes it or not, or which would be worse.'' Arizona, he added, is in the midst of a ''nonviolent overthrow in some ways'--it's subtle, and not in people's face because it's not happening with weapons. But it's still a complete overthrow of democracy. They're trying to disenfranchise everyone who is not older white guys.''
        Arizona is hardly the only place where attacks on the electoral process are under way: a well-funded national movement has been exploiting Trump's claims of fraud in order to promote alterations to the way that ballots are cast and counted in forty-nine states, eighteen of which have passed new voting laws in the past six months. Republican-dominated legislatures have also stripped secretaries of state and other independent election officials of their power. The chair of Arizona's Republican Party, Kelli Ward, has referred to the state's audit as a ''domino,'' and has expressed hope that it will inspire similar challenges elsewhere.
        Ralph Neas has been involved in voting-rights battles since the nineteen-eighties, when, as a Republican, he served as the executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. He has overseen a study of the Arizona audit for the nonpartisan Century Foundation, and he told me that, though the audit is a ''farce,'' it may nonetheless have ''extraordinary consequences.'' He said, ''The Maricopa County audit exposes exactly what the Big Lie is all about. If they come up with an analysis that discredits the 2020 election results in Arizona, it will be replicated in other states, furthering more chaos. That will enable new legislation. Millions of Americans could be disenfranchised, helping Donald Trump to be elected again in 2024. That's the bottom line. Maricopa County is the prism through which to view everything. It's not so much about 2020'--it's about 2022 and 2024. This is a co¶rdinated national effort to distort not just what happened in 2020 but to regain the House of Representatives and the Presidency.''
        Richard Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, and one of the country's foremost election-law experts, told me, ''I'm scared shitless.'' Referring to the array of new laws passed by Republican state legislatures since the 2020 election, he said, ''It's not just about voter suppression. What I'm really worried about is election subversion. Election officials are being put in place who will mess with the count.''
        ''You're dead.'' Cartoon by Zachary Kanin Arizona's secretary of state, Katie Hobbs, whose office has authority over the administration of elections, told me that the conspiracy-driven audit ''looks so comical you have to laugh at it sometimes.'' But Hobbs, a Democrat, who is running for governor, warned, ''It's dangerous. It's feeding the kind of misinformation that led to the January 6th insurrection.'' QAnon followers have been celebrating the audit as the beginning of a ''Great Awakening'' that will eject Biden from the White House. She noted, ''I've gotten death threats. I've had armed protestors outside my house. Every day, there is a total barrage of social media to our office. We've had to route our phones to voice mail so that no one has to listen to it. It can be really traumatizing. I feel beaten up.'' She added, ''But I'm not going to cave to their tactics'--because I think they're laying the groundwork to steal the 2024 elections.''
        Although the Arizona audit may appear to be the product of local extremists, it has been fed by sophisticated, well-funded national organizations whose boards of directors include some of the country's wealthiest and highest-profile conservatives. Dark-money organizations, sustained by undisclosed donors, have relentlessly promoted the myth that American elections are rife with fraud, and, according to leaked records of their internal deliberations, they have drafted, supported, and in some cases taken credit for state laws that make it harder to vote.
        Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island who has tracked the flow of dark money in American politics, told me that a ''flotilla of front groups'' once focussed on advancing such conservative causes as capturing the courts and opposing abortion have now ''more or less shifted to work on the voter-suppression thing.'' These groups have cast their campaigns as high-minded attempts to maintain ''election integrity,'' but Whitehouse believes that they are in fact tampering with the guardrails of democracy.
        One of the movement's leaders is the Heritage Foundation, the prominent conservative think tank in Washington, D.C. It has been working with the American Legislative Exchange Council (alec)'--a corporate-funded nonprofit that generates model laws for state legislators'--on ways to impose new voting restrictions. Among those deep in the fight is Leonard Leo, a chairman of the Federalist Society, the legal organization known for its decades-long campaign to fill the courts with conservative judges. In February, 2020, the Judicial Education Project, a group tied to Leo, quietly rebranded itself as the Honest Elections Project, which subsequently filed briefs at the Supreme Court, and in numerous states, opposing mail-in ballots and other reforms that have made it easier for people to vote.
        Another newcomer to the cause is the Election Integrity Project California. And a group called FreedomWorks, which once concentrated on opposing government regulation, is now demanding expanded government regulation of voters, with a project called the National Election Protection Initiative.
        These disparate nonprofits have one thing in common: they have all received funding from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Based in Milwaukee, the private, tax-exempt organization has become an extraordinary force in persuading mainstream Republicans to support radical challenges to election rules'--a tactic once relegated to the far right. With an endowment of some eight hundred and fifty million dollars, the foundation funds a network of groups that have been stoking fear about election fraud, in some cases for years. Public records show that, since 2012, the foundation has spent some eighteen million dollars supporting eleven conservative groups involved in election issues.
        It might seem improbable that a low-profile family foundation in Wisconsin has assumed a central role in current struggles over American democracy. But the modern conservative movement has depended on leveraging the fortunes of wealthy reactionaries. In 1903, Lynde Bradley, a high-school dropout in Milwaukee, founded what would become the Allen-Bradley company. He was soon joined by his brother Harry, and they got rich by selling electronic instruments such as rheostats. Harry, a John Birch Society founding member, started a small family foundation that initially devoted much of its giving to needy employees and to civic causes in Milwaukee. In 1985, after the brothers' death, their heirs sold the company to the defense contractor Rockwell International, for $1.65 billion, generating an enormous windfall for the foundation. The Bradley Foundation remains small in comparison with such liberal behemoths as the Ford Foundation, but it has become singularly preoccupied with wielding national political influence. It has funded conservative projects ranging from school-choice initiatives to the controversial scholarship of Charles Murray, the co-author of the 1994 book ''The Bell Curve,'' which argues that Blacks are less likely than whites to join the ''cognitive elite.'' And, at least as far back as 2012, it has funded groups challenging voting rights in the name of fighting fraud.
        Since the 2020 election, this movement has evolved into a broader and more aggressive assault on democracy. According to some surveys, a third of Americans now believe that Biden was illegitimately elected, and nearly half of Trump supporters agree that Republican legislators should overturn the results in some states that Biden won. Jonathan Rauch, of the Brookings Institution, recently told The Economist, ''We need to regard what's happening now as epistemic warfare by some Americans on other Americans.'' Pillars of the conservative establishment, faced with a changing U.S. voter population that threatens their agenda, are exploiting Trump's contempt for norms to devise ways to hold on to power. Senator Whitehouse said of the campaign, ''It's a massive covert operation run by a small group of billionaire (C)lites. These are powerful interests with practically unlimited resources who have moved on to manipulating that most precious of American gifts'--the vote.''
        An animating force behind the Bradley Foundation's war on ''election fraud'' is Cleta Mitchell, a fiercely partisan Republican election lawyer, who joined the organization's board of directors in 2012. Until recently, she was virtually unknown to most Americans. But, on January 3rd, the Washington Post exposed the contents of a private phone call, recorded the previous day, during which Trump threatened election officials in Georgia with a ''criminal offense'' unless they could ''find'' 11,780 more votes for him'--just enough to alter the results. Also on the call was Mitchell, who challenged the officials to provide records proving that dead people hadn't cast votes. The call was widely criticized as a rogue effort to overturn the election, and Foley & Lardner, the Milwaukee-based law firm where Mitchell was a partner, announced that it was ''concerned'' about her role, and then parted ways with her. Trump's call prompted the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, to begin a criminal investigation.
        In a series of e-mails and phone calls with me, Mitchell adamantly defended her work with the Trump campaign, and said that in Georgia, where she has centered her efforts, ''I don't think we can say with certainty who won.'' She told me that there were countless election ''irregularities,'' such as voters using post-office boxes as their residences, in violation of state law. ''I believe there were more illegal votes cast than the margin of victory,'' she said. ''The only remedy is a new election.'' Georgia's secretary of state rejected her claims, but Mitchell insists that the decision lacked a rigorous evaluation of the evidence. With her support, diehard conspiracy theorists are still litigating the matter in Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta. Because they keep demanding that election officials prove a negative'--that corruption didn't happen'--their requests to keep interrogating the results can be repeated almost indefinitely. Despite three independent counts of Georgia's vote, including a hand recount, all of which confirmed Biden's victory, Mitchell argues that ''Trump never got his day in court,'' adding, ''There are a lot of miscarriages of justice I've seen and experienced in my life, and this was one of them.''
        Mitchell, who is seventy, has warm friendships with people in both parties, and she often appears grandmotherly, in pastel knit suits and reading glasses. But, like Angela Lansbury in ''The Manchurian Candidate,'' to whom she bears a striking resemblance, she should not be underestimated. She began her political career in Oklahoma, as an outspoken Democrat and a champion of the Equal Rights Amendment. She was elected to the state legislature in her twenties, but then lost a bid for lieutenant governor, in 1986. She told me that she subsequently underwent a political conversion: when her stepson squandered the college tuition that she was paying, she turned against the idea of welfare in favor of personal responsibility, and began reading conservative critiques of liberalism. When I first interviewed her for this magazine, in 1996, she told me that ''overreaching government regulation is one of the great scandals of our times.''
        On behalf of Republican candidates and groups, she began to fight limits on campaign spending. She also represented numerous right-wing nonprofits, including the National Rifle Association, whose board she joined in the early two-thousands. A former N.R.A. official recently told the Guardian that Mitchell was the ''fringe of the fringe,'' and a Republican voting-rights lawyer said that ''she tells clients what they want to hear, regardless of the law or reality.''
        In our conversations, Mitchell mocked what she called the mainstream media's ''narrative'' of a ''vast right-wing conspiracy to suppress the vote of Black people,'' and insisted that the fraud problem was significant. ''I actually think your readers need to hear from people like me'--believe it or not, there are tens of millions of us,'' she wrote. ''We are not crazy. At least not to us. We are intelligent and educated people who are very concerned about the future of America. And we are among the vast majority of Americans who support election-integrity measures.'' Echoing what has become the right's standard talking point, she declared that her agenda for elections is ''to make it harder to cheat.''
        Mitchell told me that the Democrats used the pandemic as a ''great pretext'' to ''be able to cheat'': they caused ''administrative chaos'' by changing rules about early and absentee voting, and they didn't adequately police fraud. She denied that race had motivated her actions in Georgia. Yet, in an e-mail to me, she said that Democrats are ''using black voters as a prop to accomplish their political objectives.''
        Few experts have found Mitchell's evidence convincing. On November 12, 2020, the Trump Administration's own election authorities declared the Presidential vote to be ''the most secure in American history.'' It is true that in many American elections there are small numbers of questionable ballots. An Associated Press investigation found that, in 2020, a hundred and eighty-two of the 3.4 million ballots cast in Arizona were problematic. Four of the ballots have led to criminal charges. But the consensus among nonpartisan experts is that the amount of fraud, particularly in major races, is negligible. As Phil Keisling, a former secretary of state in Oregon, who pioneered universal voting by mail, has said, ''Voters don't cast fraudulent ballots for the same reason counterfeiters don't manufacture pennies'--it doesn't pay.''
        What explains, then, the hardening conviction among Republicans that the 2020 race was stolen? Michael Podhorzer, a senior adviser to the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., which invested deeply in expanding Democratic turnout in 2020, suggests that the two parties now have irreconcilable beliefs about whose votes are legitimate. ''What blue-state people don't understand about why the Big Lie works,'' he said, is that it doesn't actually require proof of fraud. ''What animates it is the belief that Biden won because votes were cast by some people in this country who others think are not 'real' Americans.'' This anti-democratic belief has been bolstered by a constellation of established institutions on the right: ''white evangelical churches, legislators, media companies, nonprofits, and even now paramilitary groups.'' Podhorzer noted, ''Trump won white America by eight points. He won non-urban areas by over twenty points. He is the democratically elected President of white America. It's almost like he represents a nation within a nation.''
        Alarmism about election fraud in America extends at least as far back as Reconstruction, when white Southerners disenfranchised newly empowered Black voters and politicians by accusing them of corruption. After the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, some white conservatives were frank about their hostility to democracy. Forty years ago, Paul Weyrich, who helped establish the Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups, admitted, ''I don't want everybody to vote. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.''
        Like many conservatives of her generation, Cleta Mitchell was galvanized by the disputed 2000 election, in which George W. Bush and Al Gore battled for weeks over the outcome in Florida. She repeatedly spoke out on behalf of Bush, who won the state by only five hundred and thirty-seven votes. A dispute over recounts ended up at the Supreme Court.
        Few people noticed at the time, but in that case, Bush v. Gore, Chief Justice William Rehnquist, along with Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, hinted at a radical reading of the Constitution that, two decades later, undergirds many of the court challenges on behalf of Trump. In a concurring opinion, the Justices argued that state legislatures have the plenary power to run elections and can even pass laws giving themselves the right to appoint electors. Today, the so-called Independent Legislature Doctrine has informed Trump and the right's attempts to use Republican-dominated state legislatures to overrule the popular will. Nathaniel Persily, an election-law expert at Stanford, told me, ''It's giving intellectual respectability to an otherwise insane, anti-democratic argument.''
        Barack Obama's election in 2008 made plain that the voting-rights wars were fuelled, in no small part, by racial animus. Bigoted conspiracists, including Trump, spent years trying to undermine the result by falsely claiming that Obama wasn't born in America. Birtherism, which attempted to undercut a landmark election in which the turnout rate among Black voters nearly matched that of whites, was a progenitor of the Big Lie. As Penda Hair, a founder of the Advancement Project, a progressive voting-rights advocacy group, told me, conservatives were looking at Obama's victory ''and saying, 'We've got to clamp things down''--they'd always tried to suppress the Black vote, but it was then that they came up with new schemes.''
        ''That's a good boy'--keep distracting Mommy so she can remember how to have conversations with humans.'' Cartoon by Millie von Platen Mitchell was at the forefront of the right's offensive. In 2010, she accused the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Democrat Harry Reid, who was running for relection in Nevada, of planning ''to steal this election if he can't win it outright.'' Her evidence was that Democrats in the state had provided ''clearly illegal'' free food at voter-turnout events'--a negligible infraction, given that Reid won by more than forty thousand votes.
        A year later, Mitchell successfully defended Trump, who had been exploring a Presidential bid, against charges that he had taken illegal campaign contributions. She had been recommended to Trump by Chris Ruddy, the founder of the conservative media company Newsmax, which was also a Mitchell client. Later, Ruddy introduced the future President to Mitchell over dinner at Mar-a-Lago. (She told me that she found Trump ''gracious,'' and noted that, since the 2020 election, she has talked with him ''pretty often.'')
        In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a key section of the Voting Rights Act, eliminating the Justice Department's power to screen proposed changes to election procedures in states with discriminatory histories, one of which was Arizona. Terry Goddard, a former Arizona attorney general and a Democrat, told me that ''the state has a history of voter suppression, especially against Native Americans.'' Before Rehnquist became a Supreme Court Justice, in 1971, he lived in Arizona, where he was accused of administering literacy tests to voters of color. In the mid-two-thousands, Goddard recalled, Republican leaders erected many barriers aimed at deterring Latino voters, some of which the courts struck down. But the 2013 Supreme Court ruling initiated a new era of election manipulation.
        Around this time, Mitchell became a director at the Bradley Foundation. Among the board members were George F. Will, the syndicated columnist, and Robert George, a Princeton political philosopher known for his defense of traditional Catholic values. By 2017, Will, who has been a critic of Trump, had stepped down from the Bradley board. But George has continued to serve as a director, even as the foundation has heavily funded groups promulgating the falsehood that election fraud is widespread in America, particularly in minority communities, and sowing doubt about the legitimacy of Biden's win. The foundation, meanwhile, has given nearly three million dollars to programs that George established at Princeton. He has written in praise of Pence's refusal to decertify Biden's election, and has lamented that so many Americans believe, ''wrongly,'' that ''the election was 'stolen.' '' But he declined to discuss with me why, then, he serves on the Bradley Foundation's board.
        The board includes Art Pope, the libertarian discount-store magnate, who serves on the board of governors at the University of North Carolina.'‹ Pope, who has also acknowledged the legitimacy of Biden's victory, declined to discuss his role at the foundation. Another board member is Paul Clement, a partner at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis, who is one of the country's most distinguished Supreme Court litigators. He could not be reached for comment.
        Mitchell argues that the right spends ''a pittance'' on election issues compared with the left. ''Have you looked at the Democracy Alliance?'' she asked me. The Alliance, whose membership is secret, distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in dark money to many left-leaning causes. But, when it comes to influencing elections, the contrast with the Bradley Foundation is clear. Whereas the Alliance's efforts have centered on increasing voter participation, the Bradley Foundation has focussed on disqualifying ostensibly illegitimate voters.
        Like most private nonprofits, the Bradley Foundation doesn't disclose much about its inner workings. But in 2016 hackers posted online some of the group's confidential documents, which showed that, once Mitchell became a director, she began urging the foundation to support nonprofit organizations policing election fraud. Mitchell has professional ties to several of the groups that received money, although she says that she has abstained from voting on grants to any of those organizations.
        One recipient of Bradley money is True the Vote, a Texas-based group that, among other things, trains people to monitor polling sites. Mitchell has served as its legal counsel, and hacked documents show that she advocated to the I.R.S. that the group deserved tax-exempt status as a charity. To earn such a designation, a group must file federal tax forms promising not to engage in electoral politics. In a letter of support, she asserted that ''fraudulent voting occurs in the United States,'' citing a 2010 case in which the F.B.I. arrested nine Floridians for election violations. But, as with many voter-fraud allegations, the details of the case were less than advertised. The accusation involved a school-board election in a rural Black community in which a campaign had collected dozens of absentee ballots, in violation of the law. The charges were eventually dismissed. The judge found ''no intent to cast a false or fraudulent ballot.'' True the Vote, which was granted tax-exempt status, has since been the subject of numerous complaints from voters, who have accused it of intimidation and racism.
        Last year, a Reuters report characterized Mitchell as one of four lawyers leading the conservative war on ''election fraud,'' and described True the Vote as one of the movement's hubs. The story linked the group and three other conservative nonprofits to at least sixty-one election lawsuits since 2012. Reuters noted that, during the same period, the four groups, along with two others devoted to election-integrity issues, have received more than three and a half million dollars from the Bradley Foundation.
        It's a surprisingly short leap from making accusations of voter fraud to calling for the nullification of a supposedly tainted election. The Public Interest Legal Foundation, a group funded by the Bradley Foundation, is leading the way. Based in Indiana, it has become a prolific source of litigation; in the past year alone, it has brought nine election-law cases in eight states. It has amassed some of the most visible lawyers obsessed with election fraud, including Mitchell, who is its chair and sits on its board.
        One of the group's directors is John Eastman, a former law professor at Chapman University, in California. On January 4, 2021, he visited the White House, where he spoke with Trump about ways to void the election. In a nod to the Independent Legislature Doctrine, Eastman and Trump tried to persuade Vice-President Mike Pence to halt the certification of the Electoral College vote, instead throwing the election to the state legislatures. Pence was not persuaded.
        Two days later, Eastman spoke at Trump's ''Save America'' rally in Washington, hours before the crowds ransacked the Capitol in an effort to stop Congress from certifying Biden's win. ''This is bigger than President Trump!'' Eastman declared. ''It is the very essence of our republican form of government, and it has to be done!'' He thundered that election officials had robbed Trump by illegally casting ballots in the name of non-voters whose records they had extracted, after the polls had closed, from a ''secret folder'' in electronic voting machines. He told the crowd that the scandal was visible in ''the data.'' There is no evidence of such malfeasance, however. Eastman, who recently retired, under pressure, from Chapman University, and was stripped of his public duties at another post that he held, at the University of Colorado Boulder, told me he still believes that the election was stolen, and thinks that the audits in Arizona and other states will help prove it. The Bradley Foundation declined to comment on him, or on Mitchell, when asked about its role in funding their activities.
        Two other Public Interest Legal Foundation lawyers'--its president, J. Christian Adams, and another board member, Hans von Spakovsky'--served in George W. Bush's Justice Department, where they began efforts to use the Voting Rights Act, which was designed to protect Black voters, to prosecute purported fraud by Black voters and election officials. Both men have argued strenuously that American elections are rife with serious fraud, and in 2017 they got a rare opportunity to make their case, when Trump appointed them to a Presidential commission on election integrity. Within months, after the commission was unable to find significant evidence of election fraud, it acrimoniously disbanded. Adams and von Spakovsky, who are members of what Roll Call has termed the Voter Fraud Brain Trust, have nevertheless continued their crusade, sustained partly by Bradley funds. Von Spakovsky now heads the Heritage Foundation's Election Law Reform Initiative, which has received grants from the Bradley Foundation.
        At Heritage, von Spakovsky has overseen a national tracking system monitoring election-fraud cases. But its data on Arizona, the putative center of the storm, is not exactly alarming: of the millions of votes cast in the state from 2016 to 2020, only nine individuals were convicted of fraud. Each instance involved someone casting a duplicate ballot in another state. There were no recorded cases of identity fraud, ballot stuffing, voting by non-citizens, or other nefarious schemes. The numbers confirm that there is some voter fraud, or at least confusion, but not remotely enough to affect election outcomes.
        Even Benjamin Ginsberg, a Republican lawyer who for years led the Party's election-law fights, recently conceded to the Times that ''a party that's increasingly old and white whose base is a diminishing share of the population is conjuring up charges of fraud to erect barriers to voting for people it fears won't support its candidates.''
        The Voter Fraud Brain Trust lent support to Trump's lies from the time he took office. In 2016, when he lost the popular vote by nearly three million ballots, he insisted that he had actually won it, spuriously blaming rampant fraud in California. Soon afterward, von Spakovsky gave Trump's false claim credence by publishing an essay at Heritage arguing that there was no way to disprove the allegation, because ''we have an election system that's based on the honor system.''
        More than a year before the 2020 election, Cleta Mitchell and her allies sensed political peril for Trump and began reviewing strategies to help keep him in office. According to a leaked video of an address that she gave in May, 2019, to the Council for National Policy, a secretive conservative society, she warned that Democrats were successfully registering what she sarcastically referred to as ''the disenfranchised.'' She continued, ''They know that if they target certain communities and they can get them registered and get them to the polls, then those groups . . . will vote ninety per cent, ninety-five per cent for Democrats.''
