Post by mhbruin on Dec 17, 2021 9:36:08 GMT -8
US Vaccine Data - We Have Now Administered 492 Million Shots (Population 333 Million)
--------------
What Vaccines and Booster Do and Don't Do
Vaccines are VERY effective in building resistance in the lungs. If the virus cannot reside in your lungs, you are unlikely to have serious illness.
They are NOT effective in building resistant in the nose, pharynx, and larynx. That means the virus can live there, and that makes you capable of spreading the virus.
This is all good for you, but not good for unvaccinated people around you.
--------------
Mild COVID Seems Like a Cold
So far, the top five symptoms are:
runny nose
headache
fatigue (either mild or severe)
sneezing
sore throat
If you think you may have Covid, it is important to get tested. Even people who don't feel very ill can put others at risk.
--------------
The Good News About a Breakthrough Infection
A study by Oregon researchers finds that people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 who have a breakthrough infection end up with what the authors call "super immunity."
They caution the vaccinated should not seek COVID-19 infection, but the "hybrid immunity" offers some solace for those who catch one despite having been vaccinated.
"The bottom line of the study is that vaccine provides you with foundational immunity for whatever comes next," said Fikadu Tafesse, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology in the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine in Portland, Oregon.
The study matched 26 vaccinated Oregon Health & Science University staff people who had breakthrough infections with a similar group who were vaccinated but hadn't had COVID-19.
The people who were vaccinated and then got COVID-19 showed a substantial increase in antibody levels, said Tafesse.
"The increases were substantial, up to a 1,000% increase and sometimes up to 2,000%, so it's really high immunity," he said. "It's almost 'super immunity.'"
Multiple other studies have shown that infection with COVID-19 followed by one dose of the vaccine is very protective against re-infection.
--------------
Christmas Goat Roasting in an Open Fire
A giant straw goat that has become an annual highlight in the Swedish city of Gavle has been burned by an arsonist.
A man in his 40s was arrested after the structure was set alight in the early hours of Friday.
The goat has been attacked many times before but survived every festive period since 2016 under 24-hour security.
Spokeswoman Rebecca Steiner said she was devastated by the attack on the seasonal institution.
"It's just a week before Christmas and I cannot understand how a person can carry out this kind of attack to a Christmas symbol known all over the world," she told the BBC.
The Gavlebocken (Gavle goat) has been put up in the city's central Castle Square every Christmas since 1966 and has become a regular target for arsonists and vandals.
It has survived an attempted kidnapping via helicopter and been rammed by a car, but it has mostly been targeted by fire. It was burned down at midnight on New Year's Eve in its very first year of existence in 1966.
So Many Questions: Why a Goat? Why Do People Attack it? Is Everyone In Sweden On Drugs?
--------------
If They Are on Drugs, It's Not a Worthless, Over-Priced Alzheimer's Medication.
The European Medicines Agency has said no to approving a new drug for Alzheimer's disease in the EU.
Aducanumab does not appear to be effective at treating adults with early-stage symptoms, the EMA said.
Alzheimer's charities say they are disappointed by the decision because thousands of people are left with no treatment options.
The drug - the first new treatment for 20 years - was controversially approved in the US in June.
At the time, many scientists said there was little evidence from trials of it being of benefit despite it targeting amyloid - a protein that forms abnormal clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
I Wonder Who Got Paid Off to Approve a Drug That Doesn't Work.
--------------
WTF Does "Remain Alert" Mean?
A vague and viral TikTok trend warning of nationwide school violence on Friday — which authorities have dismissed as non-credible — has nevertheless prompted widespread school closures, stretched law enforcement resources and put families on edge ahead of a critical holiday travel season.
A number of school districts in states ranging from Minnesota to Texas announced they were shutting down schools on Friday in response to a wave of videos, some mentioning specific schools, suggesting that students avoid coming to class on Dec. 17. In other areas, law enforcement were on high alert, sending officers to guard schools as a precaution.
