Post by mhbruin on Jan 17, 2022 10:23:22 GMT -8
US Vaccine Data - We Have Now Administered 527 Million Shots (Population 333 Million)
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California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday Jan 11)
We had a great December, but January has been pretty bad. There are no big storms in the 10-day forecast.
Reservoirs are still low, but slightly better.
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I Guess the Women Didn't Think of Him as a Dutch Treat
The Voice of Holland, which originated 150 global versions of the hit talent TV show, has been pulled off-air amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
The singing show is suspended while the allegations are being investigated, said the news website for Dutch broadcaster RTL, which produces it.
Jeroen Rietbergen, the series' band leader, resigned on Saturday, admitting to "relationships of a sexual nature" with women involved in the programme.
Belgium is Asked if They Approve of This Decision. Belgium Waffles
--------------
Rough Times in Tonga
Tongans living overseas are facing an anxious wait for news of loved ones after a volcano triggered a tsunami.
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupted on Saturday, about 65km (40 miles) north of the capital Nuku'alofa.
The eruption, which was heard as far away as the US, caused waves higher than a metre to crash into Tonga.
The authorities have not confirmed any deaths but communications are crippled, making it difficult to establish the scale of the destruction.
But a British woman, Angela Glover, died after being swept away in the waves, her brother says.
I Was Going to Make a Joke About This Guy, But ...
Pita Taufatofua, who went viral during the Olympics for being oiled up as he carried Tonga’s flag at the opening ceremonies, revealed Saturday his father and other members of his family were missing following an underwater volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that hit the country.
Taufatofua’s father is the governor in Haapai and following the disaster, all communication had been cut off.
--------------
Because One Form of Crazy and Stupid Isn't Enough For Some People
Media Matters for America has been tracking the slow merge between "QAnon" conspiracy theorists and longtime anti-vaccination conspiracy theorists, and it's worth a read. The takeaway point is that anti-vax "leaders" have been quick to seize on the nation's new largest collection of gullibles, and have been increasingly given platforms by Q-centric hosts and events so as to explain to the nice weird people who believe that world elites are harvesting the blood of children that Actually, not getting polio has been a major part of this conspiracy all along.
And yes, that includes disgraced researcher Andrew Wakefield, the fraud who invented much of modern anti-vax conspiracy movement in the first place. He's been looking for allies inside the "Q" movement and finding them. But a twist is that the antivax-QAnon relationship is a two way street; while QAnon audiences have been eager to hear from their anti-vax conspiracy comrades, Media Matters notes that the anti-vaccine leaders are themselves embracing QAnon slogans and theories during QAnon events.
And Because One Form Of Taking Their Money Isn't Enough For Other People
--------------
An Excellent Analysis of What's Next
threadreaderapp.com/thread/1482424398342619137.html
January is the Cruelest Month
--------------
Too Little, Too Late
The well-meaning attorney general may pursue Trump on narrow charges but is unlikely to take a much-needed broader view, and is almost certain to be too slow to save America.
The prosecution of the former president is on a slower timeline. This includes not only the criminal investigations being pursued in Georgia by the Fulton County district attorney, and in New York by the state attorney general and the Manhattan district attorney, but also any investigations emanating from the U.S. Department of Justice. But that’s okay; Merrick Garland is no longer the problem or the solution.
I came to this conclusion after Attorney General Garland delivered a much-hyped speech commemorating the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol. After considering his words, I opened a calendar and did the math. We’ll get to that math in a moment. But first, let’s be clear about what Garland did and didn’t promise.
After watching his talk and then reading the prepared remarks published on the DOJ website, I have this take: I fully trust Garland to prosecute Trump in connection with the events directly leading up to and surrounding the certification of the electoral vote on January 6. But I’m less sure how much Trump mischief that will include.
Too Many People Think We Are In Normal Times, and That Normal Measures are Required
--------------
I Have 6 Words For People Like Manchin and QOP Politicians Who Support Trump.
"The Night of the Long Knives"
That's the night when Hitler had many of his top supporters murdered. These were the same people who helped him get power.
Trump has shown the same ability to turn on people who supported him. If they put him into power people like Mitch, Kevin, and Joe will be among the first to feel his wrath.