        One possible countermove was for conservative state legislators to rengineer the way the Electoral College has worked for more than a hundred years, in essence by invoking the Independent Legislature Doctrine. The Constitution gives states the authority to choose their Presidential electors ''in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct.'' Since the late nineteenth century, states have delegated that authority to the popular vote. But, arguably, the Constitution permits state legislatures to take this authority back. Legislators could argue that an election had been compromised by irregularities or fraud, forcing them to intervene.
        In August, 2019, e-mails show, Mitchell co-chaired a high-level working group with Shawnna Bolick, a Republican state representative from Phoenix. Among the topics slated for discussion was the Electoral College. The working group was convened by alec, the corporate-backed nonprofit that transmits conservative policy ideas and legislation to state lawmakers. The Bradley Foundation has long supported alec, and Mitchell has worked closely with it, serving as its outside counsel until recently.
        Mitchell and Bolick declined to answer questions about the working group's focus, but it appears that Bolick's participation was productive. After the election, she signed a resolution demanding that Congress block the certification of Biden's victory and award Arizona's electors to Trump. Then, early this year, Bolick introduced a bill proposing a radical reading of Article II of the Constitution, along the lines of the Independent Legislature Doctrine. It would enable a majority of the Arizona legislature to override the popular vote if it found fault with the outcome, and dictate the state's Electoral College votes itself'--anytime up until Inauguration Day. Bolick has described her bill as just ''a good, democratic check and balance,'' but her measure was considered so extreme that it died in committee, despite Republican majorities in both houses of the legislature. Yet, simply by putting forth the idea as legislation, she helped lend legitimacy to the audacious scheme that the Trump campaign desperately pursued in the final days before Biden's Inauguration: to rely on Republican-led state legislatures to overturn Electoral College votes. Ian Bassin, the executive director of Protect Democracy, who served as an associate White House counsel under Obama, told me, ''Institutions like the Heritage Foundation and alec are providing the grease to turn these attacks on democracy into law.''
        Bolick has since announced her candidacy for secretary of state in Arizona. Her husband, Clint Bolick, is an Arizona Supreme Court justice and a leader in right-wing legal circles. Clarence Thomas, one of the three U.S. Supreme Court Justices who signed on to the concurring opinion in Bush v. Gore laying out the Independent Legislature Doctrine, is the godfather of one of Clint Bolick's sons. If Shawnna Bolick wins her race, she will oversee future elections in the state. And, if the Supreme Court faces another case in which arguments about the Independent Legislature Doctrine come into play, there may now be enough conservative Justices to agree with Thomas that there are circumstances under which legislatures, not voters, could have the final word in American elections.
        Months before the 2020 vote, Lisa Nelson, the C.E.O. of alec, also anticipated contesting the election results. That February, she told a private gathering of the Council for National Policy about a high-level review that her group had undertaken of ways to challenge ''the validity'' of the Presidential returns. A video of the proceedings was obtained by the investigative group Documented, and first reported by the Washington Spectator. In her speech, Nelson noted that she was working with Mitchell and von Spakovsky.
        Although the law bars charitable organizations such as the Council for National Policy from engaging in electoral politics, Nelson unabashedly acknowledged, ''Obviously, we all want President Trump to win, and win the national vote.'' She went on, ''But it's very clear that, really, what it comes down to is the states, and the state legislators.'' One plan, she said, was to urge conservative legislators to voice doubt to their respective secretaries of state, questioning the election's outcome and asking, ''What did happen that night?''
        By August, 2020, when the Council for National Policy held another meeting, the pandemic had hurt Trump's prospects, and talk within the membership about potential Democratic election fraud had reached a frenzy. At the meeting, Adams, the Public Interest Legal Foundation's president, echoed Trump's raging about mail-in ballots, describing them as ''the No. 1 left-wing agenda.'' He urged conservatives not to be deterred by criticism: ''Be not afraid of the accusations that you're a voter suppressor, you're a racist, and so forth.''
        A younger member of the organization, Charlie Kirk'--a founder of Turning Point USA, which promotes right-wing ideas on school campuses'--injected a note of optimism. He suggested that the pandemic, by closing campuses, would likely suppress voting among college students, a left-leaning bloc. ''Please keep the campuses closed,'' he said, to cheers. ''Like, it's a great thing!''
        Five months later, Turning Point Action, a ''social welfare organization'' run by Kirk's group, was one of nearly a dozen groups behind Trump's ''March to Save America,'' on January 6th. Shortly before the rally, Kirk tweeted that the groups he leads would send ''80+ buses full of patriots to DC to fight for this president.'' His tweet was deleted after the crowds assaulted the Capitol.
        Turning Point, which has received small grants from the Bradley Foundation, is headquartered in Arizona, and it has played a significant role in the radicalization of the state, in part by amplifying fear and anger about voter fraud. Turning Point's chief operating officer, Tyler Bowyer, is a member of the Republican National Committee and a former chair of the Maricopa County Republican Party. Bowyer's friend Jake Hoffman runs an Arizona-based digital-marketing company, Rally Forge, that has been Turning Point's highest-compensated contractor. In the summer of 2020, Rally Forge helped Turning Point use social media to spread incendiary misinformation about the coming elections. In September, the Washington Post reported that Rally Forge, on behalf of Turning Point Action, had paid teen-agers to deceptively post thousands of copycat propaganda messages, much as Russia had done during the 2016 campaign. Adult leaders had instructed the teens to tweak the wording of their posts, to evade detection by technology companies. Some messages were posted under the teens' accounts, but others were sent under assumed personae. Many posts claimed that mail-in ballots would ''lead to fraud,'' and that Democrats planned to steal the Presidency.
        Turning Point Action denied that it ran a troll farm, arguing that the teen-age employees were genuine, but a study by the Internet Observatory at Stanford's Cyber Policy Center documented the scheme, along with other dubious practices by Rally Forge. In 2016, the company fabricated a politician'--complete with a doctored photograph'--to run as an Independent write-in candidate against Andy Biggs, a far-right Republican seeking an open congressional seat in Arizona. The ploy, evidently intended to siphon votes from Biggs's Democratic opponent, didn't go far, but it was hardly the company's only scam. The Guardian has shown how Rally Forge also created a phony left-wing front group, America Progress Now, which promoted Green Party candidates online in 2018, apparently to hurt Democrats in several races.
        In October, 2020, Rally Forge was banned from Facebook, and its president, Hoffman, was permanently suspended by Twitter. Undeterred, he ran as a pro-Trump Republican for the Arizona House'--and won. Remarkably, the chamber's Republican leadership then appointed him the vice-chair of the Committee on Government and Elections. Since getting elected, Hoffman has challenged the legitimacy of Biden's victory, called for election audits, and, in co¶rdination with the Heritage Foundation, used his position to propose numerous bills making it more difficult to vote.
        This past spring, at a private gathering outside Tucson, Jessica Anderson, the executive director of Heritage Action'--the politically active arm of the Heritage Foundation'--singled out Hoffman for praise. As a leaked video of her remarks revealed, she told supporters that, with the help of Hoffman and other state legislators, the nonprofit group was rewriting America's election laws. ''In some cases, we actually draft them for them, or we have a sentinel on our behalf give them the model legislation so it has that grassroots, from-the-bottom-up type of vibe,'' Anderson explained. ''We've got three bills done in Arizona!'' She continued, ''We're moving four more through the state of Arizona right now . . . simple bills, all straight from the Heritage recommendations.'' One of the bills, she noted, was ''written and carried by Jake Hoffman,'' whom she described as ''a longtime friend of the Heritage Foundation.''
        Hoffman's bills have made the Heritage Foundation's wish list a reality. Voting by mail has long been popular in Arizona, with as many as ninety per cent of voters doing so in 2020, but one of Hoffman's bills made it a felony to send a mail-in ballot to residents who hadn't requested one, unless they were on an official list of early voters. Another bill, which Hoffman supported, will, according to one estimate, push as many as two hundred thousand people off the state's list of early voters. Opponents say that this legislation will disproportionately purge Latinos, who constitute twenty-four per cent of the state's eligible voters. Another bill by Hoffman banned state election officials from accepting outside donations to help pay for any aspect of election administration, including voter registration. (One of the bill's targets was Mark Zuckerberg, whose foundation helped county election officials in Arizona handle the pandemic.) In February, at a hearing of the Committee on Government and Elections, a witness from the Washington-based Capital Research Center'--also funded by the Bradley Foundation'--testified in support of Hoffman's legislation. Athena Salman, the ranking Democrat, told me she was incensed that Hoffman'--''a guy who paid teen-agers to lie'''--was put on the election committee. ''It's the fox guarding the henhouse!'' she said.
        Anderson, of Heritage, declined to respond to questions about the group's collaborations with Hoffman, instead sending a prepared statement: ''After a year when voters' trust in our elections plummeted, restoring that trust should be the top priority of legislators and governors nationwide. That's why Heritage Action is deploying our established grassroots network for state advocacy for the first time ever. There is nothing more important than ensuring every American is confident their vote counts'--and we will do whatever it takes to get there.''
        Hoffman, who formerly served as a town-council member in Queen Creek, a deeply conservative part of Maricopa County, did not respond to requests for comment. Kristin Clark, a Democrat who mounted a write-in campaign against him after the news of his troll farm broke, called Hoffman an ''unintelligent man who wants to be a big guy.'' She told me, ''The Republicans here have changed. They were conservative, but now they've sold out. It's money that's changed it. All these giant, corporate groups that are faceless'--it's outside money.'' In her view, ''Jake Hoffman is but a cog.''
        The spark that ignited the Arizona audit was an amateur video, taken on Election Night, of an unidentified female voter outside a polling place in what Kristin Clark recognized as Hoffman's district. The voter claimed that election workers had tried to sabotage her ballot by deliberately giving her a Sharpie that the electronic scanners couldn't read. Her claim was false: the scanners could read Sharpie ink, and the ballots had been designed so that the flip side wouldn't be affected if the ink bled through. Nevertheless, the video went viral. Among the first to spread the Sharpiegate conspiracy was another one of Charlie Kirk's youth groups, Students for Trump. The next day, as Trump furiously insisted he had won an election that he ended up losing by roughly seven million votes, protesters staged angry rallies in Maricopa County, where ballots were still being counted. Adding an aura of legal credibility to the conspiracy theory, Adams, the Public Interest Legal Foundation president, immediately filed suit against Maricopa County, alleging that a Sharpie-using voter he represented had been disenfranchised. The case was soon dismissed, but not before Adams tweeted, ''just filed to have our client's right to #vote upheld. Her #Sharpie ballot was cancelled without cure.'' Arizona's attorney general, Mark Brnovich, a Republican, investigated, and his office took only a day to conclude that the Sharpie story was nonsense. But, by then, many Trump supporters no longer trusted Arizona's election results. Clark, the former Democratic challenger to Hoffman, told me that she watched in horror as ''they took B.S. and made it real!''
        A day after the election, the office of Katie Hobbs, Arizona's secretary of state, reported that, based on a routine, bipartisan hand recount of a sample of ballots, ''no discrepancies were found'' in Maricopa County. Within days, the mainstream media had called the election for Biden, based on late returns from Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. But Cleta Mitchell, who had been dispatched by Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, to help the Trump campaign in Georgia, told Fox News, ''We're already double-checking and finding dead people having voted.'' As Georgia was ratifying its results with a recount, she tweeted that the tally was ''FAKE!!!''
        Meanwhile, on the conservative Web site Townhall, Hoffman demanded ''a full audit of the vote count in swing states,'' adding that the election was ''far from over.'' He claimed that there had been ''countless violations of state election law, statistical anomalies and election irregularities in more than a half dozen states,'' and argued that state legislatures should therefore have the final say. By December, he had joined his friend Bowyer and other members of the state's Republican Party in filing suit against Arizona's governor, calling for the state to set aside Arizona's eleven electoral votes and allow the legislature to intervene.
        At the same time, another version of the Independent Legislature Doctrine argument was being mounted in Pennsylvania, by the Honest Elections Project, the group tied to Leonard Leo, of the Federalist Society. Local Republicans had challenged a state-court ruling that adjusted voting procedures during the pandemic. The Honest Elections Project filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that the Pennsylvania court had usurped the legislature's authority to oversee elections. The effort didn't succeed, but Richard Hasen, the election-law professor, regards such arguments as ''powder kegs'' that threaten American democracy. Leo didn't respond to requests for comment, but Hasen believes that Leo is trying to preserve ''minority rule'' in elections in order to advance his agenda. Hasen told me, ''Making it harder to vote helps them get more Republican victories, which helps them get more conservative judges and courts.''
        In the case of Arizona, it took only a week for a federal district court to dismiss Hoffman and Bowyer's suit, citing an absence of ''relevant or reliable evidence.'' The court admonished the plaintiffs that ''gossip and innuendo'' cannot ''be the basis for upending Arizona's 2020 General Election.'' Hoffman and the other plaintiffs appealed the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear the matter, but it waited to do so until March. In the meantime, election-fraud conspiracy theories in Arizona were growing out of control.
        On November 12th, Biden was declared the winner in Maricopa County. Soon after, a Republican member of the county's Board of Supervisors, Bill Gates, was picking up takeout food for his family when the board's chairman'--one of four Republicans on the five-person board'--called to warn him to be careful going home. Ninety angry people had gathered outside the chairman's house, and Gates's place could be next. ''We'd all been doxed,'' Gates told me. He and his wife are the legal guardians of a teen-ager whose father, a Ugandan, was nearly killed by henchmen for Idi Amin. ''It's chilling to see the parallels,'' Gates told me. ''You'd never think there were any parallels to a strongman autocracy in Africa.'' Gates considers himself a political-science nerd, but, he said, ''I had no concept that we were heading where we were heading.''
        Gates, who moved to Arizona as a teen-ager, was a latchkey kid whose idea of entertainment was watching C-Span. He is forty-nine and describes himself as a ''child of the Reagan Revolution'' who started a Republican club in high school. He attended Drake University, in Iowa, partly so that he could witness the state's Presidential caucuses. Winning a Truman Scholarship opened his way to Harvard Law School, where he joined the Federalist Society, the Harvard Law School Republican Club, and the Journal of Law and Public Policy. At Harvard, membership in all three was called the ''conservative trifecta.'' Gates can scarcely believe how the Republican Party and the conservative movement have changed in the years since.
        ''I know this is hard, but I just can't be with someone who gets so many fewer bug bites than me.'' Cartoon by Lars Kenseth Over breakfast in June, in Phoenix, he apologized for his eyes welling up with tears as he described his efforts to stand up to his own party's mob. He said that he and the other county supervisors had been ''feeling great'' about how well their administration of the election had gone despite the pandemic. But, as the final ballots were counted and Trump fell behind, Maricopa County became the focal point of conspiracy theorists. ''Alex Jones and those guys start coming out here, and they're protesting outside of our election center as the counting is going on,'' he said. He could hear people screaming, and what sounded like a drum: ''It was Lollapalooza for the alt-right'--it was crazy.'' He started getting calls and e-mails saying, ''You guys need to stop the steal.'' Gates told me, ''I'd wonder, Is this a real person?'' But some angry messages came from people he knew. They said they'd never support him again. ''People thought I was failing them,'' Gates said. ''I have been called a traitor so many times in the last six months.''
        Gates says that Karen Fann, the Arizona Senate's president, confided to him that she knew there was ''nothing to'' the fraud charges. (She didn't respond to requests for comment.) Nevertheless, she buckled under the political pressure and authorized a subpoena of the county's ballots, for the ''forensic audit.'' At one point, county supervisors were told that if they didn't comply they would face contempt charges and, potentially, could be imprisoned. For a time, the official Twitter account for the audit accused the supervisors, without evidence, of ''spoliation'' of the ballots. ''I get a little emotional when I talk about it,'' Gates said. ''My daughter called me, frantically trying to find out whether or not I was going to be thrown in jail.'' Trump supporters set up a guillotine on a grassy plaza outside Arizona's statehouse, demanding the supervisors' heads. Inside, Gates recalled, one Republican member after another rose to denounce the county supervisors.
        A representative for the national Republican Party tried to silence Gates when he spoke out to defend the integrity of Arizona's election. He told me that Hoffman's ally Tyler Bowyer, of the Republican National Committee, paid him a visit and warned, ''You need to stop it.'' According to Gates, Bowyer made it clear that ''the Republican National Committee supports this audit.'' Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for Bowyer, denied that the visit was an official attempt at intimidation, calling it instead a ''personal courtesy.''
        Gates said that after he received death threats he fled with his family to an Airbnb. At one point, the sheriff sent two deputies to guard Gates's home overnight. Trump supporters, Gates said, ''are basically asking Republican leaders to bow before the altar of the Big Lie'--'You're willing to do it? O.K., great. You're not? You're a RINO. You're a Commie. You are not a Republican.' It's been incredibly effective, really, when you think about where we've come from January 6th.''
        Part of what had drawn Gates to the Republican Party was the Reagan-era doctrine of confronting totalitarianism. He'd long had a fascination with emerging democracies, particularly the former Soviet republics. He had come up with what he admits was a ''kooky'' retirement plan'--''to go to some place like Uzbekistan and help.'' He told me, ''I'd always thought that, if I had a tragic end, it would be in some place like Tajikistan.'' He shook his head. ''If you had told me, 'You're going to be doing this in the U.S.,' I would have told you, 'You're crazy.' ''
        Some of the political pressure on election officials in Arizona was exerted directly by Trump and his associates, potentially illegally. Interfering in a federal election can be a crime. As the Arizona Republic has reported, the President and his legal adviser Rudy Giuliani phoned state and local officials, including Fann. The White House switchboard tried to connect Trump with the chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, but, even though the chairman was a Republican, he ducked the call, lest the President interfere improperly. Giuliani called Gates's cell phone when he was shopping at Walgreens on Christmas Eve. Not recognizing the number, Gates didn't answer. ''You can't make this stuff up,'' he told me. Giuliani left a voice mail saying it was a ''shame'' that two Republicans couldn't work things out'--he'd come up with a ''nice way'' to ''get this thing fixed up.''
        ''I never returned the phone call,'' Gates said. A week later, when news broke of Trump's notorious call to officials in Georgia, Gates was more relieved than ever that he hadn't called Giuliani back. A panel of judges in New York has since suspended Giuliani's law license, for threatening the public interest by making ''demonstrably false and misleading statements'' about the Presidential election.
        By New Year's Eve, when Trump tried and failed to reach the chairman of the Maricopa County board, his Administration was in extraordinary turmoil. Attorney General William Barr had resigned from the Justice Department after declaring that it had detected no significant election fraud. Even so, Trump continued to demand that the department investigate a variety of loony conspiracies, including a plot to erase Trump votes using Italian military satellites. According to a leaked e-mail, a Justice Department attorney disparaged the satellite theory as ''pure insanity.'' A man supposedly involved in the plot issued a denial to Reuters, and Italian police suggested that the allegation was baseless. But the conspiracy theory, which became known as Italygate, had bubbled up from the same pools of dark money that were funding other election misinformation. Records show that Italygate was spread by a ''social welfare organization'' called Nations in Action, whose directors included von Spakovsky. When Talking Points Memo contacted von Spakovsky, he said that he had resigned from the board on January 8th. But the money trail remains. Crooks and Liars, a progressive investigative-reporting site, dug up tax filings showing that the group's 501(c)(3) sibling, the Nations in Action Globally Lifting Up Fund, had received thousands of dollars from the Judicial Crisis Network'--a nonprofit enterprise, closely tied to Leonard Leo, that also funds Turning Point Action.
        While Justice Department officials were fending off conspiracy theories being spread by tax-exempt charities in Washington, the pressure was even more acute on local officials in Phoenix. Trump tweeted relentlessly about the audit. He ''clearly has had a fascination with this issue, because he thinks it's the key to his reinstatement,'' Gates told me. ''It's not about Arizona. We're literally pawns in this. This is a national effort to delegitimize the election system.'' Gates predicted that, if ''Arizona can question this, and show that Trump won,'' the game will move on to Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Virginia, all of which have sent Republican delegations to observe Arizona's audit. Noting that both QAnon followers and his own state's Republican Party chair had referred to ''dominoes'' in connection with the audit, Gates said, ''We know what that game is, and how it works.''
        It would be tempting for Gates, a lifetime Republican with political ambitions, to blame only Trump for his party's anti-democratic turn. But he has few such illusions. What's really going on, he believes, is a reactionary backlash against Obama: ''I've thought about it a lot. I believe the election of President Obama frightened a lot of Americans.'' Gates argues that the fear isn't entirely about race. He thinks it's also about cosmopolitanism, secularism, and other contemporary values that make white conservatives uncomfortable. But in the end, he said, ''the diversification of America is frightening to a lot of people in my party.''
        Gates believes that his party's reaction may backfire. Polls show that, although the Arizona audit is wildly popular among Republican voters in the state, it alienates independents, who constitute approximately a third of the state's electorate'--and whose support is necessary for statewide candidates to win.
        For now, though, conservative groups seem to be doubling down on their investments in election-fraud alarmism. In the next two years, Heritage Action plans to spend twenty-four million dollars mobilizing supporters and lobbyists who will promote ''election integrity,'' starting in eight battleground states, including Arizona. It is co¶rdinating its effort with the Election Transparency Initiative, a joint venture of two anti-abortion groups, the Susan B. Anthony List and the American Principles Project. The Election Transparency Initiative has set a fund-raising goal of five million dollars. Cleta Mitchell, having left her law firm, has joined FreedomWorks, the free-market group, where she plans to lead a ten-million-dollar project on voting issues. She will also head the Election Integrity Network at the Conservative Partnership Institute, another Washington-based nonprofit. As a senior legal fellow there, she told the Washington Examiner, she will ''help bring all these strings'' of conservative election-law activism together, and she added, ''I've had my finger in so many different pieces of the election-integrity pie for so long.''