The US Department of Homeland Security said Friday morning it has no evidence to suggest the claims are credible but encouraged the public to "remain alert."
--------------
He Will Probably Take the 5th
The House Select Committee on Jan. 6 has issued a subpoena to retired Army Col. James “Phil” Waldron, directing him to appear before the committee and testify to his role in creating a presentation on how Republicans could subvert the 2020 election, as well as his work with Trump’s legal team in spreading election lies from state to state.
“Mr. Waldron reportedly claimed to have visited the White House on multiple occasions after the election, spoken to Mark Meadows ‘maybe 8 to 10 times,’ and briefed several members of Congress on election fraud theories. He also publicly acknowledged contributing to the creation of a PowerPoint presentation that was given to, or described for, Republican Members of Congress on the eve of January 6th. According to reporting, he also participated in meetings at the Willard Hotel in early January 2021.”
--------------
I Am Sure You Are Tired of Reading These Things
I Am Tired of Posting About COVID
--------------
Manchin Is Delivering a Lump Of Coal to the People of West Virginia. And a Big F-You to the All of Us.
President Joe Biden acknowledged Thursday that his sweeping social spending and climate policy legislation is unlikely to pass before the end of the year.
Biden said in a statement that more time is needed to finalize agreements, turn those deals into legislative language and complete other procedural steps.
Biden said that work will continue "over the days and weeks ahead."
But he expressed confidence that differences with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.VA., a key holdout, can be bridged.
"We will – we must – get Build Back Better passed, even in the face of Republican opposition," he said.
Then He Will Wish the Tens of Thousands Who Will Lose Child Tax Credit Payments a Merry Christmas, As He Pockets the Money From Big Donors.
--------------
A Judge Gives a Christmas Gift to All Of Us Who Despise the Sacklers.
A federal judge has upended the bankruptcy plan of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, saying the members of the Sackler family who own the company could not be released from legal claims over the opioid epidemic.
Judge overturns deal giving Purdue Pharma’s Sackler family civil immunity from opioid claims
In a 142-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York said that the controversial provision to grant the Sackler family members immunity from thousands of lawsuits over the public health crisis is “inconsistent” with the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, disagreeing with the court that had approved the approximately $4.5 billion agreement in the fall.
--------------
Another Judge Gives a Christmas Gift to All Of Us Who Despise Fox News.
A judge on Thursday rejected a request from Fox News to dismiss a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems over baseless claims made against the company during the 2020 presidential election, allowing the suit to move forward.
Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric M. Davis said it was “reasonably conceivable” for the Denver-based voting-machine company to have a defamation claim.
“The Court can infer that Fox intended to avoid the truth,” Davis wrote in a 52-page ruling. “Whether Dominion ultimately will prove Fox’s actual malice by clear and convincing evidence is irrelevant on a motion to dismiss. … Accordingly, Fox’s Motion should be denied.”
Dominion filed the lawsuit against Fox News earlier this year, claiming that some of its highest-profile on-air talent helped elevate false charges that the company had changed votes to favor Joe Biden over then-President Donald Trump. The lawsuit claims that hosts such as Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro brought Trump allies onto their shows to spread lies asserting that Dominion was using algorithms in voting machines that were created in Venezuela to rig multiple elections for Hugo Chávez, the late president.
--------------
Maybe He Just Had His Head Up His Ass
A passenger was forced to disembark a flight in Florida because he insisted that wearing a red thong as a face mask complied with COVID regulations, local media said Thursday.
Adam Jenne, 38, was asked to leave the aircraft before it took off from Fort Lauderdale airport.
He told local news channel NBC2 he wanted to show the "absurdity" of forcing passengers to wear masks on planes while allowing them to be removed to eat and drink on board.
Video of Wednesday's incident, filmed by another passenger, showed the crew informing Jenne that he wouldn't be able to stay on board if he kept the thong on his face.
After some discussion, he finally left his seat.
--------------
I Have Finally Found Someone That Cryptocurrencies Help
It’s not just lucky investors getting rich from crypto.
