Breaking News Events

[homoe]

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, batted down claims comparing the novel coronavirus to HIV made on Fox News by host Laura Ingraham, saying diseases like COVID-19 are “entirely different” and making such connections was a “little bit misleading.”

Laura Ingraham, another idiot who thinks this deadly virus is just going to magically disappear!


https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/fauci...044508312.html

[homoe]

~~
After watching Trump's briefings earlier in the week and a couple interviews yesterday with governors who are re-opening their states, it dawned on me how everyone from the President to these Governors are trying to cover their asses in case this whole thing blows up into another flare up of CoVid-19.

Of course tho if there are no repercussions, everyone and their brother will be trying to take credit!

[homoe]

Floridians didn’t waste any time getting back to the sun and surf when beaches and parks were reopened in Jacksonville — the same day the state clocked a record number of coronavirus cases.Jacksonville opened beaches from 6-11 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. daily, with some restrictions including no sunbathing or lounging in chairs or on blankets. Crowds were seen cheering and rushing the beach as police removed the barriers around 5 p.m. Friday, CNN reported.Aerial photos show hundreds of people packing the sand to swim, stroll, surf and fish. Many were without masks.

“This can be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life,” Mayor Lenny Curry reportedly said. Curry made the call after Gov. Ron DeSantis gave the green light for some municipalities to begin reopening beaches. Police were seen warning people who didn’t adhere to the no-sunbathing rule, according to photos posted to social media, while a flyover sign warned people: “Do your part. Stay 6 feet apart. Help keep beaches open.”

Florida announced 1,400 new cases Friday, the highest 24-hour toll since the pandemic began.

[charley]

There has been a mass shooting in Nova Scotia, 13 killed (so far), including an RCMP officer, Heidi Stevenson (mother of 2, and 23 years on the force - she was well known throughout N.S., as she had been seen on TV, also known as a public relations media spokeswoman). Another RCMP officer was wounded and is in hospital. Starting yesterday night, people were killed in various small rural communities throughout the middle of N.S. (an area of which I am familiar, having travelled through it) - a place where people don't lock their doors at night, and are real friendly. The suspect was a fairly well-known denturist (51 yrs. old), owning various properties. He was also killed. The odd thing about it was that he had been wearing something like an RCMP uniform, and driving a vehicle that he had disguised as an RCMP cruiser. I had been watching the news, and earlier today, they were broadcasting to look out for his cruiser, something he had likely also heard about; and then when he was found, he had changed cars. Police have no idea why he did all this, as yet. As this is an RCMP investigation (unlike American investigations), we will have to wait until the RCMP has finished their investigation to know all the details. One of the worst mass shootings in Canada.

[homoe]

OLYMPIA, WA., April 19 (Reuters) - An estimated 2,500 people rallied at the Washington state capitol on Sunday to protest Democratic Governor Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home order to limit the spread of coronavirus, defying a ban on gatherings of 50 or more people. Despite pleas from rally organizers to wear face coverings or masks, many did not. Protesters drove vehicles to the state capitol, honking horns and clogging streets

Police estimated the crowd at 2,500, making it one of the largest protests in U.S. states against lockdowns over the past week. In Olympia, hundreds gathered in close quarters on the steps of the capitol building and around a fountain, contravening state and federal health guidelines during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Shutting down businesses by picking winners and losers in which there are essential and non-essential are violations of the state and federal constitution,” rally organizer Tyler Miller, 39, an engineer from Bremerton, Washington, and a Republican precinct officer, told Reuters.

Way to go Einsteins!

[charley]

Originally Posted by charley

There has been a mass shooting in Nova Scotia, 13 killed (so far), including an RCMP officer, Heidi Stevenson (mother of 2, and 23 years on the force - she was well known throughout N.S., as she had been seen on TV, also known as a public relations media spokeswoman). Another RCMP officer was wounded and is in hospital. Starting yesterday night, people were killed in various small rural communities throughout the middle of N.S. (an area of which I am familiar, having travelled through it) - a place where people don't lock their doors at night, and are real friendly. The suspect was a fairly well-known denturist (51 yrs. old), owning various properties. He was also killed. The odd thing about it was that he had been wearing something like an RCMP uniform, and driving a vehicle that he had disguised as an RCMP cruiser. I had been watching the news, and earlier today, they were broadcasting to look out for his cruiser, something he had likely also heard about; and then when he was found, he had changed cars. Police have no idea why he did all this, as yet. As this is an RCMP investigation (unlike American investigations), we will have to wait until the RCMP has finished their investigation to know all the details. One of the worst mass shootings in Canada.

ummm... bleh more bad news... now CTV says 16 killed (not incl. the suspect who was also killed in the shootout at a gas station), which makes it the worst mass shooting in Canadian history, worse than Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal (14 killed, many wounded), dear god... what a tragedy in such a beautiful place and such wonderful people, where I almost retired

[Kelt]

Originally Posted by homoe

OLYMPIA, WA., April 19 (Reuters) - An estimated 2,500 people rallied at the Washington state capitol on Sunday to protest Democratic Governor Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home order to limit the spread of coronavirus, defying a ban on gatherings of 50 or more people. Despite pleas from rally organizers to wear face coverings or masks, many did not. Protesters drove vehicles to the state capitol, honking horns and clogging streets

Police estimated the crowd at 2,500, making it one of the largest protests in U.S. states against lockdowns over the past week. In Olympia, hundreds gathered in close quarters on the steps of the capitol building and around a fountain, contravening state and federal health guidelines during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Shutting down businesses by picking winners and losers in which there are essential and non-essential are violations of the state and federal constitution,” rally organizer Tyler Miller, 39, an engineer from Bremerton, Washington, and a Republican precinct officer, told Reuters.