        Back in Arizona, where the auditors are demanding still more time, Gates believes that the Big Lie has become a ''grift'' used to motivate Republican voters and donors to support conservative candidates and political groups. ''The sad thing is that there are probably millions of people'--hardworking, good Americans, maybe retired'--who have paid their taxes, always followed the law, and they truly believe this, because of what they've been fed by their leaders,'' he said. ''And what's so dispiriting is that the people who are pushing it from the top? They know better.'' '...
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      Israeli scientist says COVID-19 could be treated for under $1/day - The Jerusalem Post
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        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:06
        Prof. Eli Schwartz, founder of the Center for Travel Medicine and Tropical Disease at Sheba, conducted a randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial from May 15, 2020, through the end of January 2021 to evaluate the effectiveness of ivermectin in reducing viral shedding among nonhospitalized patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.
        Ivermectin has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since 1987. The drug's discoverers were awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine for its treatment of onchocerciasis, a disease caused by infection with a parasitic roundworm.
        Over the years, it has been used for other indications, including scabies and head lice. Moreover, in the last decade, several clinical studies have started to show its antiviral activity against viruses ranging from HIV and the flu to Zika and West Nile.
        cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); });
        if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("656089") != -1){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";}else if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("/israel-news/") != -1){ document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}The drug is also extremely economical. A study published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Therapeutics showed that the cost of ivermectin for other treatments in Bangladesh is around $0.60 to $1.80 for a five-day course. It costs up to $10 a day in Israel, Schwartz said.
        In Schwartz's study, some 89 eligible volunteers over the age of 18 who were diagnosed with
        coronavirus and staying in state-run COVID-19 hotels were divided into two groups: 50% received ivermectin, and 50% received a placebo, according to their weight. They were given the pills for three days in a row, an hour before a meal.
        The volunteers were tested using a standard nasopharyngeal swab PCR test with the goal of evaluating whether there was a reduction in viral load by the sixth day '' the third day after termination of the treatment. They were swabbed every two days.
        Nearly 72% of volunteers treated with ivermectin tested negative for the virus by day six. In contrast, only 50% of those who received the placebo tested negative.
        IN ADDITION, the study looked at culture viability, meaning how infectious the patients were, and found that only 13% of ivermectin patients were infectious after six days, compared with 50% of the placebo group '' almost four times as many.
        ''Our study shows first and foremost that ivermectin has antiviral activity,'' Schwartz said. ''It also shows that there is almost a 100% chance that a person will be noninfectious in four to six days, which could lead to shortening isolation time for these people. This could have a huge economic and social impact.''
        The study appeared on the
        MedRxiv health-research sharing site. It has not yet been peer reviewed.
        Schwartz said other similar studies '' though not all of them conducted to the same double-blind and placebo standards as his '' also showed a favorable impact of ivermectin treatment.
        His study did not prove ivermectin was effective as a prophylactic, meaning that it could prevent disease, he cautioned, nor did it show that it reduces the chances of hospitalization. However, other studies have shown such evidence, he added.
        For example, the study published earlier this year in the
        American Journal of Therapeutics highlighted that ''a review by the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance summarized findings from 27 studies on the effects of ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection, concluding that ivermectin 'demonstrates a strong signal of therapeutic efficacy' against COVID-19.''
        ''Another recent review found that ivermectin reduced deaths by 75%,'' the report said.
        BUT IVERMECTIN is not without controversy, and hence, despite the high levels of coronavirus worldwide, neither the FDA nor the World Health Organization have been willing to approve it for use in the fight against the virus.
        Prof. Ya'acov Nahmias, a Hebrew University of Jerusalem researcher, has questioned the safety of the drug.
        ''Ivermectin is a chemical therapeutic agent, and it has significant risks associated with it,'' he said in a previous interview. ''We should be very cautious about using this type of medication to treat a viral disease that the vast majority of the public is going to recover from even without this treatment.''
        During Schwartz's study, there was not any signal of significant side effects among ivermectin users.
        Only five patients were referred to hospitals, with four of them being in the placebo arm. One ivermectin patient went to the hospital complaining of shortness of breath on the day of recruitment. He continued with the ivermectin treatment and was sent back to the hotel a day later in good condition.
        The FDA said on its website it ''received multiple reports of patients who have required medical support and been hospitalized after self-medicating with ivermectin.''
        The ''FDA has not approved ivermectin for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans,'' it said. ''Ivermectin tablets are approved at very specific doses for some parasitic worms, and there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea. Ivermectin is not an antiviral (a drug for treating viruses). Taking large doses of this drug is dangerous and can cause serious harm.''
        The World Health Organization has also recommended against using the drug except in clinical trials.
        IN CONTRAST, Schwartz said he was very disappointed that the WHO did not support any trial to determine whether the drug could be viable.
        Last month, Oxford University announced a large trial on ivermectin effectiveness.
        Schwartz said he became interested in exploring ivermectin about a year ago, ''when everyone was looking for a new drug'' to treat COVID-19, and a lot of effort was being put into evaluating hydroxychloroquine, so he decided to join the effort.
        ''Since ivermectin was on my shelf, since we are using it for tropical diseases, and there were hints it might work, I decided to go for it,'' he said.
        Researchers in other places worldwide began looking into the drug at around the same time. But when they started to see positive results, no one wanted to publish them, Schwartz said.
        ''There is a lot of opposition,'' he said. ''We tried to publish it, and it was kicked away by three journals. No one even wanted to hear about it. You have to ask how come when the world is suffering.''
        ''This drug will not bring any big economic profits,'' and so Big Pharma doesn't want to deal with it, he said.
        SOME OF the loudest opposition to ivermectin has come from Merck Co., which manufactured the drug in the 1980s. In a public statement about ivermectin on its website in February, it said: ''Company scientists continue to carefully examine the findings of all available and emerging studies of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 for evidence of efficacy and safety. It is important to note that, to date, our analysis has identified no scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect against COVID-19 from pre-clinical studies; no meaningful evidence for clinical activity or clinical efficacy in patients with COVID-19 disease, and a concerning lack of safety data in the majority of studies.''
        But Merck has not launched any studies of its own on ivermectin.
        ''You would think Merck would be happy to hear that ivermectin might be helpful to corona patients and try to study it, but they are most loudly declaring the drug should not be used,'' Schwartz said. ''A billion people took it. They gave it to them. It's a real shame.''
        And not moving forward with ivermectin could potentially extend the time it takes for the world to be able to live alongside the virus, he said.
        ''Developing new medications can take years; therefore, identifying existing drugs that can be re-purposed against COVID-19 [and] that already have an established safety profile through decades of use could play a critical role in suppressing or even ending the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic,'' wrote the researchers in the American Journal of Therapeutics. ''Using re-purposed medications may be especially important because it could take months, possibly years, for much of the world's population to get vaccinated, particularly among low- to middle-income populations.''
      Joe Biden's Impostor Syndrome Goes Viral - Liberty Nation
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 13:41
        Please respect our republishing guidelines - Click Here Joe Biden(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
        There has been much discussion about Joe Biden's cognitive decline as well as his frequent failure to master basic syntax. Yet, there is more than simple befuddlement to be unearthed from the verbal utterances of the man who occupies the office of the presidency. His repetition of specific phrases is not merely odd; it is revealing of a troubling psychological mindset.
        Seriously, FolksMr. Biden is often heard saying the following:
        I'm not kidding here.
        This is no joke.
        This isn't hyperbole.
        Not a joke, not a joke.
        I'm not joking.
        I'm not being a wise guy now.
        Seriously, folks.
        Why would the American people think the president is always joking about things that are not funny? Further, why does Biden believe that no one is taking him seriously? This speaking style is not new; it has been going on for a while now. An article '' in The New York Times, of all places '' tapped into this bizarre verbal behavior of Mr. Biden in 2019. Katie Glueck pointed out, ''To underscore the importance of a message he is seeking to make, Mr. Biden often uses phrases such as ''not a joke,'' ''that's not hyperbole,'' ''literally'' and ''I'm serious.'' She goes on to spell out other verbal anomalies, which she calls ''verbal tics,'' that are ''collectively known as Bidenisms.'' This is unsurprisingly a generous assessment, but what if something more sinister is at work here?
        More recently, the popular podcast No Agenda hosted by Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak noted this bizarre verbal behavior. Astute observers of the politisphere, the entertaining and irreverent duo put together a medley of Biden's Impostor-speak. Dvorak introduces it here:
        https://www.libertynation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Audio-Clip-to-be-EMBEDDED-in-LKD-article-2.mp3Some experts suggest these phrases reveal a psychological pattern of ''internalized fear'' or of being ''exposed as a fraud.'' Labeled the Impostor Syndrome, the president's verbal peculiarity is not an ''official psychiatric diagnosis,'' according to Psychology Today, but rather the manifestation of an unconscious behavior driven by those who struggle with self-worth and perfectionism. Deeply seated in the subconscious of someone with Impostor Syndrome lies anxiety that ''may be indicative of specific fears such as the fear of responsibility, making a mistake, uncertainty, or an identity shift.''
        Joe Biden(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
        As well, experts note several types of Impostor Syndrome. The first is ''I'm a fraud.'' One Ph.D. summed up Type #1 this way: ''The root fear here is that you will be revealed or unmasked. You often feel as if this is the day your true self will be dug up and exposed.'' Type #2 is called ''It's just luck.'' This type of impostor feels he or she is ''not smart (or talented or qualified), I just work hard.'' And Type #3 is known as ''Oh, this old thing?'' which indicates someone not able to take a compliment or who feels driven to express false modesty.
        The leftist media has identified Biden as a kindly, gentle man of great wisdom. Often their portrayals of the president are diametrically opposed to his actions. His calls for bipartisanship and unity while using divisive terms like ''Jim Crow,'' in reference to new election laws, are but one example of this incongruous characterization. His irrational anger at those who oppose him '' from voters to friendly reporters '' is another.
        If we take Joe Biden at his word, we find the psychological footprint of someone with assorted neuroticisms. Why would his speaking style unconsciously signal that he believes himself a fraud? We'll let the reader determine that for themselves.
        ~
        Read more from Leesa K. Donner.
      Third DC Police Officer Who Responded To Capitol Riot Dies By Suicide | The Daily Caller
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        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 13:38
        A police officer who responded to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot died by suicide on Thursday, July 29, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) of Washington, D.C., confirmed Monday.
        ''Officer Gunther Hashida, assigned to the Emergency Response Team within the Special Operations Division, was found deceased in his residence on Thursday, July 29,'' MPD spokeswoman Kristen Metzger told CNN. ''We are grieving as a Department and our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Hashida's family and friends.''
        ''We are grieving as a Department as our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Hashida's family and friends,'' MPD spox Brianna Burch says.
        Hashida had been an MPD officer for 18 years, was assigned to the Emergency Response Team within the Special Operations Division.
        Story TK
        '-- Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) August 2, 2021
        Hashida joined MPD in 2003, Metzger added. He is the third MPD officer who responded to the Capitol riot to die by suicide. Officers Howard Liebengood and Jeffrey Smith died by suicide in the aftermath of the riot, then-Acting Chief of Police Robert Contee testified to Congress. Smith's death had previously gone unreported. (RELATED: House Votes To Give Capitol Police Congressional Gold Medals For Heroism During Capitol Riot)
        ''Tragically, two officers who were at the Capitol on January 6th, one each from the Capitol Police and MPD, took their own lives in the aftermath of that battle,'' Contee testified. ''We honor the service and sacrifices of Officers Brian Sicknick, Howard Liebengood, and Jeffery Smith, and offer condolences to all the grieving families.''
        Sicknick died of a stroke the day after the Capitol riot. A medical examiner ruled that his death was due to natural causes, and did not link it to the riot.
        Three U.S. Capitol Police officers and one MPD officer testified to the Jan. 6 Select Committee on July 27.
        ''What we were subjected to that day was like something from a medieval battle,'' Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell testified. ''We fought hand to hand '... I recall thinking to myself, 'this is how I'm gonna die.'''
      As eviction moratorium ends, Washington has few answers to help renters - The Washington Post
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 05:49
        Two days after blowing past the deadline, little effort appeared underway in Washington to reinstate a moratorium that had spared perhaps millions of renters from eviction. Congress continued to call on the Biden administration to act, while the White House on Monday insisted that it lacked the legal authority to do so on its own.
        The federal ban on evictions expired Saturday, nearly 11 months after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put the moratorium in place to keep people from losing their homes amid the pandemic. Many constituents still struggling in the pandemic are pressing lawmakers for a way out, unsure about how they will make the rent or back payments. Washington, however, has no solution at hand.
        The stalemate was on display Monday afternoon, as Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), the House majority whip, highlighted data that showed that less than 10 percent of the aid authorized by Congress for renters had reached families at risk of losing their homes. That included Clyburn's own state, he told reporters, where ''almost none'' of the $500 million it received had been disbursed.
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        ''The economic crisis caused by the pandemic has caused great hardship,'' Clyburn said at a news conference. He called on the Biden administration to act, even as he acknowledged the legal challenges it faces, given a recent, adverse Supreme Court ruling.
        House lawmakers adjourned for their summer recess last week without resolving the looming renter crisis, as Democrats admitted they lacked enough votes to extend renter protections into either the summer or the end of September. In the Senate, meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans on Monday remained focused on advancing a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure proposal '-- and lawmakers acknowledged they had no immediate solution at hand for the emerging crisis.
        ''We're talking about thousands being evicted. It will be devastating to them personally and to the economy,'' said Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), the Senate majority whip. He later admitted, ''It is a true challenge for us.''
        Are you a renter or landlord impacted by federal or local eviction moratoriums? Share your story with The Washington Post.
        The White House released a statement Monday appearing to pass the responsibility to state and local governments. According to Moody's data, more than 6 million renters are behind on their payments, and it is unclear of how many could face eviction notices in the coming days.
        An eviction moratorium expired Aug. 1 after Congress failed to vote on legislation extending the ban that shielded renters from being forced out of homes. (Reuters)Story continues below advertisement
        White House press secretary Jen Psaki praised Biden and Congress for the more than $46 billion that state and local governments received in emergency rental assistance.
        ''As the Administration made clear last week, there is no excuse for any State or locality not to promptly deploy the resources that Congress appropriated to meet the critical need of so many Americans,'' she said in a statement. ''This assistance provides the funding to pay landlords current and back rent so tenants can remain in their homes or apartments, not be evicted.''
      Liberal Democrats erupt in anger at Biden - The Washington Post
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        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 01:00
        That, however, did not satisfy liberal lawmakers, who were fuming that the White House had not prevented the moratorium from expiring Saturday in the first place. They called on Biden to unilaterally extend the federal protections, which they said would buy Congress time to find a longer-term solution, even if that meant inviting a legal challenge.
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        ''It's too little too late,'' said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. ''The White House did not handle this well. I think they did not think about this eviction moratorium in a serious way.''
        As for the broader tensions, Jayapal warned Biden not to take the party's liberals for granted. ''I think that, you know, every relationship needs tending,'' she said, adding, ''The president has also told me a couple months ago that he was looking forward to meeting with the Progressive Caucus, and we're still waiting for that to happen.''
        In a hastily called, expletive-laden videoconference call of the caucus's executive board Sunday that included nearly two dozen lawmakers, members railed against the White House and House Democratic leaders over the eviction strategy, according to several Democrats with knowledge of the discussion.
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        Many liberals believe that this could be their only chance for years to enact major change, because Democrats could lose control of Congress next year, a fear that helps explain some of the current passion. White House officials say they are in fact pushing through a remarkable number of liberal priorities, given that the Senate is split 50-50 and Democrats hold a narrow three-seat majority in the House.
        The raw outrage was also evident in Congress on Monday, when Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who has camped out on the Capitol steps the past several days to protest the expiration of the eviction ban, raced to the Senate side of the Capitol for an impromptu chat with Vice President Harris.
        A Democratic aide familiar with the two-minute exchange described it as amicable but said it fell short of what Bush was hoping for. Like others interviewed for this report, the aide spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private talks.
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        ''Since the president's term [started], I haven't seen this much frustration '-- anger '-- in the progressive caucus,'' Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said Monday. Like other liberal lawmakers, he said the White House has a moral imperative to protect the vulnerable at a moment when the coronavirus is resurgent. ''It makes absolutely no sense from a public health perspective,'' he said.
        White House officials said that they agree wholeheartedly that the eviction moratorium should be extended but that their hands are tied by a recent Supreme Court ruling. In June, the high court said the moratorium could continue another month, but Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, a swing vote, said the ban had to end at that point unless Congress acted to prolong it. Still, House Democrats are united in believing that Biden could sign an executive order to extend the moratorium.
        Biden desperately would like to find a way around that, aides said.
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        ''This is a president who really understands the heartbreak of eviction,'' Gene Sperling, the White House's coronavirus relief coordinator, told reporters. ''The reason why he is pressing and pressing, even when legal authority looks slim, is because he wants to make sure we have explored every potential authority.''
        Sperling also suggested that the larger problem of evictions and homelessness requires a more comprehensive solution. ''This is not an easy task,'' he said. ''We as a country have never had a national infrastructure or national policy for preventing avoidable evictions,'' he said.
        Watch: Sperling says Biden is doing what he can
        The uproar over evictions comes on top of liberal concerns about the two-part White House plan to spend trillions of dollars rebuilding roads and bridges and creating new federal benefits such as two years of free community college and an expansion of Medicare.
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        White House officials have made progress advancing a bipartisan deal on the infrastructure part of the plan, but liberals worry that their priorities took a back seat in the process '-- and that the second part of the package, expanding the social safety net, may not materialize as originally envisioned.
        Liberal Democratic aides and lawmakers complained that they were being taken for granted, a sentiment they find especially painful after many liberals got behind Biden's candidacy with the understanding that he would champion their priorities.
        ''I have communicated to the White House that they need to spend a lot more time on getting the reconciliation package through,'' Jayapal said, referring to the social programs part of the Biden agenda, which is not expected to attract any Republican votes.
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        A White House official with knowledge of the situation said Biden has in fact spent considerable time selling the social programs package, traveling the country to stress its importance, with officials planning to do more. The bipartisan bill has attracted more headlines recently because it came up first on the Senate's legislative calendar, the official said, noting that in August, Harris, first lady Jill Biden, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and other officials will fan out across the country to promote the second part of the plan.
        ''The President, his cabinet, and teams across the White House are constantly fighting for his Build Back Better agenda, which would make transformational investments in human infrastructure, on climate, and on healthcare affordability '-- as well as extend the biggest middle class tax cut in American history,'' White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement.
        The clashes broke into the open on the eve of a closely watched Democratic primary in Ohio's 11th Congressional District, which pits Nina Turner, who hails from the party's insurgent liberal movement, against an establishment-backed opponent, Shontel Brown, who is aligned with Biden. The race will offer a fresh snapshot of how Democratic voters feel about brewing disputes in the party.
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        For Biden, the cascade of developments signaled a potentially costly inflection point in his relationship with the left. It also showed how the resurgence of the coronavirus, due to the spread of the highly contagious delta variant and the refusal of millions of Americans to get vaccinated, has upended his dynamic with Capitol Hill.
        In his first six months in office, the president and his aides have worked diligently to tamp down the ideological warfare that has long plagued their party. They have often found success, winning praise from former liberal critics and regularly finding areas of common cause.
        The question now is whether that alliance is fraying. With the smallest congressional majorities in years, even a minor revolt could be enough to unravel Biden's careful strategy and ambitious plans.
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        Liberals have long grumbled that the administration has not done enough on issues such as voting rights or gun control, but relations have deteriorated in recent days as the end of the eviction moratorium appeared to catch many Democrats flat-footed.
        On Friday, Biden placed the responsibility for stopping evictions in large part on state and local governments. Later, a push by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for Congress to extend the moratorium collapsed.
        That initiative was opposed by about 20 moderate House Democrats who objected to another extension that did not provide incentives for state and local governments to disburse more of the $46 billion allotted to help landlords and tenants. Only $3 billion has been used thus far.
        With the House then setting off on its summer recess, many liberals were enraged both with the White House and House leadership. White House officials on Monday said Biden had directed aides to keep looking for legal authority for him to act and would keep pressing state and local governments to head off evictions.
        But to many Democrats, the White House position amounted to a weak excuse to punt the problem rather than act. Pelosi expressed hope that the administration would ultimately do more.
        ''The administration's statement that they will be taking action to find legal authority by the CDC or other authorities to extend the moratorium is welcome,'' Pelosi said in a statement. ''For the good of families on the verge of eviction, my Democratic House colleagues and I are hopeful that this initiative to extend the moratorium will be successful as soon as possible.''
        Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), who supported Bush by staying late into the night on the Capitol steps Sunday, said Biden's inaction on evictions could cost him needed support among liberals for his infrastructure priorities.
        ''I think the president and most of his senior advisers are moderate to conservative on a number of these issues and don't know what it's like to experience adversity,'' Jones said in an interview. ''I think you'll see a majority of members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which is very large, say that they're not going to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill unless the reconciliation package is also passed through the Senate.''
        Such a protest could force the White House to make tough decisions, such as whether to try to enact the infrastructure plan with help from Republicans if a significant number of liberal Democrats decline to support it. Pelosi has said she will not bring up the bipartisan bill until the Senate passes the partisan companion measure.
        As someone who was evicted three times in her life before coming to Congress, Bush has made it a personal mission to draw attention to the issue. Liberal colleagues have rallied around her push.
        They have also asked to speak with White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and the president on the eviction issue, though aides with knowledge of the situation expressed dissatisfaction with the response. Klain has returned every call he has received from liberal lawmakers, including several high-profile ones Monday and in recent days, according to a White House official with knowledge of the situation. The official declined to give specific names.
        On Monday, Bush decided to take matters into her own hands. She spoke with Pelosi, according to Bush spokeswoman Julia Albertson, and upon spotting the vice president's motorcade arriving in the Senate, Bush and Jones ran over to the upper chamber to try to talk with Harris.
        Harris and Bush spoke, with the congresswoman pleading that the White House do more to prevent evictions. ''I just had a conversation with @VP Kamala Harris,'' Bush later tweeted. ''I needed her to look me in my eyes and I wanted to look in hers when I asked for help to prevent our people from being evicted.''