Hackers have made off with billions of dollars in virtual assets in the past year by compromising some of the cryptocurrency exchanges that have emerged during the bitcoin boom.
There have been more than 20 hacks this year where a digital robber stole at least $10 million in digital currencies from a crypto exchange or project. In at least six cases, hackers stole more than $100 million, according to data compiled by NBC News. By comparison, bank robberies netted perpetrators an average of less than $5,000 per heist last year, according to the FBI’s annual crime statistics.
Despite the large dollar amounts associated with these thefts, they often lack the drama or attention of traditional bank robberies. But cryptocurrency experts say they offer a warning to would-be crypto investors: Exchanges are now lucrative targets for hackers.
“If you hack a Fortune 500 company today, you might steal some usernames and passwords,” said Esteban Castaño, the CEO and co-founder of TRM Labs, a company that builds tools for companies to track digital assets. “If you hack a cryptocurrency exchange, you may have millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.”
--------------
This is a Better Gig Than Stealing Crypto
America's wealthiest pastor avoided paying more than $150,000 in annual taxes on his $7 million Texas mansion, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Kenneth Copeland, a famous televangelist who founded Eagle Mountain International Church, built a six-bedroom mansion near Fort Worth in 1999.
Copeland is worth $750 million and owns multiple properties and several private jets, the Chronicle said. The jets are housed at a nearby airport named after him.
Under Texas law, pastors' homes, known as parsonages, can get a 100% exemption from property taxes.
Local authorities said Copeland is within his rights to claim the house as a parsonage, even though the law was likely never intended to cover super-rich religious figures like him.
--------------
RU Ready for RU 486?
The U.S. government on Thursday permanently eased some restrictions on a pill used to terminate early pregnancies, allowing the drug to be sent by mail rather than requiring it to be dispensed in person.
The decision by the Food and Drug Administration comes as the right to obtain an abortion, established in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade, hangs in the balance.
The medication, generically known as mifepristone (also known as RU 486), is approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and is also sometimes prescribed to treat women who are having miscarriages.
"The FDA’s decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients," said Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the ACLU.
The restrictions on the pill had been in place since the FDA approved the drug in 2000 and were lifted temporarily by the government earlier this year due to the pandemic. That enabled women to consult healthcare providers by telemedicine and receive the pills by mail. The FDA's decision makes that temporary change permanent.
As a result of the FDA rule change, many patients will not need to go to a clinic, medical office or hospital in person to receive the medication, but can opt to receive the pill through the mail from a certified prescriber or pharmacy.
The decision will increase access to medication abortion for women in remote and rural areas without providers nearby.
--------------
Self-Regulation: An Idea Right Up There With Self-Deportation.
Portable generators can save lives after major storms by powering medical equipment, heaters and refrigerators when the grid collapses. But desperate residents who rely on the machines to keep their families safe sometimes end up poisoning them instead.
The devices can emit as much carbon monoxide as 450 cars, according to federal figures. They kill an average of 70 people in the U.S. each year and injure thousands more, making them one of the most dangerous consumer products on the market.
As climate change and the nation’s aging infrastructure combine to cause worsening storms and longer power outages, experts warn that more people are turning to portable generators every year — a trend that benefits manufacturers’ bottom line while putting more people at risk.
At least six people died of carbon monoxide poisoning after Hurricane Ida. All of the deaths were connected to generators, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. The machines also killed at least 10 people in February after a massive winter storm knocked out power across Texas, causing more than half of the known carbon monoxide deaths linked to the outage, according to medical examiner investigations and incident reports. And warnings about the threat posed by generators resurfaced this week after tornadoes left hundreds of thousands without power in Kentucky and neighboring states.
The federal government identified the danger of portable generators more than two decades ago. But regulations that would force companies to reduce generators’ carbon monoxide emissions and make the machines safer have been stymied under a statutory process that empowers manufacturers to regulate themselves, former government officials and consumer advocates say. That has resulted in limited safety upgrades and continued deaths, ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and NBC News found.