Way to go Einsteins!

Thus proving that the gene pool has a shallow end…

This went national today and while I knew that if this went on long enough they were sure to be some civil unrest, I honestly thought it would take the United States a little longer to devolve.

This will just be another wedge for Trump to use to drive more division into the population.

I understand the frustration I have also lost my income and a sizable chunk of assets and had a lot of plans for this next year all of which are inaccessible for the foreseeable future. I don’t see it as being worth dying or killing for. (That said, I know there are people in truly dire straits) I suspect that a lot of these folks don’t have anyone in their lives directly affected yet, it probably doesn’t seem real to them.

We need to get more economic support rolled out and quickly.

[charley]

Last year, the Canadian election resulting in a minority Liberal government as follows:

Liberals -187 seats, Leader Justin Trudeau now at his home in Ottawa
Conservatives - 121 seats, Leader Andrew Scheer is from Saskatchewan
New Democratic Party (NDP) - 24 seats - Leader Jagmeet Singh is from B.C. (presently staying in Ottawa)
Bloc Québécois - 32 seats
Green party - 3 seats, Leader Elizabeth May is in B.C.
Independent - 1 (the ex-AG of Canada , who won a seat in B.C.

Trudeau has been giving daily press conferences out of his home in Ottawa (having had a mild case of Covid-19, and is now recovered).

Because of Covid-19, Parliament was suspended for 5 weeks, due to re-open today.

Scheer (the homophobic a**hole) has been a real pain in the ***, blaming Trudeau for all the financial woes, etc. etc., ...just endless criticisms. Every time that he has been on the news, I change the channel - reminds me of Trump. He has even been insisting on 3 sittings per week, which is kinda impossible, since members from B.C. - if they leave their province to travel to Ottawa - must self-isolate for 2 weeks upon their return! - let alone MPs (Members of Parliament) from the far north who would have extreme problems in travelling. Of course, for all members to sit, it would also mean that all govt employees that work along with such sittings would also have to be there as well, putting all sorts of other people at risk !! I am sure that Scheer will be soon insisting and pressuring Trudeau on reopening Canada for business asap, like he is unaware of the Covid-19's second wave, and the fact that there is no vaccine as yet.

In Canada, all provinces are responsible for how health care is administered in their province, and all provinces have been following the recommendations of their medical professionals (more or less).

The NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said that two virtual sittings of the committee of the whole per week can accommodate most other needs.

The Liberals have put forth a motion to sit once a week and virtual meetings for the rest, which, insofar as I am concerned, seems "reasonable", considering how dangerous and risky Covid-19 is.

Technically speaking, the only real reason/need for everyone to sit would be to pass legislation (which they have done x2 for passing bills re: $ relief, etc.), but Scheer is grandstanding and obviously wants to be in the spotlight, so he can be seen asking questions (looking like he is actually doing something, when he is doing nothing at all) - denigrating and blaming Trudeau. It's not like he was in the spotlight 5 weeks ago or earlier, suggesting anything constructive, but is now using the crisis to strut and be the jerk that he is...

[charley]

In Nova Scotia, the death toll is now over 18, with 15 crime scenes being investigated (some of which were houses that he had burnt down).

This is the fake RCMP cruiser that the gunman was driving.

[~ocean]

North Korean leader is in grave danger following surgery.

[homoe]

All large public gatherings requiring a city permit that are scheduled to take place in New York City through June are canceled, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday. The event ban was announced three days after de Blasio made a similar decree for gatherings scheduled to take place in the city in May.

"These kinds of community events, we love them, but they're not what we need right now," de Blasio said during a news briefing Monday morning. "We have to also recognize when thousands and thousands of people gather in one place, of course that goes against everything we're trying to do with social distancing and shelter-in-place, and everything we're trying to do to bring ourselves back."

The events covered under the ban include those permitted by the city and deemed nonessential, including parades, concerts and rallies. The city's Celebrate Israel Parade, Puerto Rican Day Parade and Pride March are among the affected June events.

[homoe]

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said on Tuesday that he was taken aback by President Donald Trump’s resentment over Hogan’s wife, Yumi Hogan, securing 500,000 COVID-19 testing kits from South Korea as Maryland and other states suffer a shortage of testing supplies. “Just yesterday he was saying that the governors are responsible for this, they’re on the front lines, so we should just get it done,” the governor told the MSNBC “Morning Joe” co-hosts. “And then we did get it done, and then we got criticized.”