      Julius Ruechel: The Emperor Has No Clothes: Finding the Courage to Break the Spell
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 23:57
        To all the silent good people watching our society tear itself in two, this essay is for you.
        Those in charge have long since signalled that they have no intention of returning to a liberal democracy founded on the recognition of inalienable individual rights and freedoms. If data were the ingredient required to confront them, they would have folded long ago. They are impervious to data. This isn't about a virus. This is a psychological game and it's all about power and control.
        In this Brave New World, the regime will grant temporary conditional privileges tied to virus seasonality, good behaviour, or whatever other conditions they choose to set to achieve the social engineering agenda of the day. Once they opened Pandora's Box to a society based on conditional rights, there is no limit to where their imaginations will take them.
        How do we stop this neo-feudal re-imagining of society? How do we play chicken with a regime that appears to hold all the cards? At this point it is clear that regaining our freedom depends entirely on the government losing the support of the crowd. To use the words of Hans Christian Andersen's timeless folktale from 1837, we need to shake our frightened fellow citizens out of their stupor by getting them to see that "the emperor has no clothes" but, more importantly, we need everyone who sees it to be willing to say it out loud.
        So, in this essay, I am going to dissect the psychology of dissent.
        The Emperor's New Clothes - Folktale by Hans Christian AndersenTable of Contents:
        Winning Hearts and Minds - How to Open the Mind to DoubtsA Glimpse of Two FuturesBreaking the Illusion: The Ash Conformity ExperimentsThe Counter-Chorus - The 10% RuleTick Tock - Show Yourselves While There Is Still TimeHow to Tame a Wild HorsePrinciples: Paying Freedom Forward and Why Some Wild Horses Can Never Be TamedWith the First Link, the Chain is ForgedThe Long Shadow of the Barbeque RebellionThe Price of Leaving Churches UndefendedWho Will Stand Up for Dr. Francis Christian and for Academic Independence?The Soft Underbelly of the Regime is ExposedConcluding RemarksWinning Hearts and Minds - How to Open the Mind to DoubtsData plays an important role in changing hearts and minds, but only as a secondary ingredient. We are fighting a psychological battle, not an intellectual one.
        Data will help those who start to ask questions, but first they need to ask their first question. First there needs to be a seed of doubt. Data will not plant that seed of doubt. Data does not have the power to break the spell.
        A frightened mind seeks certainty because certainty feels safe, which is why a frightened mind rejects anything that undermines the feeling of certainty. Uncertainty is scary. This desire for certainty makes people savagely hostile to conflicting data and capable of entertaining the wildest of logical fallacies. The facts simply do not matter to their feelings. People only begin to seek out data after the spell begins to break. Something else must first plant that initial seed of doubt.
        Uncertainty is uncomfortable so if it cannot be pushed aside, then and only then will the mind enlist rational thought processes to work through the dilemma in order to regain a sense of certainty. That is the psychological game we need to play. We need to create the sense of uncertainty that forces our frightened peers to enlist their rational minds. Once doubt sets in, the data will take them the rest of the way.
        Thus, the willingness to look at data is merely the second step along each individual person's journey to recognizing that the emperor has no clothes. Much of our effort in this battle for our freedom has been focused on that second step. More data. But the first step along that path requires planting the initial seed of doubt. How do you seed doubt without data?
        The simple reality is that this first step is fought with symbolism, with herd psychology, and with the courage to bear the cost of speaking out when others will not. Navigating this first step is the focus of this essay because that is where we are falling short.
        To plant a seed of doubt, to help people take that first step, it is not what you say that matters so much as being seen to say it, out loud, in public, in a way that allows you to be identified and counted, and being willing to face the music when the world can see what you really think. And saying it over and over again, relentlessly, until enough voices join in, until the counter chorus can no longer be dismissed as fringe. Doubt is created by breaking the illusion of consensus.
        This first seed of doubt happens on a deeply subconscious emotional level. There are three different ways that it can happen:
        Many only start to ask questions after getting their first COVID vaccination. As they begin to feel safe, they regain their ability to think, which gives rise to questions and doubts. It is why the regime is creating a hyperventilating drumbeat about "variants" and stoking hysteria about the unvaccinated. The regime is trying to keep the vaccinated in fear in order to prevent them from regaining their ability to see clearly and think independently.
        Doubt can also be created when someone's personal experience doesn't match the propaganda that they've been fed. The regime is fighting that part of the battle for us. When someone is injured by a vaccine, sees a loved one trapped in isolation in a nursing home, or is at risk of losing their business to lockdowns, doubt in the narrative begins to creep in. There is only so much pain that anyone can bear before their certainty in the regime begins to waiver.
        And doubt can be created simply by depriving someone of the illusion of consensus. Remember Hans Christian Andersen's folk tale. It was a child that broke the illusion because it was unafraid to say out loud that the emperor's fine gown didn't exist, that he was wearing nothing at all. Data didn't break the illusion. All it took was a pointed finger, a well-timed laugh, and the courage to speak out.
        Doubt creates conflicting emotions that can only be resolved by enlisting the rational mind. Doubt leads the mind to seek out data, not the other way around. The regime is doing everything it can to prevent the fearful from thinking. This is a psychological war.
        A Glimpse of Two FuturesThe outcome of this psychological war will determine the world that you, your children, and your grandchildren will live in. So, before I dig deeper into the psychology of how to win this war, it is worth reminding ourselves of what is at stake because it is easy to lose sight of the big picture when we are so focused on debunking government lies and fighting vaccine passports, masks, and social distancing restrictions. The courage to make a difference in this psychological war comes from understanding the long game that is being played.
        This is a war about the role of government. It is about your freedom to think, to speak, and to ask questions, and about whether your individual autonomy is downgraded to a conditional privilege or whether it remains a right. It is a war about whether you are to remain a citizen or become a subject. It is about who owns you, you or the state.
        The question at the forefront of this psychological battle, accelerated by the lens of COVID, is about whether we will remain a society based on legal equality and inalienable rights or whether, in the name of safety, equity, and political correctness, we will allow ourselves to be reduced to a society of masters and servants, as was the norm throughout much of human history, with the masters granting or withdrawing conditional privileges to pursue whatever they perceive as the greater good.
        Herdsmen and their cattle. Shepherds and their flock. Those who wear the imperial mantle of responsibility for the wellbeing of the herd versus those with the obligation to endure, muzzled and under a yoke, for the "greater good".
        Citizens have a voice in the rules they live by and a responsibility to take care of themselves. Cattle get fed, sheltered, herded, vaccinated, prodded onto cattle trucks, milked, and harvested. For some, freedom from responsibility has a certain appeal, but it is anything but liberty. Real freedom is not a license to do what you want to others or to take what you need from others. Real freedom is a restraint that prevents others from doing things to you and prevents others from taking what they need from you. And vice versa. Freedom draws a line between people that no-one has a right to cross. That is the freedom that is being lost.
        In a free and open society, freedom is the greater good. So, in a sense, what is playing out on a grand scale is a global referendum on freedom. The consequences of this referendum will be with us long after the virus fades away. In this referendum, you don't get to cast your vote at the polls. Your choice to speak out or stay silent in the face of the naked emperor is your vote. Both options come with terrible risks: the consequences of being bulldozed by the regime if you speak out versus the servile future that is waiting for you if you don't.
        There is no option to simply sit on the sidelines of this referendum. Silence is a choice. Those who choose silence are, in effect, signalling that their freedom is worth less to them than the discomfort of speaking out and facing the consequences. They are, in effect, legitimizing the regime's use of intimidation by showing that it works. Yet many will nonetheless opt for the perceived safety of the sidelines out of fear of repercussions. That fear is justified and understandable. The penalties are very real in this game. But you are either swept along by the stampede or you dig your heels in. Those are your two choices. Freedom on one side. Servitude on the other.
        Your disapproval about all that is going on around you is irrelevant unless you say it out loud and take a stand. Visibility. Saying it on social media from behind an anonymous avatar achieves nothing. Letters, petitions, and press releases made by associations do not speak to the subconscious minds of our frightened peers. They will not look at them. These avenues are all in the same realm as the data. They will be dismissed until after the spell begins to break.
        To have a psychological impact, you have to voice your dissent in person, out there in the real world where the risk of repercussions is real. Where you can make eye contact while you are doing it. At work, at home, at school, at church, at the gym, at the mall, and out on the street. You have to say it where those who disagree with you can see you saying it. You have to be the little boy who stood in front of the crowd and pointed at the emperor's lack of clothes. That is how democracy works in its rawest form when the institutions of liberal democracy cease to function.
        Words are not violence. Words are 100% peaceful, no matter how much you disagree with them or how much you are offended by them. But censorship in any form is a form of implied violence because, without your voice, you are held hostage by your censor and have no peaceful means of self-defence.
        A liberal democracy cannot function in an atmosphere of censorship. Brute force begins with censorship. Allowing yourself or others to be silenced ushers in a world where the only means of self defense is through brute force. That is what is currently being normalized under the guise of saving the world from COVID.
        When speech is silenced, whether through cancel culture mobbing, Big Tech censorship, or outright legal attacks like those currently being attempted by the Canadian government (i.e. bill C-10 and bill C-36), this raises the cost of self-defence beyond a threshold that most people are willing or even capable of bearing.
        History shows that once the norms of a liberal democracy give way to brute force politics, even if the regime does change hands, those that emerge on top are themselves rarely champions of freedom and tolerance. The only way to prevent brute force politics from becoming normalized is if the good people refuse to shut up. So, this is not just a war against bad people with bad ideas, it is equally a war to defend the only system ever invented that gives citizens autonomy over their own bodies, minds, and voices, along with the mechanism to defend that autonomy through peaceful means.
        That is why the Founding Fathers made freedom of speech the very first right when they drafted the US Bill of Rights. Peaceful resolution of conflict in a civil society depends on everyone having absolute freedom of speech. In a civil society, all other rights flow from this right. Without freedom of speech, all that remains as a tool to defend yourself is brute force. Our voices are our last defense as the institutions of liberal democracy fall away. Use your voices while you still can because, if freedom of speech is lost, we will be ushering in a world governed by brute force and the tyranny will be real no matter which side gains controls over the levers of power.
        A right comes with the responsibility to exercise that right when your or anyone else's rights are under attack. Rights derive their legitimacy only through the willingness of citizens to defend them, for themselves and for each other. If the willingness to speak your mind in public is missing, you have no rights.
        Breaking the Illusion: The Ash Conformity ExperimentsThe Ash Conformity Experiments of the 1950s showed how powerful peer pressure is. No one wants to stand up against the herd. Standing alone is psychologically painful. That is why, in Hans Christian Andersen's folktale, it was the innocent voice of a little boy and not the self-conscious adult townsfolk who broke the spell about the emperor's new clothes.
        Many people will overrule their own judgement and bite their tongue to avoid the discomfort of standing out from the herd. The effect is so powerful that it can even induce entirely false memories, which people genuinely believe, just to avoid the discomfort of holding beliefs that are out of lockstep with the herd's publicly expressed opinion. The mind is a malleable thing that will even deceive itself in order to shield itself from the discomfort of holding opinions that are out of sync with the crowd. Never underestimate the power of the herd mindset. No-one is entirely immune.
        If you have never seen the videos of the Ash Conformity Experiments, take the time to watch this brief clip before reading further. It is one of the keys to fighting the psychological battle to regain our freedoms.
        Our opponents are well aware of the power of conformity and are using it to their advantage. Do not mistake their feigned ignorance about basic medical facts as stupidity. Do not mistake the media's blockade of dissenting views as ignorance. They all know the game they are playing. Why do you think they are so careful to avoid any debate about the data?
        The desire for conformity is one of the most powerful emotions in the human species. It is our natural herd instinct - our hive mind - asserting itself. We are a social creature. Safety lies in numbers. Our herd instinct is so strong that when the dominoes line up just right, it can lead us into blind groupthink, cults, and mass hysterias in defiance of all rational logic. The rational mind is a thin crust perched precariously on a much larger, highly emotional, subconscious neurological tool kit. Conformity is the subconscious search for safety. We are wired to seek safety at the center of the herd even when that conformity is leading us straight over a cliff.
        Buffalo being chased off a cliff, painted by Alfred Jacob Miller in the late 19th century.
        The blindness of groupthink is only broken when enough voices stand up to challenge the illusion of conformity. Visible dissent deprives the herd of the comfort and security it seeks in consensus. When dissent becomes loud enough and refuses to be swatted aside, the politically correct narrative loses its monopoly, which forces herd members to stop in their tracks and weigh which way to turn to find the center of the herd. No-one can run in two directions at once. Resolving that dilemma is what forces the brain to start to think.
        Currently the regime is manufacturing an illusion of consensus to use herd instinct as a means of control. But the moment we deprive the herd of the comfort of consensus, we will be in the driver's seat. Breaking the illusion of consensus is what will give us the power to force the herd to think for itself. That is why it is so important that the silent good people speak out.
        We don't need to agree with one another to challenge the regime. We don't need to speak with one voice. To break the illusion, we simply need enough people to speak out in disagreement of the "consensus".
        The Ash Conformity Experiments taught us that even a single person standing up in a room will give others with doubts the courage to speak out. Breaking the illusion begins with a single voice. But for a phenomenon as global as the current mass hysteria, it will take more than a few voices to create a loud enough counter-chorus to break the spell.
        The Counter-Chorus - The 10% Rule The center of the herd is wishy washy; their survival strategy is to orient towards the consensus. The majority instinctively uses volume to gauge consensus opinion. They orient towards the noisiest part of the room and ape what they hear. They aren't committed to their beliefs; they merely amplify whatever they hear and believe what they amplify. That is why change always starts from the fringes; change begins with a committed minority that refuses to be cowed.
        Once an idea is adopted by 10% of the population, research shows that this is the psychological tipping point when ideas, opinions, or beliefs will be rapidly adopted by the rest of the population. A noisy 10% is all it takes. Our freedom is not as far out of reach as you may think.
        By my guestimate, we have long since crossed that 10% threshold in public opinion. We are just waiting for all those who share that opinion to come out of the shadows and start making noise, outside of the anonymity of social media, so that their frightened peers can see them. We have the necessary 10%, we just need that 10% make themselves visible in order to turn the rest of the crowd.
        Recognizing that the emperor has no clothes is not enough. People also have to be willing to say it out loud. That second point is currently our weakest link in this psychological war.
        Tick Tock - Show Yourselves While There Is Still TimeWhen an authoritarian regime seeks to consolidate its power, there is a point of no return when no amount of dissent can stand up to the entrenched might of the Colossus. The price to play this game of chicken with the government goes up by the day. There is a kind of race going on between the regime's ability to consolidate its power and those on our side to build up the courage to publicly express dissent. Visibility. That is our weapon in this psychological war. But it has a best-before date if the silent good people wait too long before speaking out.
        “If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed, if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” ~ Winston S. Churchill
        No individual voice can break the regime's illusion of consensus. Waiting for others with a higher pain tolerance to do the heavy lifting is a guaranteed path to failure. The illusion of consensus can only be broken by the sum of millions of brave citizens finding the courage to raise their voices to say what they think, one by one, all around the world, despite the risk of repercussions. The real heroes in this battle are the millions of citizens who come out from behind a veil of anonymity, at home, at work, with friends, with family and neighbors to add their voices to the counter chorus. Their words are not important. A joke, a meme, or the courage to whisper "bullshit" is all that it takes. Saying it publicly is all that matters.
        There is no knight in shining armour that can ride to our rescue. We have to do this ourselves. Together. The magic ingredient in this war is the courage to allow yourself to be counted among the counter chorus. It really is that simple.
        How to Tame a Wild HorseThe more of us that stand up, the greater the threat we represent to the regime's control and the more authoritarian the regime's repercussions will become. It will get uglier before it gets better. Finding the courage to speak out is a process of steeling yourself against the regime's efforts to chase you back into the shadows. But there is an interesting phenomenon that happens as the regime reaches to greater extremes to try to silence us.
        Remember what I said earlier, doubt is also seeded among those whose reality no longer matches the regime's rose-tinted propaganda. The uglier it gets, the more painful the weight of the Colossus becomes even for those who are still held captive by its spell. Ramping up authoritarianism too quickly risks pushing people to their "This is bullshit" limit. That is NOT what the regime wants.
        As the counter-chorus becomes more visible, the regime has no choice but to ramp up or lose the illusion of consensus it has manufactured. This traps the regime in a catch-22 in which doing nothing allows the counter-chorus to reach that 10% tipping point but doing something increases the pain so quickly that it erodes its support base. Visibility puts us in the driver's seat because it traps the regime in that untenable catch-22.
        A slow consolidation of power allows the regime to strip our freedoms slowly enough that the crowd becomes accustomed to its own subjugation. That is why they keep letting off a little pressure after a period of control. They are teaching us to accept the bridle of our serfdom.
        “The best way to take control over a people and control them utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time, to erode rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible reductions. In this way, the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed.” ― Pat Miller, Willfully Ignorant
        Theirs is a piecemeal strategy to get us to keep giving up more of our freedoms. Remember the long game China played in Hong Kong and how the trap finally snapped shut while everyone was distracted by COVID. Remember that it took from 1945 until 1961 before East Germans found themselves trapped behind an impenetrable iron curtain.
        Tyrants know how to tame wild horses. They know speed is not their friend. Slow and steady allows the wild horse to grow accustomed to its bridle. Fast and furious turns into a cruel rodeo.
        You can break a wild horse's will by strapping on a set of spurs, cinching on a saddle, slapping its face with a sack, and lashing its withers to a bloody froth with a horsewhip until it gives up the fight. But even if you win this battle of wills and don't break your neck falling out of the saddle in the process, a broken horse will still kick you in the head or bite off your face the moment you let down your guard. It remembers. It will hate you. You can break a wild horse in a hurry, but you cannot tame it in a hurry. Taming a wild horse requires finesse, a light touch, and time.
        The Bucker, 1904, by Charles Marion Russell
        The trick is to force the regime to rush the process by reaching for a saddle even before the bridle has been accepted. All hell breaks lose if the saddle is cinched on too early. Rushing the process of introducing tyranny leads to a bucking match that the regime cannot win.
        We are no longer a tiny minority. We have a mass of silent good people on our side. (The term comes directly from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's civil rights battle, which I have written more about here). The silent good people are getting fed up and increasingly willing to speak out. The more noise we make with friends, neighbors, and workmates, the more WE control the pace of the regime's growing authoritarianism. We need to push the regime to move further and faster as it feels its hold over the crowd begin to slip. We need to goad it into reaching for the saddle and horsewhip. We need to goad it into overplaying its hand.
        By simply saying what we believe and by refusing to shut up, we force the regime to become openly tyrannical against free speech. Their only option becomes to tighten their grip, to escalate, to increase their hysterical propaganda, to ramp up illogical repercussions, and to squeeze us into compliance. Those repercussions become increasingly hard to justify because silencing you requires taking away everyone's right to speak. Speech is 100% legal. Suppressing it requires our health officials, institutions, and politicians to act increasingly like the Cuban, Chinese, or Venezuelan regimes.
        The regime can only push people into a corner for so long. It can only cry "variant" for so long before the effect wears out. We are neither a tame nor a broken people, yet. A regime that seeks to control both body, voice, and mind is its own worst enemy. All we need to do is refuse to shut up (which breaks no laws) in order to force the regime into taking self-defeating measures. Its grip is slipping, and the crowd's patience is wearing thin.
        The darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn. Embrace the darkness and make it your friend in the quest to win hearts and minds. Speak louder. Make the regime reach for the saddle. Don't give it time to accustom our silent peers to the bridle. Refuse to shut up.
        When the mood of the crowd turns, it will be sudden. We can win this game, easily, but only if the silent good people already on our side step out of the shadows to join our counter-chorus. Once the crowd is ours, the rest will happen all on its own. Remember the peaceful color revolutions that brought down post-Soviet regimes in Eastern Europe. Remember that fateful moment in 1989 when Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was heckled by the crowd and the look on his face when they refused to stop. (Link to YouTube video - the moment begins at the 2:30 mark in the video)
        From the height of Ceaușescu's power to the crowd showing it had lost its fear took three minutes. In three fateful minutes the entire regime collapsed. He regained control of the crowd at the end of the heckling and managed to finish his speech, but the spell was broken. The bridle had been spat out. The regime's institutions scrambled to abandon him out of fear of siding against a crowd that had lost its fear. Four days later Ceaușescu's own military court-martialled and executed him by firing squad.
        The crowd's role was 100% peaceful. Not one citizen ever had to raise a hand against their government. They simply needed to reject the bridle. His violent end was delivered by his own institutions scrambling to undo 24 years of oppression to avoid themselves falling afoul of the fearless crowd.
        Principles: Paying Freedom Forward and Why Some Wild Horses Can Never Be TamedThe past 16 months have shown that neither police nor politicians nor courts will come to your rescue as the regime oversteps its limits. The only thing restraining the hand of this illiberal regime is its fear of sparking the outrage of the crowd.
        So far there are no political prisoners rotting in jails and no squads rounding up those guilty of wrongthink. This isn't Cuba. Yet. But the brakes of our liberal democracy are gone. There is no telling how far this will go if it is not stopped soon. What happens next largely depends on how many have the courage to speak out against this slide into tyranny. The longer you wait, the riskier it becomes.
        The problem is, from the perspective of a simple risk reward calculation, the odds are never in favor of speaking out. But our wild horses from the previous segment have one more lesson to teach us to help us overcome that problem. It is a lesson about principles.
        Five hundred years ago, the Spanish released horses onto the North American continent that survive to this day in wild herds in places like Nevada and southern Alberta. Throughout the history of the Wild West, and even extending into modern times, wild horse hunters would earn a living by rounding up these wild horses. The younger and therefore more moldable horses would be broken and sold for a working life under the bridle. They are tameable. But the older horses traditionally were either left alone or ended up as horsemeat or glue.