--------------
CDC doesn't do a good job of reporting around holidays.
200 Million Fully Vaccinated
Doses Administered 7-Day Average | Number of People Receiving 1 or More Doses | Number of People Fully Vaccinated | New Cases 7-Day Average | Deaths 7-Day Average | |
| Dec 17 | 2,065,555 | 240,775,382 | 203,479,206 | ||
| Dec 16 | 2,043,207 | 240,321,022 | 203,159,327 | 122,296 | 1,179 |
| Dec 15 | 1,795,384 | 239,975,167 | 202,748,005 | 119,546 | 1,187 |
| Dec 14 | 1,904,464 | 239,553,956 | 202,504,037 | 117,950 | 1,143 |
| Dec 13 | 1,951,329 | 239,274,656 | 202,246,698 | 117,890 | 1,147 |
| Dec 12 | 1,984,721 | 239,008,166 | 201,975,235 | 116,742 | 1,131 |
| Dec 11 | 2,020,853 | 238,679,707 | 201,688,550 | 116,893 | 1,131 |
| Dec 10 | 1,721,570 | 238,143,066 | 201,279,582 | 118,575 | 1,146 |
| Dec 9 | 1,583,662 | 237,468,725 | 200,717,387 | 118,052 | 1,089 |
| Dec 8 | 1,611,831 | 237,087,380 | 200,400,533 | 118,515 | 1,092 |
| Dec 7 | 1,781,389 | 236,363,835 | 199,687,439 | 117,488 | 1,097 |
| Dec 6 | 1,780,807 | 236,018,871 | 199,313,022 | 117,179 | 1,117 |
| Dec 5 | 2,264,301 | 235,698,738 | 198,962,520 | 103,823 | 1,154 |
| Dec 4 | 2,009,864 | 235,297,964 | 198,592,167 | 105,554 | 1,150 |
| Dec 3 | 1,700,056 | 234,743,864 | 198,211,641 | 106,132 | 1,110 |
| Dec 2 | 1,428,263 | 234,269,053 | 197,838,728 | 96,425 | 975 |
| Dec 1 | 1,116,587 | 233,590,555 | 197,363,116 | 86,412 | 859 |
| Nov 30 | 1,152,647 | 233,207,582 | 197,058,988 | 82,846 | 816 |
| Nov 29 | 937,113 | 232,792,508 | 196,806,194 | 80,178 | 804 |
| Nov 28 | No Data | 72,008 | 719 | ||
| Nov 27 | No Data | 72,139 | 721 | ||
| Nov 26 | No Data | 73,962 | 742 | ||
| Nov 25 | No Data | 82,440 | 887 | ||
| Nov 24 | 898,833 | 231,367,686 | 196,168,756 | 93,931 | 989 |
| Nov 23 | 1,126,545 | 230,669,289 | 195,973,992 | 94,266 | 982 |
| Nov 22 | 1,521,815 | 230,732,565 | 196,398,948 | 93,668 | 1,009 |
| Nov 21 | 1,774,196 | 230,298,744 | 196,284,442 | 91,021 | 985 |
| Nov 20 | 2,136,513 | 229,837,421 | 196,128,496 | 90,823 | 996 |
| Nov 19 | 1,952,717 | 229,291,004 | 195,920,566 | 92,852 | 1,047 |
| Nov 18 | 1,870,564 | 228,570,531 | 195,713,107 | 94,260 | 1,069 |
| Nov 17 | 1,811,047 | 228,175,638 | 195,612,365 | 88,482 | 1,032 |
| Nov 16 | 1,608,906 | 227,691,941 | 195,435,688 | 85,944 | 1,028 |
| Nov 15 | 1,582,519 | 227,133,617 | 195,275,904 | 83,671 | 1,029 |
| Feb 16 | 1,716,311 | 39,670,551 | 15,015,434 | 78,292 |
| At Least One Dose | Fully Vaccinated | % of Vaccinated W/ Boosters | |
| % of Total Population | 72.5% | 61.3% | 28.6% |
| % of Population 12+ | 82.8% | 70.6% | 31.1% |
| % of Population 18+ | 84.8% | 72.3% | 42.8% |
| % of Population 65+ | 95.0% | 87.4% | 53.4% |
What Vaccines and Booster Do and Don't Do
Vaccines are VERY effective in building resistance in the lungs. If the virus cannot reside in your lungs, you are unlikely to have serious illness.