Hogan said before Trump attacked him during the press briefing on Monday evening, he and the other governors had had a “great conversation” in their call with Vice President Mike Pence and the White House’s coronavirus task force earlier in the day. “And then somehow it went off the rails yesterday in that press conference, but I have no idea why,” the Maryland governor said.

During the press briefing, Trump claimed out of nowhere that Hogan “didn’t really understand what was going on” with regards to the federal government’s response to testing kit shortages, and that the governor would’ve “saved a lot of money” if he’d talked to Pence about the need for kits.

“I don’t think he needed to go to South Korea,” Trump told reporters. “I think he needed to get a little knowledge.”

I witnessed this live yesterday, Trump got very snarky indeed!

[homoe]

President Trump said Tuesday that he is going to ask large businesses and institutions such as Harvard University to return money that they received as part of a coronavirus relief package. “I’m going to request it,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday, singling out the Ivy League school. “Harvard is going to pay back the money. They shouldn’t be taking it.” “I’m not going to mention any other names, but when I saw Harvard — they have one of the largest endowments anywhere in the country, maybe in the world. They’re going to pay back the money,” the president continued.

Trump was answering a question about money issued through a small-business loan program established by the third coronavirus relief package signed into law last month. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has come under scrutiny amid revelations that major restaurant chains, hotels and other big businesses were able to tap into funds meant for businesses with fewer than 500 employees.

The PPP, initially funded at $350 billion, ran out of money last week. The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to replenish the program's coffers.

And HOW did Harvard even get this money to begin with? Is there anyone overseeing how and to whom this money is disburse?

After the banking crisis of 2008 I believe it's more than clear bankers aren't to be trusted!

[homoe]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Officials have identified seven people who appear to have contracted the coronavirus through activities related to the April 7 election in Wisconsin. Shawn Benjamin, a spokesman for the Milwaukee health department, said in an email to The Associated Press that his agency has confirmed the infections. Commissioner of Health Jeanette Kowalik said six of the cases involve Milwaukee voters and one is a Milwaukee poll worker, the Journal Sentinel reported.

Officials hope to have additional information on the cases by the end of the week, including whether any of them were concentrated in any of the city’s five polling places or if any resulted in death, Kowalik said Monday. Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm said Monday that there were no signs of a surge in cases related to the election as some feared. Palm noted, however, that if cases do exist symptoms may not have appeared yet. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ spokeswoman, Melissa Baldauff, didn’t immediately respond to an email Tuesday morning seeking comment on the Milwaukee infections.

Health officials say symptoms of COVID-19 typically appear within two weeks of exposure to the virus, and Tuesday is the 14th day since the election. That means more voters and poll workers could come forward with infections in the coming days.

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by homoe

And HOW did Harvard even get this money to begin with? Is there anyone overseeing how and to whom this money is disburse?

I heard on NPR that the bankers were not supposed to look at the reasons for the loans on the applications, they were just supposed to approve them. That's what they did and that's how large restaurant and hotel chains, and Harvard, were able to swoop in and take the lion's share.

Apparently also the bill that authorized the money in the first place wasn't very clear about who was supposed to get it. They were more interested in getting it out fast than in making it clear.

[homoe]

Kemp on Monday announced that, effective Friday, his state would would end the closing order for nail salons, massage therapists, bowling alleys and gyms. Church services can resume on Sunday and restaurants and movie theaters will be allowed to resume business next Monday. The closing orders went into effect on April 2.

“He’s a very capable man. He knows what he’s doing. He’s done a very good job as governor,” Trump said of Kemp at the Tuesday White House briefing. Kemp was one of the last governors in the U.S. to issue a stay-at-home order and one of the first to test whether lifting it would result in a spike of new cases of COVID-19.

How Trump can claim Gov Kemp is a "very capable man' when Kemp admitted he didn't know asymptomatic people could transmit the virus is beyond me......

[charley]

ugh... so far, 22 deaths there. They have been going thru the burnt-out structures/houses with forensic specialists (16 crime scenes). As yet, they have no idea why the guy did this (who I have not named with good reason). And, out of hindsight, some have been questioning the lack of wisdom of the authorities in not sending out alerts Saturday night/Sunday morning like they have done with Covid-19 (e.g. stay-at-home alert - Easter weekend), which might have saved some people's lives (passers-by, who just happened to be going out for walks) - they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by homoe

How Trump can claim Gov Kemp is a "very capable man' when Kemp admitted he didn't know asymptomatic people could transmit the virus is beyond me......

Trump was talking about Kemp's ability to give a rim job.

[FireSignFemme]

Trump is going to make Harvard pay back the money? Yeah just like he was going to make Mexico pay for the wall. Talk is cheap, I'll believe it when I see it. You'd think if he was going to choose to attack, just couldn't stand living with himself if he had to behave himself, he'd at least have the sense to not take on Harvard.

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by FireSignFemme

Trump is going to make Harvard pay back the money? Yeah just like he was going to make Mexico pay for the wall. Talk is cheap, I'll believe it when I see it. You'd think if he was going to choose to attack, just couldn't stand living with himself if he had to behave himself, he'd at least have the sense to not take on Harvard.

Harvard has already said they're not going to take the money. I think they were embarrassed.