        Wild Horse Hunters, 1913, Charles Marion Russell
        No amount of sugar cubes, bucking sessions, or cruel horsewhipping could get these older horses to either accept the bridle or break them into submission. The loss of freedom was simply unacceptable to them, at any cost. They would never stop trying to throw their rider even if they bucked themselves to death through exhaustion in the process. Their master would never be safe from their hooves. These horses would sooner throw themselves over a cliff with their rider onboard than live as a domestic beast of burden. Live free or die.
        Their untameable nature is not driven by a suicidal instinct. Suicide is the mark of a broken beast that surrenders its will to live. This is quite the opposite. This is the unbreakable will to live in freedom and to never stop fighting for that freedom even if that fight costs it its life. At first glance, this may seem to be taking freedom to an irrational extreme. Isn't it better to live under a bridle than to end up in a glue factory? But once we take a closer look, that instinct looks anything but irrational.
        The simple reality is that, had the older horses been tameable, the wild horse herds would have long since disappeared to meet the insatiable appetite for working horses during the pre-combustion-engine era of American history. Consider that New York City alone had a population of over 100,000 horses in 1900. From working as ranch horses to pulling carriages and stagecoaches to serving as everyday transportation, there was a near infinite demand for four-legged labour in early American history. If the old wild horses had been tameable, there would be no wild horse herds to photograph on the plains today. Freedom is earned by those who are willing to pay the price.
        That untameable instinct is an important evolutionary survival lesson. By refusing to submit, by fighting the bridle at any cost, on principle, it raises the cost for any tyrant who preys on the freedoms of others.
        From the tyrant's perspective, imposing tyranny is a basic risk-reward calculation; take what your victim will bear, but never push so hard that the victim lashes out. Most victims will not put up much of a fight because the loss of each individual slice of freedom never exceeds the massive potential risk of defending such a tiny slice. Fighting back never makes sense from the perspective of a simple risk-reward calculation.
        But what about those who don't care about this risk-reward calculation? What about those who refuse to be tamed, at any cost, on principle? A victim that will not bear even the slightest infringement upon his freedom is not worth preying upon. This "live free or die" attitude changes the tyrant's own risk-reward calculus because there is no reward to be obtained from a horse that will never take a bridle, no matter the cost, and if the tyrant's predatory behaviour runs an intolerably high risk of being repaid with a hoof smashing through the front of their skull.
        That is the advantage of responding to something on principle. Principles are a philosophical safety mechanism that protect society by raising the price for tyrants who would otherwise steal our freedoms through a thousand tiny slices.
        The fact that our freedoms are currently under attack is an indication that the tyrants believe there are not enough principled men and women left who are willing to push back, on principle. So far, they are right. It's time to prove them wrong and raise the price of their tyranny. It's time for the silent good people to break their silence, at any cost, on principle.
        Britain lost its grip over America in 1776 because men and women of principle stood up despite the terrible risk to themselves. They made the cost of maintaining tyranny so unbearable that Britain was forced to retreat. Principles bought America its freedom from its distant imperial masters. They paid dearly for it, in blood, in America's deadliest war in history, based on the percentage of the population that gave its life for that freedom. Freedom is not granted. It is taken by those willing to bear the cost of defending it.
        The sentiment of this principled stand is captured in the historical flag of the American Revolution, known as the Gadsden flag. It also survives today in New Hampshire's state motto, "Live Free or Die", a memento of the attitude that bought Americans their freedom. And it endures in the pop culture slogan, "it is better to die on your feet than live on your knees."
        Notice the symbolism on the Gadsden flag. It is not an offensive stance. It is a defensive stance. A principled stance: the rattle warning tyrants not to step too close, the coiled position of a body digging its heels in (if a snake had heels) to defend its patch of green territory, and the poisonous bite ready to be delivered to anyone that tries to encroach on its space.
        The Gadsden Flag - the historical flag of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
        Principles have endured across the span of history, despite failing to meet a basic individual risk-reward calculation, because communities that are willing to defend the rights of all their citizens, on principle, even when it is hard to do so, are communities that are not easily preyed upon. "Don't tread on me" along with the willingness to do something about it are the sentiments that safeguard a society from being suffocated by tyrants.
        When we speak of owing a vast debt of gratitude to the selfless sacrifices made by our ancestors, this is what it means. They acted on principle when the logical thing to do would have been to take the bridle and accept the saddle. And now it is our turn. Standing up on principle is the way that we pay that freedom forward. Acting on principle is how we protect ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren from becoming masked and muzzled beasts of burden, serving as playthings for predatory tyrants. It is time to speak out, on principle.
        As the regime begins to close in around us, it becomes possible to get a tiny glimpse of the terrifying price that our ancestors were willing to pay to stand up on principle for the freedoms we have enjoyed up until 16 months ago. From our current perspective, it becomes possible to appreciate how much easier it would have been for previous generations to duck their heads and submit. It is our turn to be tested.
        With the First Link, the Chain is Forged."With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably... The first time any man's freedom is trodden upon, we are all damaged." ~ Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek the Next Generation, The Drumhead.
        The Drumhead was a rare departure from Hollywood's usual storytelling tradition. It told a lesson that few works of fiction are able to tell well. Most Hollywood productions portray the loss of freedom as swords flashing in the sunlight, blood flowing in the gutters, and jackboots marching in the streets. It is a fairy-tale. That is how countries are invaded by other countries, but that is rarely how freedom is lost when a government turns against its own people.
        Freedom is lost in tiny battles that send out almost imperceptibly small ripples, which rob everyone of a tiny slice of their liberties. It is the absence of noise, not the clash of swords, that marks the sound of liberty slipping away.
        All governments rule through the consent of the crowd, including tyrannies. Every step a regime takes is taken with a fearful eye to gauge the reaction of the crowd. You don't have to like what they do. You just have to comply. Saying nothing legitimizes each baby step towards full blown tyranny. Each baby step sets off a ripple that impacts everyone, even if most people don't notice it at first.
        Silence is our nod of consent for a future of voluntary servitude. Each boot on someone else's face is, by consequence, a boot on your own, even if it takes you a while to feel it.
        The Long Shadow of the Barbeque Rebellion
        Last November Adam Skelly stood up for liberty with his Barbeque Rebellion in a lonely act of defiance against the public health mandates that divided society into essential and non-essential castes. His small-business peers cheered him on but left him standing alone. He is now bearing the full cost of his choice all on his own. Had his peers joined him in defending his constitutional rights, they could have overwhelmed the government's ability to enforce these arbitrary and unconstitutional public health mandates. It would have decisively demonstrated that the government's actions did not have universal community support. It would have broken the illusion of consensus.
        By failing to join him in his act of civil disobedience, his small business peers normalized that the right to earn a living has been replaced by a privilege to earn a living, a privilege that can be withdrawn at the regime's discretion, at a moment's notice, whenever it suits the regime's agenda. Will you ever dare take out another loan, sign another business lease, or take out another mortgage if you don't know when the next time will be when that privilege will be withdrawn? The boot on Adam's face was a boot on your own.
        Everyone lost a little bit of their freedom that day because, by staying silent, the right to try to earn a living became conditional. The silent good people taught each other that day that they will not have each other's backs, on principle, and that speaking out will leave you standing alone. That's why there hasn't been another Barbeque Rebellion.
        And the silent good people also taught the regime that day that it can put its boot anywhere else it wants with minimal resistance or outcry as long as the regime generously showers the crowd with large volumes of inflation-inducing printed money. The wild pig that prefers the farmer's corn to the freedom of the forest soon find itself behind a locked gate.
        The Price of Leaving Churches Undefended
        Over the past months we have also seen Pastor Coates, Pastor Hildebrandt, Pastor Stephens, and Pastor Pawlowski all stand up in defense of their constitutional rights. Other churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues failed to open their doors in solidarity. So, the regime put its boots down. Arresting a thousand pastors would have broken the regime's capacity for enforcement. Arresting four did not. They got taken out, one by one, serving as examples to help the regime intimidate others into compliance.
        When communities failed to rally around these brave pastors, the silent good people showed that their religious peers would be left undefended. The emboldened regime learned that lesson well. And so did the arsonists who saw that neither communities nor law enforcement pose a threat to those who launch attacks against Christian groups. Now churches are burning all over Canada, the target of yet another lawless hysteria, pawns in a different but related political game. Our Prime Minister even described these arson attacks on churches as understandable.
        The price of silence is terrifying because of the unforeseen forces that it unleashes. A weakness, once exposed, will be preyed upon by anyone and everyone with a crooked agenda. A right that is left undefended by the broader citizenry brings out the hyenas. A community that does not rally together, on principle, becomes arrow fodder in someone else's war.
        Who Will Stand Up for Dr. Francis Christian and for Academic Independence?
        A similar battle is now brewing in academia and in the medical profession. And this one does not demand civil disobedience, only free speech, although the repercussions are starting to look remarkably similar. Dr. Francis Christian, a Clinical Professor of General Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan and practicing surgeon in Saskatoon, was recently fired by the College of Medicine after voicing his concerns about how our public health officials are managing the pandemic (his focus was on the safety of the COVID vaccines and his concerns about informed consent).
        Dr. Christian is not the first medical professional to be sanctioned for "wrongthink" during this pandemic, but the aggressive way in which the government stepped in to punish him marks a tipping point. Take a moment to listen to this full audio recording of Dr. Christian being informed of the sanctions against him by the College of Medicine. They even accused him of having lost his grip on reality. In this Twitter thread I previously exposed the dirty trick the College of Medicine used to insinuate that he had lost his mind. This is not how science works. These are the behaviours of a medieval Inquisition or a Soviet-style political machine that places political outcomes ahead of evidence-based debate.
        The medical and academic communities have a choice to make. Speaking out exposes them to the risk of similar sanctions. Speaking out may put their funding or even their careers on the line. The outrage of the small number of doctors who are not hidden behind a veil of anonymity is not enough to impose a cost on the regime's credibility.
        But if doctors and academics do not speak out in large numbers, their failure to confront this violation of Dr. Christian's rights will normalize that any medical or academic professional in Canada can be fired or censored if they say something or publish something that runs counter to political will. The ripples of Dr. Christian's firing extend into the furthest corners of our medical and academic institutions. From here on in, if you say something that doesn't get much attention, you're probably safe. But if you say something that ruffles feathers and gets widespread attention, you're probably not safe. The death of science lies in mediocrity. The power to reverse this rests in the hands of the silent good people.
        The actions taken by our government made it clear, "if you want to practice medicine or pursue an academic career in Canada, toe the line by self-censoring or we will destroy your reputation and come after your career." If this is allowed to go unchallenged, it will mark the end of academic freedom and professional discretion in Canada. The regime is watching, waiting to gauge the response.
        Publishing more data won't fix this. The regime doesn't care about data. And frightened members of the crowd will never look at it. In this game, more data is the equivalent of silence. More data is the nod of consent.
        The only way to confront this is for the silent good doctors, medical professionals, and academic professionals to publicly stand up and speak out, on principle, to break the illusion of consensus that has been cultivated by our public health authorities and media. The silent good doctors must speak out to signal that the censorship of Dr. Christian was wrong, that they will not be cowed by the regime's treatment of Dr. Christian, that scientific questions should be settled through debate and not through sanctions, and that they have lost faith in our public health authority's ability to function as an evidence-based policymaking institution.
        Visibility. A public challenge to the government's credibility. Simply by stepping out from behind the veil of anonymity.
        I hear rumors that up to 50% of medical professionals are not okay with the public health response. I also hear rumors that outspoken doctors who faced a deluge of ridicule and chastisement from peers in the early days of the pandemic are now rapidly seeing that criticism fade away. I have no way of gauging if those rumors are correct, but it suggests that the tide is turning in the medical community and that the numbers have long since crossed the 10% threshold needed to break the illusion. If only they were all willing to step out from behind a veil of anonymity and say it out loud.
        The Soft Underbelly of the Regime Is Exposed
        In Quebec, the healthcare system is already on the brink of collapse (see my Twitter thread) because of a mass exodus of staff quitting the system during COVID. Some hospitals have already lost over 50% of their staff.
        Anecdotal reports from other provinces show they are not far behind. There has never been a time when medical professionals have had more leverage to force a revival of scientific debate and evidence-based policymaking. And there has never been a better time speak out in defense of Dr. Christian.
        Public health officials cannot afford to alienate more doctors and nurses. They cannot afford alienating or firing a horde of outspoken disgruntled medical professionals. The soft underbelly of the regime is exposed.
        In short, as long as enough medical professionals speak out, now is the time that they have the upper hand in this game of brinksmanship. Now is the time that they can throw off both bridle and saddle and take back their professional and academic freedoms. The window of opportunity to rescue the system from itself is now. But only if enough of silent good doctors break their silence.
        Concluding RemarksI could give many more examples of what is at stake and how this game must be played, but I think my point has been made. Freedom is not granted by governments. Freedom is earned by crowds willing to defend it for themselves, for their neighbors, for their peers, and for their children. On principle.
        The doubt that is needed to open frightened minds to data can only be created by breaking the illusion of consensus. No-one can afford to wait this one out on the sidelines. What is at stake is liberal democracy itself.
        The outcome of this psychological war lies in the hands of the silent good people. Those of us who have already made our dissent public can only keep reinforcing our visibility and keep putting out more data to reach those who are already starting to have doubts, but only the silent good people can grow our counter-chorus to the necessary 10% needed to deprive the regime of the support of the crowd. If you, dear reader, are among the silent good people, the shape of our future rests in your hands.
        Speak out. Let yourself be counted. Let your peaceful dissent be seen. Dare to say that "the emperor has no clothes." Hans Christian Andersen's folk tale#Commissions Earned wasn't for children. It was a lesson about freedom, written for you and me.
        ~
        So the emperor went along in the procession, under the splendid canopy, and every one in the streets said: "How beautiful the emperor's new clothes are! What a splendid train! And how well they fit!"No one wanted to let it appear that he could see nothing, for that would prove him not fit for his post. None of the emperor's clothes had been so great a success before."But he has nothing on!" said a little child."Just listen to the innocent," said its father; and one person whispered to another what the child had said. "He has nothing on; a child says he has nothing on!""But he has nothing on," cried all the people. The emperor was startled by this, for he had a suspicion that they were right. But he thought, "I must face this out to the end and go on with the procession." So he held himself more stiffly than ever, and the chamberlains held up the train that was not there at all. — Excerpt from The Emperor's New Clothes#Commissions Earned , 1837, by Hans Christian Andersen~
        If you enjoyed this essay, please consider leaving a little something in my Tip Jar to support my independent writing.
        Julius Ruechel's Tip Jar And I invite you to subscribe to my free email notifications to receive my latest articles in your inbox. I write about many things, but always with the goal of answering questions essential to science and democracy, and always in the hope of teasing a broader perspective from the mind-numbing noise.
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        COPYRIGHT 2021 JULIUS RUECHEL
      Tesla Battery Fire Brought Under Control After Three Days Burning
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        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:48
        AFP '-- A blaze at a massive Tesla battery site in Australia that started three days ago was brought under control on Monday, firefighters said.
        Emergency services were first called to the Victoria Big Battery project '-- built by French renewable energy firm Neoen using Tesla batteries '-- on Friday morning.
        A 13-tonne lithium battery inside a shipping container had caught fire at the site near Geelong, about an hour's drive from Australia's second city Melbourne, the Country Fire Service (CFA) said.
        ''There was one battery pack on fire to start with, but it did spread to a second pack that was very close to it,'' incident controller Ian Beswicke said in a statement.
        Images released by the CFA showed a cloud of smoke rising from one of the units at the site.
        The fire service said the incident had been declared ''under control'' just after 3 pm (0500 GMT) on Monday.
        ''Firefighters have successfully completed the operation of opening all doors to the container of the battery, with no sign of fire,'' the CFA said in an update.
        Fire authorities said the cause of the blaze was unknown.
        ''A smaller number of firefighters and fire trucks from CFA will remain on scene for the next 24 hours as a precaution in case of reignition, the update added.
        ''The will continue taking thermal temperature readings two-hourly to monitor damaged units.''
        The battery site '-- one of the largest in the world '-- is designed to store energy produced by renewables and send power to the grid.
        Local residents were initially warned about the possibility of toxic smoke but the Environmental Protection Agency said monitoring had shown ''good air quality'' near homes.
        Neoen Australia managing director Louis de Sambucy said no one was injured in the incident, and with the site disconnected from the grid, there had been no impact on electricity supply.
        ''Investigation preparations are underway and physical inspections will commence once the CFA have completed their procedures,'' he said.
      'Metaverse': the next internet revolution?
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        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 14:23
        Imagine a world where you could sit on the same couch as a friend who lives thousands of miles away, or conjure up a virtual version of your workplace while at the beach.
        Welcome to the metaverse: a vision of the future that sounds fantastical, but which tech titans like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg are betting on as the next great leap in the evolution of the internet.
        The metaverse is, in fact, the stuff of science-fiction: the term was coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 novel "Snow Crash", in which people don virtual reality headsets to interact inside a game-like digital world.
        The book has long enjoyed cult status among Silicon Valley entrepreneurs -- but in recent months the metaverse has become one of the tech sector's hottest buzzwords, with companies pouring millions of dollars into its development.
        Facebook fuelled the excitement further Monday by announcing the creation of a new team to work on Zuckerberg's vision of the metaverse.
        "This is going to be a really big part of the next chapter for the technology industry," Zuckerberg told tech website The Verge last week. Over the next five years, he predicted, Facebook would transition from "primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company".
        As with many tech buzzwords, the definition of the metaverse depends on whom you ask. But broadly, it involves blending the physical world with the digital one.
        With the help of augmented reality glasses, it might allow you to see information whizz before your eyes as you walk around a city, from traffic and pollution updates to local history.
        But metaverse enthusiasts are dreaming of a future in which the idea could be extended much further, allowing us to be transported to digital settings that feel real, such as a nightclub or a mountaintop.
      Border Patrol Agents in West Texas Testing Positive for COVID-19
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        Source: American Greatness
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 14:01
        As the surge of illegal immigration across the southern border continues, more Border Patrol agents in West Texas have been testing positive for the Chinese coronavirus, as reported exclusively by Breitbart.
        Over the last weekend, three more agents tested positive for the virus in Eagle Pass, Texas. They had previously been assigned to the task of apprehending illegal aliens in the Del Rio Sector of the border, near a detention facility that is over three times its maximum capacity.
        As of Thursday, there have now been six confirmed cases of the Wuhan virus in Border Patrol agents in Texas. A member of the Texas Army National Guard also tested positive in Eagle Pass. The facility in question, according to an anonymous official, is meant to hold only about 300 illegals; it is currently occupied by over 1,000.
        The three agents who tested positive had been working at the Eagle Pass facility for less than a week before their diagnoses. There are expected to be even more infections as the illegals continue pouring in, with many bringing the disease in with them. In total, over 70 Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector have tested positive for the virus since October, with the majority of infections having taken place in the last few weeks.
        ''This is a nightmare,'' said the anonymous source. ''We have no more room for anyone else in the facility. We cannot process them fast enough and when we are done, we have no place to take them except to put them out on the street.''
        Some of the infected agents had even already been vaccinated prior to catching the virus, thus apparently proving that the vaccines truly do not work against the spread of the virus, as had previously been promised by health officials.
        In some cases, illegals who are apprehended at the border are promptly handed over by federal authorities to private charities. Last week, it was revealed that a charity called Catholic Charities of The Rio Grande Valley had been renting out entire hotels in La Joya, McAllen, and other cities exclusively for the purpose of housing COVID-positive illegals, which presented a clear health threat to the surrounding communities.
        Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) has issued several executive orders aimed at cracking down on the illegal immigration surge, including arresting illegals on state charges of trespassing, as well as giving Texas State Troopers the authority to stop and search any vehicles suspected of carrying illegals. His state actions, in response to a deliberate effort by the Biden Administration to stop enforcing immigration laws and let in as many illegals as possible, has led to Attorney General Merrick Garland threatening federal action against the state of Texas.
      Olympic Committee Looking Into Gesture American Made on Podium
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        Source: World | The Epoch Times
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 13:59
        Raven Saunders of the United States gestures on the podium after winning silver in shot put at the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo on Aug. 1, 2021. (Hannah Mckay/Reuters)
        The International Olympic Committee is reviewing a gesture a Team USA silver medalist made on the podium, which could violate rules the panel announced in April.
        Raven Saunders made an ''x'' above her head on Sunday in Tokyo while on the podium after winning the silver medal in shot put.
        Saunders told The Associated Press that she made the symbol because ''it's the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.''
        ''I really think my generation really don't care,'' Saunders added. ''Shout out to all my black people, shout out to all my LBGTQ community, shout out to everybody dealing with mental health. Because at the end of the day, we understand that it's bigger than us, and it's bigger than the powers that be.''
        The International Olympic Committee said before the Olympics that athletes who protested by making gestures on the podium would face punitive measures.
        Violations would be examined on a case-by-case basis, officials said at the time.
        Mark Adams, a spokesperson for the committee, told a press conference on Monday that ''we are looking into the matter and will now consider our next steps.''
        Athletes are free to express themselves during press conferences, on social media, and in other venues. But Adams noted that most athletes, in a survey of thousands of them, said they did not want protests during competitions or on podiums.
        The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee told news outlets that Saunders's gesture ''was respectful of her competitors and did not violate our rules related to demonstration.''
        Saunders took to Twitter to write, ''Let them try and take this medal,'' adding, ''I'm running across the border even though I can't swim.''
        She added a laughing emoji.
        Saunders, 25, of South Carolina, lost to China's Lijiao Gong. New Zealand's Valerie Adams took bronze.
        ''I'm really proud to win this competition for my country and not only for myself but also for all the people in China who supported me,'' Gong told reporters.
      Senators unveil full text of $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, totaling 2,702 pages - CBS News
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        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 13:55
        Washington '-- Senators on Sunday unveiled the legislative text of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill during a rare weekend session as lawmakers rush to begin the amendment process ahead of an expected vote on final passage by the end of the week.
        The bipartisan group of senators that negotiated the deal released the legislative language of the bill on Sunday, totaling 2,702 pages. The legislation would authorize more than half a trillion dollars in new spending to bolster the country's roads, bridges and other physical infrastructure.
        Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said Sunday on the Senate floor that the legislation would be the "most significant investment in our infrastructure since the construction of the interstate highway system."