They are NOT effective in building resistant in the nose, pharynx, and larynx. That means the virus can live there, and that makes you capable of spreading the virus.
This is all good for you, but not good for unvaccinated people around you.
--------------
Mild COVID Seems Like a Cold
So far, the top five symptoms are:
runny nose
headache
fatigue (either mild or severe)
sneezing
sore throat
If you think you may have Covid, it is important to get tested. Even people who don't feel very ill can put others at risk.
--------------
The Good News About a Breakthrough Infection
A study by Oregon researchers finds that people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 who have a breakthrough infection end up with what the authors call "super immunity."
They caution the vaccinated should not seek COVID-19 infection, but the "hybrid immunity" offers some solace for those who catch one despite having been vaccinated.
"The bottom line of the study is that vaccine provides you with foundational immunity for whatever comes next," said Fikadu Tafesse, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology in the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine in Portland, Oregon.
The study matched 26 vaccinated Oregon Health & Science University staff people who had breakthrough infections with a similar group who were vaccinated but hadn't had COVID-19.
The people who were vaccinated and then got COVID-19 showed a substantial increase in antibody levels, said Tafesse.
"The increases were substantial, up to a 1,000% increase and sometimes up to 2,000%, so it's really high immunity," he said. "It's almost 'super immunity.'"
Multiple other studies have shown that infection with COVID-19 followed by one dose of the vaccine is very protective against re-infection.
--------------
Christmas Goat Roasting in an Open Fire
A giant straw goat that has become an annual highlight in the Swedish city of Gavle has been burned by an arsonist.
A man in his 40s was arrested after the structure was set alight in the early hours of Friday.
The goat has been attacked many times before but survived every festive period since 2016 under 24-hour security.
Spokeswoman Rebecca Steiner said she was devastated by the attack on the seasonal institution.
"It's just a week before Christmas and I cannot understand how a person can carry out this kind of attack to a Christmas symbol known all over the world," she told the BBC.
The Gavlebocken (Gavle goat) has been put up in the city's central Castle Square every Christmas since 1966 and has become a regular target for arsonists and vandals.
It has survived an attempted kidnapping via helicopter and been rammed by a car, but it has mostly been targeted by fire. It was burned down at midnight on New Year's Eve in its very first year of existence in 1966.
So Many Questions: Why a Goat? Why Do People Attack it? Is Everyone In Sweden On Drugs?
--------------
If They Are on Drugs, It's Not a Worthless, Over-Priced Alzheimer's Medication.
The European Medicines Agency has said no to approving a new drug for Alzheimer's disease in the EU.
Aducanumab does not appear to be effective at treating adults with early-stage symptoms, the EMA said.
Alzheimer's charities say they are disappointed by the decision because thousands of people are left with no treatment options.
The drug - the first new treatment for 20 years - was controversially approved in the US in June.
At the time, many scientists said there was little evidence from trials of it being of benefit despite it targeting amyloid - a protein that forms abnormal clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
I Wonder Who Got Paid Off to Approve a Drug That Doesn't Work.
--------------
WTF Does "Remain Alert" Mean?
A vague and viral TikTok trend warning of nationwide school violence on Friday — which authorities have dismissed as non-credible — has nevertheless prompted widespread school closures, stretched law enforcement resources and put families on edge ahead of a critical holiday travel season.
A number of school districts in states ranging from Minnesota to Texas announced they were shutting down schools on Friday in response to a wave of videos, some mentioning specific schools, suggesting that students avoid coming to class on Dec. 17. In other areas, law enforcement were on high alert, sending officers to guard schools as a precaution.