        Click here to view related media. click to expand
        "Given how bipartisan the bill is and how much work has already been put in to get the details right, I believe the Senate can quickly process relevant amendments and pass this bill in a matter of days," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday before submitting the bill.
        Circulation of the legislative text to senators comes after the bipartisan group of Senate negotiators and the White House announced last week they reached a deal on the details of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, capping weeks of negotiations over the framework announced by President Biden in June.
        The Senate cleared two key procedural hurdles last week while the lead negotiators continued working to finish the legislative language. Schumer then kept senators in Washington, D.C., for the weekend in anticipation of the bill text being finalized, the release of which now paves the way for members to begin offering amendments.
        Trending News
        Schumer said Sunday he expects the Senate will vote for final passage on the bill "in a matter of days" after consideration of "all the relevant amendments." Senators must first vote to replace the current text with the language from the version released Sunday before moving on to the amendment process.
        The bipartisan legislation is the first part of a two-track strategy pushed by the White House and Democratic leaders to enact the key pillars of Mr. Biden's economic agenda. Once that plan clears the Senate, Schumer said he will immediately move to phase two: a broader $3.5 trillion spending proposal that encompasses the president's policies on child care, health care, education and the environment.
        That measure will move through Congress under a procedure known as budget reconciliation, which enables it to pass the Senate with a simple majority and only Democratic support.
        "Both tracks are very much needed by the American people, and we must accomplish both," Schumer said Sunday.
        The bipartisan infrastructure plan includes $550 billion in new spending on the nation's physical infrastructure and has been praised by Mr. Biden as the largest investment in roads, bridges, ports, water and rail in decades.
        The measure provides $110 billion for roads, bridges and major projects, $39 billion for public transit and $66 billion for railways. It also calls for $65 billion for broadband infrastructure deployment and $55 billion for clear water investments. The proposal would be financed through unspent COVID-19 relief funds, targeted corporate user fees and strengthened tax enforcement regarding crypto currencies, according to the White House.
        Mr. Biden was active in discussions over the infrastructure proposal, hosting Senate negotiators at the White Houses and working the phones during the weeks of talks. The plan, he said last week after the deal was reached, is evidence that elected officials in Washington are still capable of bipartisanship.
        But progressive members of the House are raising concerns about some provisions of the Senate-negotiated bill, and their opposition could hinder its passage in the lower chamber.
        On Sunday, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, told CNN's "State of the Union" some of the mechanisms for paying for the bipartisan plan are "very alarming" and said lawmakers need to review the legislative language. She also stressed that passage of the bipartisan proposal by the House hinges on the Senate's approval of the $3.5 trillion package.
        "If there is not a reconciliation bill in the House and if the Senate does not pass a reconciliation bill, we will uphold our end of the bargain and not pass the bipartisan bill until we get all of these investments in," she told CNN.
        Democrats hold a narrow majority in the House, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also vowed she will not bring the narrow measure to the floor until the Senate moves on the second $3.5 trillion spending package.
      Govt Of Tunisia Toppled After Violent COVID-19 Protests | GreatGameIndia
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        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 03:34
        Tunisia's president has sacked the PM and suspended parliament becoming the first government in the world toppled in the wake of nationwide violent mass COVID-19 protests.
        Tunisia's president dismissed the government and froze parliament amid unrest over the ''dysfunctional'' political system and crumbling healthcare. His opponents decried the move as a ''coup'' and called for street protests.
        Following an emergency meeting at his palace on Sunday night, President Kais Saied announced his decision to sack Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and suspend the parliament.
        In a televised address, he promised to consolidate power and ''save'' the country with the help of a new prime minister.
        We have taken these decisions'... until social peace returns to Tunisia and until we save the state.
        WATCH: Tunisia's President Kais Saied announced that he was freezing parliament, suspending the immunity of all MPs, dismissing Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi and taking charge of the executive power pic.twitter.com/95rRxMzOvK
        '-- Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) July 26, 2021Hundreds of people who had rallied against the government earlier in the day celebrated the drastic move in the streets, cheering, honking, and singing, as military vehicles surrounded the parliament building and state TV.
        The President of #Tunisia, Mr. Kais Saied meeting his people and walking around greeting them through Alhabib Borqaiba Street in the heart of the capital Tunis. (Video by Tunisian Television) @antonioguterres @PmTunisia @UKUN_NewYork @franceonu @USUN @Chinamission2un @RussiaUN https://t.co/5gBTV6FNqj
        '-- Talal Al-Haj (@TalalAlhaj) July 26, 2021The parliament speaker and leader of the Muslim Brotherhood-inspired 'moderate' Islamist Ennahda party, Rached Ghannouchi, defied the order but was blocked from entering the parliament.
        ðŸ‡¹ðŸ‡"#Tunisia's Army deploys troops in the capital, shuts down borders and airports. The army also surrounded the parliament headquarters as Muslim Brotherhood-inspired Ennahda movement lawmakers tried to enter the building. #Ù‚ÙŠØ"_Ø"Ø¹ÙŠØ¯ #ØªÙÙ†Ø" pic.twitter.com/epSivVowLI
        '-- Mohamed Samir (@Moh_S_Khedr) July 25, 2021Ghannouchi denounced Saied's move as ''a coup against the revolution and constitution,'' and called for street protests in a video message to supporters.
        We consider the institutions still standing, and the supporters of the Ennahda and the Tunisian people will defend the revolution.
        Ap"s protestos contra a gest£o do governo na pandemia e pela situa§£o econ´mica, o presidente da Tun­sia, Kais Saied, deu um autogolpe de Estado e anunciou a suspens£o do parlamento e a demiss£o do primeiro-ministro Hicham Mechichi. Assim ele assume o comando total do pa­s. pic.twitter.com/pA78Y52mea
        '-- Renato Souza (@reporterenato) July 25, 2021Saied, however, warned his political opponents against unleashing street violence, saying that the military won't hesitate to use guns to quell unrest if it turns deadly.
        I warn any who think of resorting to weapons'... and whoever shoots a bullet, the armed forces will respond with bullets.
        Crowds of people flooded #Tunis to celebrate the news that Tunisia's President #KaisSaied dismissed the government and froze parliament, in a move that dramatically escalated a political crisis, but that his opponents called a coup.#Tunisiahttps://t.co/JC5JfcvxI0 pic.twitter.com/KfLh4rQ7Bg
        '-- Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) July 26, 2021Under the constitution, the president is only directly responsible for military affairs and foreign relations, but last week, he put the army in charge of the Covid-19 pandemic response '' after PM Mechichi sacked the health minister, blaming him for the collapse of the healthcare system.
        Praised as the cradle of the Arab Spring, Tunisia adopted a new constitution in 2014, but still has no constitutional court to settle disputes, and consistently fails to form a stable government. President Saied and the parliament were both elected by popular vote in 2019, while Mechichi took office last year.
        Ghannouchi's Ennahda, which was banned before the 2011 uprising, has since become the dominant force in parliament, locked in constant political rivalry with the president and prime minister.
        The smell of tear gas was also noticable when we passed the main office in Montplaisir earlier tonight#Tunisia https://t.co/b0fbvZ1Uvk
        '-- Simon S. Cordall (@IgnitionUK) July 26, 2021Angered by the ''dysfunctional'' political system and collapsing economy, thousands of protesters, not openly backed by any of the major political forces, once again rallied in the capital, Tunis and other cities on Sunday.
        Clashes erupted amid the protests when people tried to storm the Ennahda party offices, forcing police to deploy tear gas. The violence was apparently the last straw for Saied, prompting him to take drastic measures.
        TUNISIA: Crowds take to streets in Tunis tonight to celebrate President decision of dismissing Gov. , firing PM & freezing parliament.Major political upheaval. Islamist Opposition calling it a ''coup'', reports on airport & borders closures: pic.twitter.com/HSdsf1tKXU
        '-- Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) July 25, 2021We need your support to carry on our independent and investigative research based journalism on the Deep State threats facing humanity. Your contribution however small helps us keep afloat. Kindly consider supporting GreatGameIndia.Support GreatGameIndia
      Air taxi service Verijet sets up base at Santa Maria Public Airport | Business | santamariatimes.com
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        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 03:00
        Local travelers now have more options for private short-haul jet trips with the arrival of charter airline Verijet at the Santa Maria Public Airport's Central Coast Jet Center.
        Verijet, founded last year and based out of Florida, is operating three aircraft on the West Coast as of July 26, all of which will come back to their home base at the Santa Maria Public Airport for maintenance and inspections between trips.
        The jets will service the general areas of southern, central and northern California, with a base rate of $3,000 per flight hour and no repositioning costs, making it one of the most economical jet services in the business, according to the Verijet website.
        Each jet can hold up to five adults and two children, and can travel within 700 miles in either direction of the Santa Maria Public Airport. However, for trips with just one passenger, the jet could travel distances as far as 1,200 miles with a full tank, according to West Coast region pilot Jim Bagnard.
        On Friday, Verijet officials and Bagnard offered a small group of Santa Maria business owners and residents a close-up view of the Cirrus Vision SF50 Jet that will be used for the flights, with similar kickoff events this week in Napa and Hawthorne.
        According to Bagnard, an experienced pilot with decades of commercial airline, aerial firefighting and Marine Corps. experience, the idea of the service is to provide economical, convenient and safe short-haul flights to a niche market of travelers looking to fly in and out of smaller airfields that don't accommodate larger jets.
        "Let's say that a client lives in Grass Valley '-- they would have to drive to Sacramento to catch a charter flight to wherever they want to go. We can get into smaller airfields where our client might live, and that gives them a lot of convenience as a result," Bagnard said.
        The aircraft boasts a safety setup including a parachute system and auto-land feature that can be activated by the passenger if the pilot were to become incapacitated, he said.
        "It's set up with all the latest technology. It's a dream to fly," Bagnard said of the jet.
        At this time, Verijet is operating only out of the Central Coast Jet Center, which offers ground support, fuel and aircraft storage to jet pilots.
        In the near future, the Santa Maria Public Airport District Board will consider a request from Verijet to house their aircraft in one of the airport's commercial hangars, according to Chris Hastert, airport general manager.
        "What they're looking for is a little more than the services the jet center has to offer, so they're looking to have a little more of a presence in Santa Maria," Hastert said.
      Opinion: No more Mister Nice Guy on vaccines - CNN
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        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 02:54
        Opinion by Richard Galant, CNN
        Updated 9:24 AM EDT, Sun August 01, 2021
        Editor's Note: (Sign up to get our new weekly column as a newsletter. We're looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets.)
        (CNN) "I used to be such a sweet, sweet thing," sang Alice Cooper. "I opened doors for little old ladies, I helped the blind to see." But now, his 1973 song promised, "No more Mister Nice Guy."
        Last week, with the best of intentions, mayors, governors and company executives shifted into "no more Mister Nice Guy" mode. They began requiring workers to get Covid-19 vaccinations. And Thursday, as the highly contagious Delta variant sent Covid case counts surging around the country, President Joe Biden ordered federal employees to get vaccinated -- or face consequences such as regular testing for the virus.
        The move from gently persuading people to compelling them was a fateful one -- but justified, experts said, because of the risk of a worsening pandemic.
        Emergency medicine physician Janice Blanchard noted that last year her Covid patients were mostly the elderly and people with underlying conditions. But now, she is mainly treating people who are young, otherwise healthy -- and unvaccinated.
        "Treating a young person who is critically ill from a preventable illness is particularly heartbreaking. Most are unvaccinated. While those who are vaccinated are still at risk, they generally have less severe disease," Blanchard wrote. "The Biden Administration's plan seems to be the only logical step for addressing the persistent challenge of vaccinating a population thus far reluctant to get immunized. Vaccinations have to be incorporated as part of normal social behavior to overcome the pervasive problem of hesitancy."
        Blanchard noted that President Jimmy Carter's administration's successfully used mandates for the measles vaccine 50 years ago. By Carter's "last year in office in 1981, 96% of all schoolchildren were vaccinated against measles -- an all-time high -- and the number of measles cases -- 2600 -- was at an all-time low," Elena Conis wrote in a 2019 research paper.
        Ben Franklin knew best"Hundreds of Americans are dying every day from a vaccine-preventable illness," wrote Alex Busko, an ER doctor. "One patient I cared for, an unvaccinated man in his late 30s, was only a few days into his illness and was already severely short of breath and requiring oxygen. Neither his clinical appearance nor his chest X-ray was particularly encouraging. I told him that there was a good chance he would get worse and that he would need to be admitted to the hospital. He asked me if I could give him the vaccine before he got worse, seemingly unaware that it does not treat the disease or cure you once you become infected."
        Busko added, "In the beginning, ending up on a ventilator was basically a death sentence. Now, if you become that sick, there's a decent chance we can save your life. The one thing we haven't figured out yet is how to convince someone to save their own."
        Requiring the vaccine makes sense, wrote Ruth Marcus in the Washington Post: "Those of us who have behaved responsibly '-- wearing masks and, since the vaccines became available, getting our shots '-- cannot be held hostage by those who can't be bothered to do the same, or who are too deluded by misinformation to understand what is so clearly in their own interest."
        The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week changed its guidance and recommended that vaccinated people wear masks indoors in regions where the disease is spreading. Dr. Jonathan Reiner urged officials to go further and reinstate indoor masking everywhere. "We should do this not to protect the vaccinated, for whom the risk remains low, but instead to protect the vulnerable, including the immunocompromised for whom vaccines are less effective as well as the children who cannot yet be vaccinated and the adults who still choose not to be vaccinated."
        Recalling Benjamin Franklin's statement at the signing of the Declaration of Independence -- "We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately" -- Reiner wrote, "The past 18 months have shown us the perils of disunity. More than any other time in the last century, we must now hang together."
        Kendra Barkoff Lamy and Doug Heye, two former congressional staffers, called for mandatory vaccination for everyone working at the US Capitol: "Capitol Hill is all but designed to be a Covid-19 spreader, with elected officials, congressional and support staff coming from diverse communities into the Capitol complex, working in close proximity and potentially either bringing the contagion in with them or taking it home."
        Peter Bergen wrote on Wednesday that the US should order members of the military to get vaccinated. "Just think about this: If the President can order military operations where troops may die, he surely can order them to take safe and effective vaccines to protect both themselves and their fellow citizens." At his Thursday press conference, Biden said he was asking the Pentagon to move toward mandating the vaccine.
        Theresa Brown, a nurse and author, observed that "personal choice must surrender to professional responsibility if someone's choice endangers patients. That is why I support a national mandate requiring the Covid vaccine for all health care workers who work with patients, including nurses, doctors, dietary workers, home health aides and others."
        Some vaccine-hesitant people say they are waiting for the FDA to give full approval to the vaccines. Don't, wrote Jonathan Sackner-Bernstein, a former FDA official: "The bottom line is that these vaccines were thoroughly evaluated prior to receiving EUA (emergency use authorization), and the further assessment being done prior to FDA approval is just icing on the cake."
        For more:
        Peggy Drexler: Can you do something about stubborn unvaccinated people? Yes, you can.
        Leana Wen: Public health saved your life today -- you just don't know it.
        David M. Perry: Lurching back to 'normal' is risky.
        Raul A. Reyes: Gregg Abbott's outrageous Covid order to scapegoat immigrants in Texas.
        Biden vindicated?It was a striking moment Wednesday when 67 senators -- including 17 Republicans -- voted to open debate on an approximately trillion-dollar infrastructure bill. Many people wrote off the chances for such a bipartisan agreement after Donald Trump's presidency had so worsened the relationship between the parties. As David Axelrod noted, many Democrats treated Biden's "consensus-seeking as a pointless and nostalgic fetish and grumpily accused the old man of wasting time looking for common ground that no longer existed in Washington.
        "Now, it seems, Biden's persistence -- and that of an intrepid group of moderate senators of both parties -- may be rewarded."
        Historian Julian Zelizer wrote that "unlike other presidents who attract voters through charisma, soaring rhetoric or the promise of bold new agendas, Biden's selling point was always that he would focus on the task of problem-solving, tackling the nation's toughest policy challenges and bringing as many people into the conversation as possible."
        Zelizer concluded, "Pulling off a major bipartisan agreement in this era, with Sen. Mitch 'Obstruction' McConnell's support would be a major and unexpected feat."
        Suni Lee's goldBefore the Tokyo Olympics began, the headlines were all about Simone Biles, Amy Bass wrote. There were endless "predictions about Simone Biles -- how many medals, how GOAT is the GOAT, how many moves could be named for a single human?" But when Biles withdrew from competition last week, "the headlines changed. They rightfully started talking about the need to prioritize the mental health of athletes and touted the resilience of the remaining members of the US women's team, who pulled together to win a silver medal for their team."
        And then US gymnast Suni Lee stepped up. "That she could fly higher than anyone on the uneven bars, we knew," Bass wrote. "That her personal story -- her dad's paralysis from an accidental fall in 2019, her Hmong heritage, her aunt and uncle who died of Covid-19, her ankle injury upon her return to the gym after pandemic lockdown -- was striking and complicated, we knew. That Suni Lee could -- and would -- win gold in the all-around in Tokyo? This we did not know, until now."
        Mia Ives-Rublee, a disability justice advocate who formerly competed internationally in wheelchair track and field and other events, saluted Biles: "This moment -- the best in the world putting her mental wellbeing first, saying openly 'It's been really stressful these Olympic Games' -- may be her most defining one, showing others the importance of self-care." She noted, "as a top-performing athlete, you are often expected to be a superhuman -- at the peak, physically and mentally. I dealt with many issues around mental health ... I spent years managing microaggressions around being mistaken for the only other Asian girl who competed nationally."
        In the Atlantic, Jemele Hill took issue with conservative critics of Biles. "Efforts to paint Biles as a mentally fragile quitter play into conservatives' frequent insinuations that Black Americans are not as patriotic as they are -- despite the long history of Black people representing, performing for, and fighting for this country without the benefit of full equality," Hill wrote. "Walking away from competition now wasn't an indication that Biles was weak. It was an indication that she was strong enough to admit that she couldn't push through the problems she was facing."
        For Jill Filipovic, the world-class women athletes brought to mind "the old line about Ginger Rogers doing everything Fred Astaire did, just backward and in high heels." Women in sport are "doing most of what the men do (and sometimes more), and doing it while being ogled, booed, scolded, sanctioned, fined and otherwise hyper-policed because of what they wear to compete."
        The women of the German gymnastics team made a choice to wear unitards covering their legs, rather than "the standard high-cut leotards," Filipovic pointed out. In handball, "the difference is stark: Men play in shorts and tank tops, women basically in bikinis. The outcry has been loud enough that the rules may change."
        'Riveting, disturbing, emotional'Tuesday's House select committee hearing brought back the horror of January 6, "the day the attackers came to kill American democracy," as Frida Ghitis wrote. Four police officers who defended lawmakers from the enraged crowd told their stories.
        "It was riveting, disturbing, emotional," noted Ghitis. "DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who suffered a heart attack and a concussion, and lost consciousness during the insurrection while being beaten and tased amid shouts of 'kill him with his own gun,' strained to maintain his composure as he noted that some members of Congress are downplaying or denying the attack. His eyes burning with emotion, he slammed the table with his hand: "It's disgraceful!"
        "It was a powerful indictment of those Republican leaders who now deny the truth of what happened, and in doing so help keep alive a threat against American democracy."
        Rep. Liz Cheney, who was ousted from her role in the GOP leadership because she blamed Trump for January 6, is now serving on the select committee. Meanwhile, her replacement in GOP leadership, Rep. Elise Stefanik asserted Tuesday that Speaker Nancy Pelosi "bears responsibility" for "the tragedy that occurred on Jan. 6."
        SE Cupp saw Stefanik's comments this way: "That's right, the Democratic Speaker, who herself was targeted that day by a violent mob, was to blame...The speaker of the house is not responsible for the security of Congress, the Capitol Police are. Stefanik knows this. She's not stupid. She is, however, disgraceful, to quote Officer Fanone. It's the only word that can describe her spectacular misuse of power and platform."
        As Michael D'Antonio recalled, on January 6, Republican Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama told the "Save America Rally" at the Ellipse, "Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass." D'Antonio added, "Faced, now, with a lawsuit alleging that he incited the violence that ensued, Brooks claimed he never advocated for violence."
        But "thanks to Brooks' own revelation, made to Slate writer Jim Newell this week, that he wore body armor that day, we know that like so many others Trumpists, he was ready for a rumble.
        Brooks told Newell that he had been warned of "risks" and as a result, slept in his office instead of returning to his condo and wore body armor when he spoke at the Ellipse.
        With his incendiary words, "Rep. Mo Brooks may as well have been Trump himself," wrote D'Antonio. "In their violence and bigotry, the rioters at the Capitol showed the officers that they had absorbed Trump's message so well they too expressed the essence of Trump."
        Leaving allies behindSohail Pardis served as an interpreter for US forces in Afghanistan for 16 months, months shy of the two-year minimum needed to qualify for a special immigrant visa program the US offers to Afghan applicants.
        As Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, chief executive of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, wrote, Pardis "was on his way to pick up his sister in Afghanistan's Khost province for the upcoming Eid celebrations marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned into a horrific nightmare as he reached a Taliban-controlled checkpoint along his route to Kabul. As CNN reported Friday, villagers witnessed Taliban militants drag Pardis out of the vehicle and behead him."
        "Pardis' ruthless killing underscores the need for urgent and bold action to protect allies who President Joe Biden swore would be given a home in the US if they wanted one. Months of advocacy from refugee advocates, veterans, human rights organizations and legislators have moved the administration toward an evacuation, albeit with less urgency and decisiveness than the situation has warranted."
        For more:
        Matt Zeller: The Biden administration has a life-or-death decision to make about Afghanistan
        Don't missSultana Sidibrahim Khaya: I've been raped, beaten and held under house arrest for fighting for my Sahrawi people.
        Peniel E. Joseph: Remembering the most important civil rights hero most Americans have never heard of.
        Randi Weingarten: You can't keep us from teaching students honest history.
        Anne Lagamayo: A brain injury turned my life upside down, and I'm still finding my way forward.
        Dean Obeidallah: In America, you must be able to curse the president.
        Victor Shi: Where the fight to build a better democracy starts.
        AND...
        An 'Evening with Whitney'Whitney Houston died more than nine years ago. But this October, a Las Vegas casino will start featuring a Whitney Houston concert -- starring a hologram of the legendary singer, along with a live band, singers and dancers. The "Evening with Whitney" has the approval of her estate, but it's still a betrayal, wrote Holly Thomas.
        "Holograms, because they are designed to bring a visual image to life, feel like appropriating someone's legacy, creating a false echo of their essence and manipulating the new, streamlined version for profit," Thomas wrote. She also criticized plans, which are currently on hold, for an Amy Winehouse hologram tour and the use of artificial intelligence to "create a model of Anthony Bourdain's voice for 45 seconds of narration in the documentary 'Roadrunner' (produced by CNN Films) about his life and 2018 death by suicide. Many fans were disgusted by the use of AI to turn lines from Bourdain's writing into soundbites in his voice. 'In the end I understood this technique was boundary-pushing,' director Morgan Neville said. 'But isn't that Bourdain?'"
        Thomas observed, "No one is confused as to whether the holograms of Whitney Houston or Amy Winehouse are flesh and bone. But it is their faces and bodies being made a vehicle for their voices that are being manipulated. There is no possibility now for them to refuse this 'performance.' They didn't consent to the version of themselves that would be touted by their estates after they died, and there's no way of knowing what they'd have thought of it."
        Houston's biggest single, according to Billboard, was "I Will Always Love You." Her fans will always love her, but is a hologram the way they want to remember Whitney Houston?
      Biden ramps up pressure on Iran as it grapples with protests | TheHill
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        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 02:53
        The Biden administration wants to ramp up pressure on Iran amid stalled talks to rejoin the nuclear deal, but internal calculations in Tehran are difficult to predict as the nation faces rising unrest at home.
        The options on the table for the U.S., which are said to include tighter restrictions on Iran's oil exports as well as new sanctions on its missile and drone programs, are likely to further strain tensions amid the months-long efforts to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the formal name for the Obama-era nuclear deal that the U.S. exited in 2018 under then-President Trump.
        The U.S. has warned that negotiations cannot continue indefinitely and called out Iran for failing to agree to a seventh round of indirect talks in Vienna, more than one month after the last round concluded.
        Meanwhile, growing protests in Iran over water and electricity shortages are drawing scrutiny from the international community. At least nine people, including a teenager, have been killed during the protests, according to Human Rights Watch. Nearly 200 arrests have taken place.
        Naysan Rafati, senior Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Iranian leaders are likely engaged in a significant debate over whether to rejoin the JCPOA for immediate sanctions relief because of domestic turmoil, or continue nuclear provocations to attempt to exact concessions from the West.
        Iran has in recent months ramped up its nuclear activity far beyond the constraints of the deal, increasing its stockpile of nuclear material and infrastructure key to building a bomb. Even if Iran disposed of excess materials that can be used to build a bomb, it has gained key operational knowledge that is irreversible.
        "If you're sitting in Tehran you have a choice at this moment ... do you look at the circumstances right now and look at the negotiations in Vienna, and say, 'we've made progress on these talks, the imperative of sanctions relief is very much there, and let's get these negotiations over and done with?' " he asked.
        "The risk is also that Iranians will look at increasing brinkmanship right now ... that they still have room for their own form of leverage, which is further nuclear escalation, and that they can continue to spin up more nuclear provocations but there is only so much more the U.S. can do on the sanctions front," he added.
        Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in an interview with Sky News Arabia Thursday in Kuwait, put the blame squarely on Tehran for failing to come back to the table, saying the U.S. is monitoring the protests.
        "We believe that it's in our interest and Iran's interest to come back into compliance with the nuclear agreement, the JCPOA. But that really depends on Iran making the decision to do so. It's not yet made that decision," he said.
        "Meanwhile, of course, we've seen protests in Iran that started outside of Tehran; they've now come to Tehran," Blinken added, describing them as "people's deep frustration with the failure of the government to meet their basic needs."
        "And, of course, we stand with the people of Iran in the desire to have their voices heard, and we urge - strongly urge the government not to use violence and repression to silence those voices," he said.
        The protests began July 15 in Iran's southwest Khuzestan province, with demonstrators taking to the streets blaming government mismanagement for water shortages. The demonstrations have evolved into mass frustration across the country and against Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
        Videos of the protesters posted on social media include chants of "Death to the dictator," "Shame on Khamenei, let go of the country" and slogans criticizing Iran's support of proxy fighting forces across the region, according to reports by the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
        It's unclear if the protests are having an effect on calculations by the Iranian regime on potentially returning to the negotiations with the U.S. and other JCPOA participants, including France, Germany, the U.K., Russia, China and the European Union.
        Dennis Ross, who served as special assistant to former President Obama and is a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wrote on Twitter that he expects the protests will pressure the Iranian regime to return to the JCPOA later this year.
        "Protestors chanting 'I am thirsty' is a basic sign of failure. Sanctions relief is an increasing need; expect Iran to return to the JCPOA by Fall," he tweeted.
        The Biden administration has said it is prepared to lift sanctions that are inconsistent with the original terms of the nuclear deal, likely to give a key influx of cash to leaders in Tehran under pressure from the public.
        But it has also called for Iran to commit to follow-up negotiations to address its ballistic weapons program and support for proxy-fighting forces across Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and in the Gaza Strip.
        Washington appears to be preparing a parallel pressure campaign, with a senior official telling The Wall Street Journal that the administration is considering sanctions that impact Iran's ability to build drones and precision-guided missiles.
        This comes on top of the administration weighing sanctions targeting Chinese imports of Iranian crude oil, also reported by the Journal.
        Robert Einhorn, a senior fellow in the Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Initiative with the Brookings Institution, said that it's likely the U.S. and Iran resume negotiations after the inauguration of President-elect Ibrahim Raisi, set for Aug. 5, but that they face significant differences.
        "There will be a resumption of talks but it's not at all clear that negotiations will go smoothly," he said. "Raisi has made very clear, and most Iranians have made very clear, that even if the JCPOA is restored, they have no interest in follow-on negotiations."
        Khamenei, in reported remarks Wednesday, ramped up criticism against the "West," calling them the "enemies" and condemning the U.S. demand for follow-up negotiations as a pretext to walk away from the JCPOA.
        "By putting this sentence, they want to provide an excuse for their further interventions on the principle of [the deal] and missile program and regional issues," Khamenei said, according to The Associated Press. "If Iran refuses to discuss them, they will say that you have violated the agreement and the agreement is over."
        Updated 7:55 p.m.
      Corona shooting: At least 10 people injured in a mass shooting in New York City - CNN
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        Archived Version
        Sun, 01 Aug 2021 22:37
        (CNN) At least 10 people were injured in a mass shooting in New York City late Saturday evening.
        The individuals, whose ages range from 19 to 72, are being treated in local hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries, the New York City Police Department said.
        Around 10:38 p.m. Saturday, police responded to numerous 911 calls about a shooting, Assistant Chief Galen Frierson, of the NYPD's Patrol Borough Queens North said at a news conference Sunday morning.
        "A preliminary report shows two males approached eastbound on the sidewalk on the north side of 37th Avenue from 97th Street while brandishing firearms," Frierson said. "The shooters advanced toward the crowd, firing numerous shots before jumping back on two scooters driven by two other males and fleeing the scene."
        Police are now searching for the four individuals they suspect are behind the shooting. They are described as males who were wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts.
        CNN defines a mass shooting as a shooting that injured or killed four or more people, excluding the shooter.
        "There's just one common theme I want to get out there that's a recurring theme that keeps happening, and it has to stop throughout the city," James Essig, chief of detectives, said during the news conference. "That's gang members, that's guns -- multiple guns on the scene -- scooters being used, masks, and lastly unintended targets getting hit. This is unacceptable in our streets in New York City and it has to stop."
        Police believe three of the 10 injured are Trinitarios gang members and the other seven victims were not intentional targets, he said.
        "The uptick in gun violence has been a reality of daily life in the outer boroughs and for communities of color. This is not just a Manhattan problem making headlines because we are concerned about scaring away tourists," City Council Member Francisco Moya, who represents the 21st Council District that includes the Corona neighborhood where the shooting happened, said in a statement.
        "We are trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic -- and a gun violence pandemic. This is why I'm working to bring more opportunity for interventions to our neighborhood through Saturday Night Lights and Cure Violence."
        The Gun Violence Archive noted the Queens mass shooting as one of five mass shootings that took place on Saturday. Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky also saw mass shootings where no deaths were reported, GVA reported Sunday.
        CNN's Chuck Johnston contributed to this report.
      Simone Biles' ADHD Meds Banned in Japan, but Tokyo 2020 Exemption Allowed Them
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        Archived Version
        Sun, 01 Aug 2021 21:29
        Analysis
        Simone Biles withdrew from both Olympic all-around finals over mental-health concerns. The superstar gymnast later said she was experiencing "the twisties," which cause disorientation. She takes ADHD medication that is not permitted in Japan, but an exemption likely allowed her to bring it. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Simone Biles has been struggling with her mental health in Tokyo, which prompted the superstar gymnast to pull out of both Olympic all-around finals.
        The withdrawal of the biggest star at this summer's games was a shocking development that birthed a worldwide discussion about mental health awareness and management. But it also gave rise to some questions, including what sparked Biles' case of "the twisties."
        Biles with her teammates. Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports Some have suggested that Biles' ADHD could be to blame '-- and it's a reasonable assumption given Japan's ban of most medicines commonly used to treat the disorder in the US. But Biles and other Olympic athletes may have benefitted from an exception to the rule.
        "A special arrangement is in place specifically for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to allow athletes taking these medicines for therapeutic use, and with an approved Therapeutic Use Exemption, to import personal supplies for the treatment of their medical condition while they are in Japan," a document provided via Team USA says.
        Biles performs in Tokyo. Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Network Athletes were permitted to "apply for permission" to bring otherwise banned drugs with them to Tokyo. This applies mostly to dextroamphetamine '-- or Adderall '-- and other stimulant drugs, but it doesn't appear this applies to Biles' regimen.
        An illegal release of some high-profile athletes' medical data in 2016 showed Biles had tested positive for methylphenidate '-- the official name for Ritalin, another common medication for the treatment of ADHD. The situation led the then-19-year-old star to publicly address her ADHD diagnosis and say she's taken the medication since she was a child to manage her symptoms.
        "Having ADHD, and taking medicine for it is nothing to be ashamed of," Biles tweeted at the time. "Nothing that I'm afraid to let people know."
        '--Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) September 13, 2016'--Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) September 13, 2016Ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics, Biles filed for a "therapeutic use exemption" through the World Anti-Doping Agency, which enabled her to continue taking the drug throughout her breakout competition.
        While the laws in Japan are extremely stringent when it comes to stimulants, they're slightly more lax about psychotropics, the class of drugs under which Ritalin is categorized. Athletes and nonathletes alike can apply for a Yakkan Shoumei '-- an "import certificate" allowing for the import of some otherwise prohibited drugs '-- that permits them to bring up to 2.16g of their methylphenidate into the country.
        Biles. Gregory Bull/AP Images If she filled out and submitted a Yakkan Shoumei, Biles was covered to continue taking Ritalin in Tokyo without fear of arrest. So while it's impossible to determine what has caused Biles' case of "the twisties," a lack of medication is almost certainly not to blame.
        Biles is still eligible for the remaining four women's artistic gymnastics events in Tokyo, though it remains unclear whether she'll participate. Her next chance to get back into the gym is on Sunday for the vault final. The balance beam, floor, and uneven bars finals '-- all of which Biles has qualified for '-- will take place later in the week.
        A previous version of this article suggested that Biles may not have been able to bring her ADHD medication to Japan. It has been updated to reflect information provided via Team USA and additional sources.
    Clips
      VIDEO - Israeli lab finds existing drugs that could ''cure'' Covid - YouTube
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      VIDEO - Melbourne Enters Their 6th Lockdown Tonight '' NSW Records Highest Daily Cases | The Project - YouTube
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      VIDEO - China let COVID-19 spread internationally to hurt other economies: Jack Keane - YouTube
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        Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:29
      VIDEO - Tyler Cardon on Twitter: "Francis Collins, top US health official, was in the news for suggesting vaxxed parents mask up at home to protect their unvaxxed kids from the virus. He later walked it back (''clarified''). Many were confused, but Fran
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        Wed, 04 Aug 2021 19:50
        Tyler Cardon : Francis Collins, top US health official, was in the news for suggesting vaxxed parents mask up at home to protect t'... https://t.co/B471WJeDHm
        Wed Aug 04 06:21:02 +0000 2021
        D C : @TyCardon @ezralevant The eternal boomer, destroying every generation after his own.
        Wed Aug 04 16:20:47 +0000 2021
        CSmith, PhD : @TyCardon I know about this world. Highly educated. Nice house. Safe. Impressive collection of musical instruments.'... https://t.co/grtbQfOFV3
        Wed Aug 04 13:58:11 +0000 2021
        Mayke Briggs : @TyCardon @theblaze The more we get together, together, together, the more we get together the happier we'll be! Wi'... https://t.co/1tzaJbErut
        Wed Aug 04 13:26:12 +0000 2021
        David B. Affler : @TyCardon @NyTechMum They used to talk about Generals who pushed for unnecessary wars, because boring old peacetim'... https://t.co/kid9Wtd4CH
        Wed Aug 04 13:21:19 +0000 2021
        Elizabeth McCrea : @TyCardon Ahhh.....he's an artist.
        Wed Aug 04 12:54:15 +0000 2021
        MyBoyzCards : @TyCardon @ezralevant Looks like LSD is their drug of choice
        Wed Aug 04 12:49:45 +0000 2021
      VIDEO - Stephanie Ruhle Reports on Twitter: "Schools require students to get vaccinated for other diseases so why is the New York state teacher's union opposing a coronavirus vaccine mandate? American Federation of Teachers President @rweingarten responds
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        Stephanie Ruhle Reports : Schools require students to get vaccinated for other diseases so why is the New York state teacher's union opposing'... https://t.co/R2dfQBeaNT
        Wed Aug 04 14:01:41 +0000 2021
        Candice Elam, DNP : @RuhleOnMSNBC @rweingarten @MSNBC I heard the question, I heard a response, but the response didn't answer the question.
        Wed Aug 04 19:38:15 +0000 2021
        EZ : @RuhleOnMSNBC @rweingarten @MSNBC "In New York schools were open virtually all of last year."Does she ever not li'... https://t.co/QftStx9p9v
        Wed Aug 04 19:22:19 +0000 2021
        Oklahoma State Alumn : @RuhleOnMSNBC @rweingarten @MSNBC Yes, required vaccination for diseases. Is Covid a disease or just a virus?
        Wed Aug 04 18:53:23 +0000 2021
        Karen - Black Lives Matter - Burge : @RuhleOnMSNBC @rweingarten @MSNBC ... badly. She responds badly.
        Wed Aug 04 18:38:59 +0000 2021
        ConcernedCitizen : @RuhleOnMSNBC @rweingarten @MSNBC Sure they were open, but only virtually.
        Wed Aug 04 18:35:33 +0000 2021
      VIDEO - Drs. Mario Ortiz Martinez on LinkedIn: '– Rake en zeer ernstige woorden in de Australische Senaat! '–ª¸ŽLuister | 18 comments
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        4,762 followers
        3000+ Posts 16 Articles View Profile Follow More from this author Falend PCR testbeleid: brandhaard zelf gecreerd! Drs. Mario Ortiz Martinez · 10mo
        Een duiding van de huidige gezondheidscrisis - Aan de leden van de Tweede Kamer Drs. Mario Ortiz Martinez · 10mo
        3D Animatie & Film voor Farma Drs. Mario Ortiz Martinez · 3y
      VIDEO - Three Dams Collapse in China Within 48 Hours, Causing Devastating Flood | China Flood | 3 Gorges Dam - YouTube
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      VIDEO - Joe Rogan gets WAY TOO DRUNK with Adam Curry in the new studio...(supercut edition) - YouTube
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      VIDEO - 'Mind boggling' data about the unvaccinated and Covid-19 - YouTube
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      VIDEO - "People Slept In Airports" - Spirit, American Cancel Hundreds of Flights Amid Staffing Shortage | ZeroHedge
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        Travel chaos is unfolding across US airports as American Airlines Group Inc. and Spirit Airlines Inc canceled hundreds of flights Tuesday, the third consecutive day of cancellations following "concerns that crew shortages are adding to problems that initially were caused by weather and technology issues," according to Bloomberg.
        FlightAware's flight tracker website showed that at least 800 flights were canceled into or out of the US on Tuesday afternoon. American canceled 288 flights, or about 9% of its schedule today, 563 Monday flights, and 300 Sunday flights. Spirit canceled 347 flights, or about 50% of all flights Tuesday, after canceling 42% of its Monday flights due to weather and what eventually transpired into "operational challenges."
        We are experiencing operational challenges in some areas of our network. Before going to the airport, check your email and current flight status here: https://t.co/yuPJDPxeNu. The fastest way to receive assistance is to visit our webchat: https://t.co/QnlZcUCMtk. pic.twitter.com/E176h8KHjN
        '-- Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) August 2, 2021Internet search trends for "flight canceled" spiked on Monday and Tuesday. The most common search query was "spirit cancelled flights." These searches were seen across dozens of states.
        Frustrated travelers tweeted horror stories of their experiences over the last few days. Some said there were no re-booking options, stranding them at airports for multiple days.
        We're on day 2 of @AmericanAir cancelling my flight home with two toddlers, no re-booking options (refusal to book on a sister airline even though there were plenty of flights yesterday), no support for at least 2 extra nights in hotel, & over a 4 hour wait time on the phone...
        '-- Emily Huffman (@emhuffman) August 3, 2021People had to sleep in the airport. Some of us got $7 meal vouchers that ended the next day. Calling customer service. They hang up. Hella people stranded and can't get home in PR @SpiritAirlines WHERE IS OUR MONEY pic.twitter.com/TjOStUe7uZ
        '-- La'Mayah ðŸ'ðŸ¾''¸ (@SimpliiMee_) August 3, 2021Others blamed staffing shortages.
        Coop, from All American, leads a protest against Spirit Airlines at Fort Lauderdale Airport #AllAmericanCW pic.twitter.com/an00DS9ho1
        '-- Hood Politics (@marl0stanfield_) August 3, 2021'They got our luggage, our money and there's no airline staff here': Furious travelers blast Spirit and American for canceling 670 flights as airport chaos enters THIRD daySpirit canceled 400 on Sunday and Monday, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale were hard hit pic.twitter.com/25PDr3o3DX
        '-- Lilian Chan (@bestgug) August 3, 2021Line for '...@SpiritAirlines'(C) at LAX now out the door after the airline cancels 400+ flights; blaming bad weather + staff shortages.Domino effect of delays and cancellations could take days to resolve. @foxla pic.twitter.com/CX9eN567HD
        '-- Gigi Graciette (@GigiGraciette) August 3, 2021American's pilot's union told USA Today the airline "can't keep blaming flight cancellations on the weather" as staffing shortages disrupt hundreds of flights and leave thousands of travelers stranded at airports Tuesday.
      VIDEO - Video released of initial condo collapse response
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        GRAPHIC WARNING: The contents of the video associated with this story may be disturbing to some.
        SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) '-- Officials in a Florida town have released body camera footage from the first police officers who responded to a building collapse that left 98 people dead.
        The town of Surfside released the three videos Tuesday.
        Officers arrived just minutes after the east side of Champlain Tower South pancaked in the earlier morning hours of June 24.
        Each video lasts about 18 minutes. Clouds of dust billow as the officers make their way past the massive wreckage.
        The officers can be seen calling for survivors and escorting residents away from the part of the building that was still standing.
        Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
      VIDEO - They Want to Arrest and Jail All Unvaccinated Adults! - YouTube
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      VIDEO - Freedom Fighter Court VICTORY! Ends Masking, Shots, Quarantine in Alberta!
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        Rumble '-- WE CAN WIN! Patrick King is a proud father of 2, Freedom Fighter and Patriot who took on the powerful government in Alberta, and WON!
        We can ALL learn from this, and we MUST battle this in every single city, every single county, every single state, every single NATION!
        The fight for freedom is a worldwide effort, and WE CAN WIN!
        www.StewPeters.tv
      VIDEO - Alberta to eliminate COVID-19 quarantine rules as cases rise among the unvaccinated | CTV News
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        EDMONTON -- Alberta is lifting much of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions in the coming days as the disease continues to infect unvaccinated Albertans.
        Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw, in her first appearance since June 29, said the province will shift its public health response and lift a number of measures related to quarantine, isolation and masks.
        Starting Thursday, close contacts of COVID-19 cases will no longer be mandated to quarantine, but isolation will still be required for positive cases and people with symptoms.
        On Aug. 16, people who test positive for COVID-19 will not be mandated to quarantine anymore, but the province will recommend it. Albertans with COVID-19 symptoms will not be asked to get tested, but to stay at home until they feel better. And two weeks later, COVID-19 tests will only be available to people who need to go to the hospital or see a physician.
        Masks won't be mandatory in public transit, rideshares and taxies starting on Aug. 16, the province announced. Some masking may still be required in hospitals or continuing care facilities.
        'PLEASE GET VACCINATED'
        Hinshaw reported 194 new cases of COVID-19 and a positivity rate of 2.9 per cent in her update.
        "Cases have risen recently, almost entirely in those who have not been fully vaccinated as we expected would likely happen as people come into close contact with each other again," Hinshaw said.
        Since July 1, when the province lifted the large majority of its restrictions, people not fully immunized accounted for 95 per cent of COVID-19 cases, 94 per cent of hospitalizations and 95 per cent of deaths caused by the disease, Hinshaw added.
        As of Tuesday, 75.6 per cent of eligible Albertans had one dose and 64.3 per cent were fully immunized.
        "We still need to increase those numbers but this is encouraging progress," Hinshaw told media.
        There are 84 Albertans with COVID-19 in hospital and 18 in ICU. Only one of the ICU patients has two doses, Hinshaw said.