The US Department of Homeland Security said Friday morning it has no evidence to suggest the claims are credible but encouraged the public to "remain alert."
--------------
He Will Probably Take the 5th
The House Select Committee on Jan. 6 has issued a subpoena to retired Army Col. James “Phil” Waldron, directing him to appear before the committee and testify to his role in creating a presentation on how Republicans could subvert the 2020 election, as well as his work with Trump’s legal team in spreading election lies from state to state.
“Mr. Waldron reportedly claimed to have visited the White House on multiple occasions after the election, spoken to Mark Meadows ‘maybe 8 to 10 times,’ and briefed several members of Congress on election fraud theories. He also publicly acknowledged contributing to the creation of a PowerPoint presentation that was given to, or described for, Republican Members of Congress on the eve of January 6th. According to reporting, he also participated in meetings at the Willard Hotel in early January 2021.”
--------------
I Am Sure You Are Tired of Reading These Things
I Am Tired of Posting About COVID
--------------
Manchin Is Delivering a Lump Of Coal to the People of West Virginia. And a Big F-You to the All of Us.
President Joe Biden acknowledged Thursday that his sweeping social spending and climate policy legislation is unlikely to pass before the end of the year.
Biden said in a statement that more time is needed to finalize agreements, turn those deals into legislative language and complete other procedural steps.
Biden said that work will continue "over the days and weeks ahead."
But he expressed confidence that differences with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.VA., a key holdout, can be bridged.
"We will – we must – get Build Back Better passed, even in the face of Republican opposition," he said.
Then He Will Wish the Tens of Thousands Who Will Lose Child Tax Credit Payments a Merry Christmas, As He Pockets the Money From Big Donors.
--------------
A Judge Gives a Christmas Gift to All Of Us Who Despise the Sacklers.
A federal judge has upended the bankruptcy plan of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, saying the members of the Sackler family who own the company could not be released from legal claims over the opioid epidemic.
Judge overturns deal giving Purdue Pharma’s Sackler family civil immunity from opioid claims
In a 142-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in New York said that the controversial provision to grant the Sackler family members immunity from thousands of lawsuits over the public health crisis is “inconsistent” with the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, disagreeing with the court that had approved the approximately $4.5 billion agreement in the fall.
--------------
Another Judge Gives a Christmas Gift to All Of Us Who Despise Fox News.
A judge on Thursday rejected a request from Fox News to dismiss a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems over baseless claims made against the company during the 2020 presidential election, allowing the suit to move forward.
Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric M. Davis said it was “reasonably conceivable” for the Denver-based voting-machine company to have a defamation claim.
“The Court can infer that Fox intended to avoid the truth,” Davis wrote in a 52-page ruling. “Whether Dominion ultimately will prove Fox’s actual malice by clear and convincing evidence is irrelevant on a motion to dismiss. … Accordingly, Fox’s Motion should be denied.”
Dominion filed the lawsuit against Fox News earlier this year, claiming that some of its highest-profile on-air talent helped elevate false charges that the company had changed votes to favor Joe Biden over then-President Donald Trump. The lawsuit claims that hosts such as Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro brought Trump allies onto their shows to spread lies asserting that Dominion was using algorithms in voting machines that were created in Venezuela to rig multiple elections for Hugo Chávez, the late president.
--------------
Maybe He Just Had His Head Up His Ass
A passenger was forced to disembark a flight in Florida because he insisted that wearing a red thong as a face mask complied with COVID regulations, local media said Thursday.
Adam Jenne, 38, was asked to leave the aircraft before it took off from Fort Lauderdale airport.
He told local news channel NBC2 he wanted to show the "absurdity" of forcing passengers to wear masks on planes while allowing them to be removed to eat and drink on board.
Video of Wednesday's incident, filmed by another passenger, showed the crew informing Jenne that he wouldn't be able to stay on board if he kept the thong on his face.
After some discussion, he finally left his seat.
--------------
I Have Finally Found Someone That Cryptocurrencies Help
It’s not just lucky investors getting rich from crypto.
Hackers have made off with billions of dollars in virtual assets in the past year by compromising some of the cryptocurrency exchanges that have emerged during the bitcoin boom.
There have been more than 20 hacks this year where a digital robber stole at least $10 million in digital currencies from a crypto exchange or project. In at least six cases, hackers stole more than $100 million, according to data compiled by NBC News. By comparison, bank robberies netted perpetrators an average of less than $5,000 per heist last year, according to the FBI’s annual crime statistics.
Despite the large dollar amounts associated with these thefts, they often lack the drama or attention of traditional bank robberies. But cryptocurrency experts say they offer a warning to would-be crypto investors: Exchanges are now lucrative targets for hackers.
“If you hack a Fortune 500 company today, you might steal some usernames and passwords,” said Esteban Castaño, the CEO and co-founder of TRM Labs, a company that builds tools for companies to track digital assets. “If you hack a cryptocurrency exchange, you may have millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.”
--------------
This is a Better Gig Than Stealing Crypto
America's wealthiest pastor avoided paying more than $150,000 in annual taxes on his $7 million Texas mansion, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Kenneth Copeland, a famous televangelist who founded Eagle Mountain International Church, built a six-bedroom mansion near Fort Worth in 1999.
Copeland is worth $750 million and owns multiple properties and several private jets, the Chronicle said. The jets are housed at a nearby airport named after him.
Under Texas law, pastors' homes, known as parsonages, can get a 100% exemption from property taxes.
Local authorities said Copeland is within his rights to claim the house as a parsonage, even though the law was likely never intended to cover super-rich religious figures like him.
--------------
RU Ready for RU 486?
The U.S. government on Thursday permanently eased some restrictions on a pill used to terminate early pregnancies, allowing the drug to be sent by mail rather than requiring it to be dispensed in person.
The decision by the Food and Drug Administration comes as the right to obtain an abortion, established in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade, hangs in the balance.
The medication, generically known as mifepristone (also known as RU 486), is approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and is also sometimes prescribed to treat women who are having miscarriages.
"The FDA’s decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients," said Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the ACLU.
The restrictions on the pill had been in place since the FDA approved the drug in 2000 and were lifted temporarily by the government earlier this year due to the pandemic. That enabled women to consult healthcare providers by telemedicine and receive the pills by mail. The FDA's decision makes that temporary change permanent.
As a result of the FDA rule change, many patients will not need to go to a clinic, medical office or hospital in person to receive the medication, but can opt to receive the pill through the mail from a certified prescriber or pharmacy.
The decision will increase access to medication abortion for women in remote and rural areas without providers nearby.
--------------
Self-Regulation: An Idea Right Up There With Self-Deportation.
Portable generators can save lives after major storms by powering medical equipment, heaters and refrigerators when the grid collapses. But desperate residents who rely on the machines to keep their families safe sometimes end up poisoning them instead.
The devices can emit as much carbon monoxide as 450 cars, according to federal figures. They kill an average of 70 people in the U.S. each year and injure thousands more, making them one of the most dangerous consumer products on the market.
As climate change and the nation’s aging infrastructure combine to cause worsening storms and longer power outages, experts warn that more people are turning to portable generators every year — a trend that benefits manufacturers’ bottom line while putting more people at risk.
At least six people died of carbon monoxide poisoning after Hurricane Ida. All of the deaths were connected to generators, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. The machines also killed at least 10 people in February after a massive winter storm knocked out power across Texas, causing more than half of the known carbon monoxide deaths linked to the outage, according to medical examiner investigations and incident reports. And warnings about the threat posed by generators resurfaced this week after tornadoes left hundreds of thousands without power in Kentucky and neighboring states.
The federal government identified the danger of portable generators more than two decades ago. But regulations that would force companies to reduce generators’ carbon monoxide emissions and make the machines safer have been stymied under a statutory process that empowers manufacturers to regulate themselves, former government officials and consumer advocates say. That has resulted in limited safety upgrades and continued deaths, ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and NBC News found.
--------------