        "Please get vaccinated. If you haven't gotten both your doses yet, this is your time."
      VIDEO - Jamie Dimon on China threat, Didi | Fox Business Video
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      VIDEO - State of the Union on Twitter: "CNN's @jaketapper: Who's to blame for the eviction moratorium expiring? Rep. @AOC : "There was, frankly, a handful of conservative Democrats in the House that threatened to get on planes rather than hold this vote a
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        State of the Union : CNN's @jaketapper: Who's to blame for the eviction moratorium expiring?Rep. @AOC : "There was, frankly, a handful'... https://t.co/MZVaiC14Ua
        Sun Aug 01 14:22:44 +0000 2021
        Leatherneck : @CNNSotu @jaketapper @AOC Racist language outta AOC tho.
        Wed Aug 04 12:57:50 +0000 2021
        Dysfunctional : @CNNSotu @jaketapper @AOC So what are all these ''renters'' going to do when the house/apartment they live in is fore'... https://t.co/GYx3KDSD0U
        Wed Aug 04 12:55:22 +0000 2021
      VIDEO - B ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸ on Twitter: "Went from ''Don't trust the vaccine it could cause harm! ðŸ¤'' to ''Show me your papers! ðŸ¤'' pretty quickly https://t.co/AUQ2IBpQ8D" / Twitter
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        B ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸ : Went from ''Don't trust the vaccine it could cause harm! ðŸ¤'' to ''Show me your papers! ðŸ¤'' pretty quickly https://t.co/AUQ2IBpQ8D
        Tue Aug 03 20:20:49 +0000 2021
        Reeve : @Unscripted0 Yep https://t.co/xF3Qa7a6vS
        Wed Aug 04 12:26:14 +0000 2021
        Rodney : @Unscripted0 Yep someone I'm in close contact with everyday has tested positive they are vaccinated and very sick a'... https://t.co/aH8YkKaXYK
        Wed Aug 04 12:03:04 +0000 2021
        Steve Kennedy : @Unscripted0 @catturd2 More government bullshit!!
        Wed Aug 04 11:53:35 +0000 2021
      VIDEO - Documenting Bitcoin ðŸ' on Twitter: "SEC Chairman @GaryGensler on #Bitcoin https://t.co/jhqkbZrnob" / Twitter
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        Documenting Bitcoin ðŸ' : SEC Chairman @GaryGensler on #Bitcoin https://t.co/jhqkbZrnob
        Tue Aug 03 17:46:09 +0000 2021
      VIDEO - Corn ribs are the latest, unique viral food trend: Try the recipe | Fox News
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        Summertime BBQ ribs are getting a veggie twist with corn.
        TikTok users have been cooking up corn ribs as the latest social media food trend, which has more than 10.6 million views under its hashtag.
        The trend involves slicing whole cobs of corn into vertical sections, dressing it with a seasoned sauce or spread and cooking it much like you would with pork or beef ribs. When heated up, the sliced corn pieces curl up in a way that looks similar to its meaty counterparts.
        'CREAMY LEMONADE' TREND IS TAKING OVER TIKTOK: TRY THE RECIPE
        Feel Good Foodie founder Yumna Jawad tells Fox News that the "curled effect" the corn slices get when cooked is "what makes it so unique." She recommends cutting cobs of corn into quarters to get the veggie to curl "perfectly."
        Feel Good Foodie, an American digital food media company created by Yumna Jawad, shared a viral corn rib recipe to its TikTok account on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. (Feel Good Foodie)
        "That said, you could get away with just cutting in half instead of in quarters but they will curl less that way," Jawad said.
        To cut the corn, Jawad recommends using a santoku knife because it "is lighter and smaller in size as compared to a chef's knife."
        She went on, "It has a shorter, wider blade with a 'flatter' cutting edge which helps with slowly cutting the corn vertically. Cutting the corn in this way isn't an easy task and should be taken seriously."
        TIKTOK'S 'PASTA CHIPS' TREND TURNS THE ITALIAN DISH INTO SNACKABLE FINGER FOOD
        With Jawad's viral corn rib recipe, she mixed salted butter with fresh cilantro and air fried her corn for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
        As an alternative, the corn can be baked for 25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or grilled for about 8 minutes on each side, the recipe on Feel Good Foodie's website states. The cilantro can also be substituted for dill or parsley.
        Corn ribs had a viral moment on TikTok earlier this year in February, but online searches for the recipe peaked in July, according to data collected by Google Trends.
        Jawad credits fellow TikTok creator Farrah J (AKA Spiced Nice) for making the corn rib trend go viral earlier this year.
        TIKTOK'S 'PESTO EGGS' ARE THE LATEST FOOD TREND: 'YOU WON'T GO BACK'
        Farrah did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment, but she noted that she was inspired to make corn ribs after she saw cajun corn ribs at a restaurant, according to a YouTube video description she wrote on Feb. 3.
        Corn ribs were reportedly invented by Max Ng, an executive chef at the Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York City, according to a March 2019 issue of Woolworths TASTE magazine. The restaurant has also shared social media posts about its unique menu item dating as far back as 2017.
        Representatives at Momofuku did not immediately respond to Fox News's request for comment about the viral corn ribs trend.
        CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
        Jawad believes the trend is an excellent option for people who want to change up their summertime eating.
        "Nothing beats the taste of fresh corn in the summer," Jawad said. "Air frying the corn ribs also creates crisp corn kernels that are so tender and juicy."
        Feel Good Foodie credited fellow TikTok creator Farrah J (AKA Spiced Nice) for making the corn rib trend go viral on the app earlier this year. (Feel Good Foodie)
        For people who aren't that into traditional meat-based ribs like herself, Jawad said corn ribs can offer a similar experience despite it having a different "texture and flavor." She went on, "The way in which you eat it definitely depicts traditional rib eating."
        CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
        Home chefs don't need to feel restricted by Feel Good Foodie's recipe either. Jawad told Fox News there are a variety of spreads people can make to customize their corn rib experience.
        "You could have so much fun with this," Jawad said. "You could play around with corn elote, or try dips and sauces like chipotle lime mayo, Sriracha mayo, garlic and herb butter or even barbecue sauce."
      VIDEO - German government condemns violence at Berlin COVID protests - ABC News
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:59
        The German government has condemned an outburst of violence at protests in Berlin against the country's anti-coronavirus measures
        By The Associated Press
        August 2, 2021, 5:34 PM
        ' 2 min read
        BERLIN -- The German government on Monday condemned an outburst of violence at weekend protests in Berlin against the country's anti-coronavirus measures.
        More than 60 police officers were injured, some of them severely, police said. At least one journalist was also injured.
        It was not clear how many protesters were injured, but Berlin police said a 48-year-old man died after being detained by officers during Sunday's protests.
        The man had complained of tingling in his arm and chest while officers checked his ID. Officers provided first aid to the man until an ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital, where he later died, police said.
        Berlin prosecutors said later on Monday that a routine investigation into the man's death appeared to show that he died of a heart attack. They also said in a statement that before police had checked the man's ID, he had broken through a police block, knocking down and injuring an officer who then subsequently chased him down and detained him.
        ''Violent clashes and the abuse of the right to protest are not acceptable,'' government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said.
        Among those injured was Joerg Reichel, the head of the Berlin branch of German journalists union dju. Reichel was pulled from his bike, beaten and kicked by protesters, Berlin daily Tagesspiegel reported.
        Demmer said the attack on Reichel was ''completely incomprehensible and must be condemned.''
        The group Reporters without Borders cited attacks on reporters in Germany during anti-lockdown protesters in its annual World Press Freedom Index that ranked the country two places lower than in 2020.
        Almost 1,000 people were temporarily detained during the demonstrations, which saw outbursts of violence as protesters defied orders to disperse and tried to break through police lines in various parts of the capital. Police opened investigations against 503 of them, including 59 cases of resisting police and 43 cases of assaulting officers.
        Germany has relaxed many of the measures imposed during the height of the pandemic, but some requirements to wear masks indoors and present negative COVID-19 tests or certificates of vaccination are still in place.
        A spokesman for Germany's Interior Ministry said experience had shown that far-right extremists have tried to join such coronavirus protests in the past.
        '--'--'--
        Follow all AP stories on the global pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
      VIDEO - My Public Comment Calling Out HORRIFIC Censorship Agenda of Pennsbury School Board - YouTube
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      VIDEO - Alcohol consumption linked to nearly 750,000 cancer cases in 2020, new study says - CBS News
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:27
        Alcohol linked to nearly 750,000 cancer cases in 2020
        Alcohol linked to nearly 750,000 cancer cases... 01:46 Doctors are sounding the alarm over research showing a link between drinking alcohol and cancer. More than 700,000 new cancer cases were linked to alcohol consumption in 2020 '-- a time when many Americans reported drinking more.
        The research, published in the July 13 edition of Lancet Oncology, found that over 4% of all new cancer cases in 2020 were caused by alcohol consumption. While most cancers linked to alcohol use were in people who have more than two drinks a day, more than 100,000 cases worldwide were in people who averaged less than that, the study said.
        "Alcohol is an irritant. It irritates the lining of our mouth, of our throat, of our stomach. As our body tries to heal, sometimes it heals in abnormal ways that can lead to the very beginnings of cancer," said Dr. David Odell, an oncologist at Northwestern Medicine.
        Three-quarters of alcohol-related cancers were diagnosed in men. Most of those cases were liver and esophageal cancers. Breast cancer was most common among women.
        The new findings come as alcohol consumption has spiked during the pandemic. Almost two-thirds of Americans surveyed last year said their drinking had increased.
        "For many people who were using alcohol to cope in one way or another, once the pandemic hit, their drinking increased significantly," said Sarah Church, a psychologist who runs an addiction treatment program in New York.
        Trending News
        She said those seeking help include people who didn't drink heavily before the pandemic.
        There's an estimated 10-year lag between drinking and being diagnosed with alcohol-related cancer, so doctors say the pandemic's impact is unclear.
      VIDEO - The Lost History of Earth - FULL (Ewaranon) - THIS IS BEAUTIFUL~! - YouTube
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      VIDEO - Simone Biles' Withdrawal From the Olympics - YouTube
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      VIDEO - (123) Live Overwatch SITREP - YouTube
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      VIDEO - New York City will require vaccines for entry to restaurants and gyms - CNN
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        Updated 10:38 AM EDT, Tue August 3, 2021
        Coronavirus and the economy
        Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
        MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 15: A healthcare worker at the Jackson Health Systems receives a Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine from Susana Flores Villamil, RN from Jackson Health Systems, at the Jackson Memorial Hospital on December 15, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Jackson Memorial Hospital began the vaccination of frontline healthcare workers joining with hospital systems around the country as the COVID-19 vaccine is rolled out. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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        WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 04: IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a joint press conference with World Bank Group President David Malpass on the recent developments of the coronavirus, COVID-19, and the organizations' responses on March 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. It was announced yesterday that the Annual Spring Meetings held by the IMF and World Bank in Washington, DC have been changed to virtual meetings due to concerns about COVID-19. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
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        New York City will require proof of vaccination to enter all restaurants, fitness centers and indoor entertainment venues, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday.
        ''If you're unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in many things,'' de Blasio said. ''If you want to participate in our society fully, you've got to get vaccinated.''
        The policy will take effect over the next few weeks.
        The city's move comes as businesses across Corporate America begin rolling out vaccine requirements for employees, and in some cases for customers and clients to show their proof of vaccination as well.
        Broadway theaters have already announced they will require vaccinations for both audience and staff, at least through the month of October.
        And New York isn't alone in its vaccine push. Countries in Europe have rolled out various incentives, including cash payments and free football stadium tours, in an effort to get people vaccinated.
        On Monday, France's parliament passed a law that requires a ''health pass'' showing proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test in order to enter restaurants, bars and for travel on long-distance trains and planes.
        The city will begin enforcing the program on September 13, the mayor said.
        This is a developing story.
      VIDEO - Chas And Dave Rabbit - YouTube
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      IVERMECTIN | Preventing and curing Covid-19
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        HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE Clinical studies have proven that IVERMECTIN both prevents and cures Covid-19. (LINK)
        IVERMECTIN is a safe, effective, widely available and an inexpensive medication that you can get RIGHT NOW.
        You do not have to take experimental gene therapy shots (''Covid 19 Vaccines'') to protect yourself from the sickness. Don't gamble on your health or the health of your loved ones with experimental injections.
        IVERMECTIN has also shown to prevent prion disease from people who have had the Covid 19 experimental shots.
      VIDEO - Pauline Hanson 'CENSORED' for saying things that are "not government approved" | FULL AUDIO - YouTube
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        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:22
      VIDEO - Sydney's ticket out of COVID lockdown? Six million shots | Reuters
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:18
        50% vaccination rate would 'add options'-New South Wales premierState lockdown affecting 5 mln people set to end on Aug. 29At 199, state's new COVID-19 cases still near 16-month highPM Morrison rules out paying Australians to be vaccinatedCANBERRA, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Australian authorities said they could ease a COVID-19 lockdown that demands Sydney's five million people stay home until the end of August if half the population is vaccinated, even as new infections linger near a 16-month high.
        A lifting of restrictions in the country's most populous city and its surrounds in New South Wales state would be a boost for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, under intense pressure for his government's handling of the vaccine rollout, with the threat of a second economic recession in as many years looming.
        New South Wales, which accounts for a third of all activity in Australia's A$2 trillion ($1.47 trillion) economy, has struggled to contain a surge of cases of the highly infectious Delta variant in Sydney despite the lockdown, currently due to be lifted on Aug. 29.
        While the state on Tuesday reported another 199 locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours - near a 16-month high of 239 infections recorded in one day last week - Premier Gladys Berejiklian said curbs could be eased if six million people in New South Wales are vaccinated by the time the lockdown is due to end.
        "Six million jabs is roughly half the population with at least one or two doses," Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney. "That gives us additional options as to what life looks like on 29 August."
        Berejiklian didn't say exactly how many in New South Wales were fully vaccinated as of Tuesday, but said the state is on course to meet its vaccination target. She cautioned the number of people in the community while infectious would also need to come down.
        Although Australia has largely kept its COVID-19 numbers relatively low, with just over 34,500 cases and 925 deaths, its national vaccination rollout has hit several roadblocks due to changing medical advice on AstraZeneca (AZN.L) doses over blood clot concerns and supply constraints for Pfizer (PFE.N) inoculation.
        The target in New South Wales comes just days after national premier Morrison promised lockdowns would be "less likely" once the country inoculates 70% of its population above 16 years of age - a long way from the current 19% level. Morrison expects to hit the 70% mark by the end of the year. read more
        People with protective face masks walk through the quiet city centre during a lockdown to curb the spread of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sydney, Australia, July 28, 2021. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
        On Tuesday Morrison rejected the idea of offering people financial incentives to boost vaccination rates.
        "If [Australians] do have hesitancy about vaccine, I am not going to pay them off," Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
        The PM also released the modeling behind the national strategy which showed Australia would need to vaccinate seven in 10 people to control the spread of the virus without economically damaging lockdowns.
        The modelling, by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, also called for younger Australians to be the next focus of the vaccine campaign.
        Once vulnerable Australians were inoculated, "uptake by young adults (aged 16 and over) will strongly influence the impact of vaccination on overall transmission", notes published alongside the modelling said.
        The lockdown of Sydney is expected to see the Australian economy shrink in the current quarter, and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned the length of the stay-at-home orders will determine whether a recession can be avoided.
        Despite the ongoing threat to the economy, the Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday said it would stick with its plan to taper bond buying from September, contravening marketing expectations.
        Meanwhile, Queensland state said on Tuesday it has reported 16 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily number of new cases in a year.
        ($1 = 1.3578 Australian dollars)
        Reporting by Colin Packham in Canberra and Renju Jose and Byron Kaye in Sydney; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell
        Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
      VIDEO - Marlboro-Maker Wants to Outlaw Cigarettes
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        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 23:11
        One of the biggest tobacco companies in the world, Philip Morris, wants the UK to ban cigarettes. That would outlaw its own Marlboro brand, its top moneymaker. What is its strategy?
      VIDEO - Van ESG naar een persoonlijk budget voor CO2. In gesprek met ESG deskundige Prof. Dr. Dick de Waard - YouTube
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        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 21:35
      VIDEO - The 1918 Pandemic Lasted 3 Years, Only One Way to End COVID-19 Earlier - YouTube
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        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 21:22
      VIDEO - SPANISH RESEARCHERS FIND A WAY TO REMOVE MAGNETIC GRAPHENE FROM THE BODY AFTER A COVID-JAB
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:46
        First published at 14:47 UTC on July 24th, 2021.
        Richardo Delgardo, who is a part of La Quinta Columna, has successfully tested an inexpensive way to remove magnetic graphene nano-particles from the human body after they were injected via a covid jab (aka vaccine). If you know someone who has had '...
        MORE
        Richardo Delgardo, who is a part of La Quinta Columna, has successfully tested an inexpensive way to remove magnetic graphene nano-particles from the human body after they were injected via a covid jab (aka vaccine). If you know someone who has had a Pfizer, Moderna, or Astra Zeneca covid-jab, which all contain graphene oxide nanoparticles, or whose body now sticks to magnets, then they need to see this video so that they can get rid of the magnetic nano-particles. You will see him describe what to do. This video contains subtitles.
        LESS
      VIDEO - 'Bunny-self' pronouns just dropped'... '' CITIZEN FREE PRESS
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        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:30
        This is the future of psychology and psychiatry.
        Stay healthy while you can
        ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"ðŸ"WTF is she talking about?!?!?!!
        Huh? So this is what gibberish must sound like. Got it.
        They are creating Thier own pseudo science to legitimize Thier delusions.
        ''Sex assigned at birth'' is psy-op language itself. Sex is assigned at conception and is discernible in every cell in one's body. We outside the womb merely discover a baby's sex at birth. Those of revolutionary intent obscure truth and erase reality to advance their conquest of free people. They have even suckered us who oppose them into using terms that they devised so that we concede the fundamental argument to our assailants even as we argue against them.
        '''...and just shut up about it.'' is how the video ends. In other words I'm here to tell you how to think '' having a normal discussion about it is not something it is equipped to do.
        Just waiting patiently for the meteor strike. Aaaaaaany day now.
        Only playboys are allowed to call women bunny's. That's as far as it goes. I have a playboy joke. What did the playboy say when he was told scientists are experimenting on bunnies? My centerfold? My angel hooked up with a nerd?! Then I told him it's pulp fiction and he said ''whew! my doctor told me I need more pulp in by diet!'' Then I told him it's all digital now and he said, ''Those damn nerds!'' Do not call women puppies. Bitches is acceptable. Do not call women poultry. Chicks, hens is acceptable. Do not call women. LOL
        Set the pipe down for a bit.
        Borderline with a side-plate of psychotic.
        We need to re-open the old mental asylums.
        Phew, thanks for explaining that it's quite common to feel a disconnect with a certain portion of humanity.
        How did this happen? Lordy Mama!
        When I think of bunny girls, this . . . person . . . is not what I picture at all.
        I think more low cut tops, fishnet stockings, and hotness.
        This is what happens when people allow the personality disordered access to public forums.
        Zero Due Diligence (1-6-21)
        More like mental health divergent.
        What a train wreck. She, or it, or camel, whatever can shut her damn mouth
        There's bunny-self, meow-self, you name it.''I am special, and it you don't follow my rules, I will tattle on you and get you in trouble.''https://pronoun-provider.tumblr.com/pronounscat/cats/catselffel/feli/felis/feliselfkit/kitz/kitselfleo/leos/leoselflynx/lynx/lynxselfmeow/mews/meowselfmew/mews/mewselfpan/panth/pans/pantherselfpaw/paws/pawselfpurr/purrs/purrselftig/tigs/tigselftortie/torties/torties/torties/tortieselfwhisker/whiskers/whiskerself
        So if I'm identifying as cookie am I Neuro chocolate chip or Neuro peanut butter fudge divergent?
        Oh hell shut this Idiot up .
        Adjectivial pronouns are I mean you know just shut up
        This is what you get when you let severely ill mental patients play around on Tik Tok.
        I love to pull that nose ring and see what would happen to this bitch.
        Yeah'.... well as long as they aren't using verbself pronouns'....
        Our future leaders? SIGH'....
        Precisely why little children should be seen and not heard.Hop away! Hop away now!
        She thinks I care about her opinion? LOL
        This is what you get when you drop your kid off at daycare, commie schools, playdates, iPads and social media.
        there really is no conversation to join.
        That's the best AOC impersonation I've ever seen
        Well is she(?) is right about one thing'...it's (?) an animal that I'm glad isn't human anymore. Makes rest of us humans look bad.
        Not even sure what I just watched'...
        I still can't tell if this is legit or is this satire?
        I'm reminded of the old joke about humans mating with animals and what their offspring would look like.
        This poor idiot is living in an entirely synthetic reality bubble. She is reality divergent. TikTok is probably a Chicom screening tool to find live organ donors.
        Does she work at the circus?
        They banned the Circus, cuz anamal.creulty. That's why they're roaming our country feral anduncaged.
      VIDEO - Mornings with Maria on Twitter: "COVID ORIGINS: @RepMeuser joins @MariaBartiromo to discuss the new congressional report raising questions about the origins of COVID-19. #morningswithmaria #mwm #foxbusiness https://t.co/RrwQbOnvJx" / Twitter
        Link to Article
        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 14:30
        Mornings with Maria : COVID ORIGINS:@RepMeuser joins @MariaBartiromo to discuss the new congressional report raising questions about th'... https://t.co/ltQrRLZpxl
        Mon Aug 02 13:52:16 +0000 2021
        Jonathan Yeagley : @MorningsMaria @RepMeuser @MariaBartiromo why don't you spend your time trying to get your constituents vaccinated? Do something positive.
        Mon Aug 02 14:15:36 +0000 2021
      VIDEO - MSNBC: Fox News Is Al Jazeera, Trump Is Bin Laden'... | Weasel Zippers
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        Archived Version
        Mon, 02 Aug 2021 14:04
        HT: Newsbusters
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        ZIP |August 2, 2021 9:29 am
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