--------------
Since It is Unsigned, We Don't Know Who Wrote This Drivel
“COVID-19 can and does spread at home, in schools, during sporting events, and everywhere else that people gather,” the unsigned opinion reads. “That kind of universal risk is no different from the day-to-day dangers that all face from crime, air pollution, or any number of communicable diseases.”
This is laughable logic. OSHA regulates many, many hazards that are also present outside the workplace. The fact that you can die in a fire in your apartment is not an argument against regulating fire hazards in factories or offices. The mandate applied to firms whose employees have to work indoors, because that’s how the virus spreads. Moreover, unlike attending a sporting event as a spectator, people have to go to work, unless they’re lucky enough to be, say, a Supreme Court justice, in which case you can work remotely.
--------------
Every Dollar Spent Is One Less Dollar These Clowns Can Give to Evil People
“That’s not small potatoes,” the lead author of the letter, Kao-Ping Chua of the University of Michigan Medical School, told me. The unit cost of ivermectin pills is low — about $1 to $1.50 per pill — but the volume of wasteful prescriptions adds up.
The $129.7 million spent on wasteful ivermectin, the letter’s authors calculated, is more than the annual Medicare spending on unnecessary imaging for lower back pain, a low-value diagnostic order that has been widely researched. No one has paid much attention to the ivermectin expense, however.
And That Leaves More Real Medicine For the Rest of Us
--------------
Coal Joe Has Always Been Despicable
Actually, Joe Manchin started his sabotage of the West Virginia Democratic Party back in 1996. Manchin ran for governor in 1996, but he lost the Democratic Primary to a progressive candidate by the name of Charlotte Pritt. After the primary, Manchin started an orginization “Democrats for Underwood” who was the Republican candidate.
Yeah. Manchin was supporting the Republican over the Democratic candidate.
That’s bad enough, but Pritt claims that Manchin devised a smear campaign against her and helped Republicans with a false TV Ad.
--------------
Is It Time For a "a total and complete shutdown of British Citizens entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on."
The man who took four hostages at a synagogue in Texas on Saturday is a 44 year-old British citizen, the FBI said Sunday.
--------------
Too Little, Too Late
The largest satellite provider in the United States said late Friday it will drop One America News, a move that could financially cripple the rightwing TV network known for fueling conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
The announcement by DirecTV, which is 70% owned by AT&T, comes three months after a Reuters investigation revealed that OAN’s founder testified that AT&T inspired him to create the network. Court testimony also showed that OAN receives nearly all of its revenue from DirecTV.
I Already Switched My Cell Service to T-Mobile. I'm Not Going Back to AT&T.
--------------
Ridiculous Headline from NBC. "Barren Shelves"??
Store shelves are empty again across the country. Here's why.
The recent spread of the omicron variant among supply chain workers, sour weather and even a recall of bagged salads and vegetables have caused Americans to once again find barren shelves at supermarkets or retail stores.
There are a Few Shortages, But Our Grocery Store Hardly Looks Like Soviet Russia or North Korea
More than a little over-exaggeration
--------------
Personal Note
The swelling around my eyes has gone down to the point where my vision is getting back to normal. I'm finally able to read the news again. I am not sure that is a blessing.
CDC doesn't do a good job of reporting around holidays.
Doses Administered 7-Day Average | Number of People Receiving 1 or More Doses | Number of People 2 or More Doses | New Cases 7-Day Average | Deaths 7-Day Average | |
| Jan 17 | |||||
| Jan 16 | No Data | ||||
| Jan 15 | 1,268,202 | 248,707,432 | 208,995,438 | ||
| Jan 14 | 1,286,773 | 248,338,448 | 208,791,862 | 798,335 | 1,784 |
| Jan 13 | 1,291,013 | 247,987,225 | 208,564,894 | 794,587 | 1,730 |
| Jan 12 | 1,234,672 | 247,695,845 | 208,182,657 | 782,765 | 1,729 |
| Jan 11 | 1,213,113 | 247,321,023 | 207,954,605 | 761,535 | 1,656 |
| Jan 10 | 1,307,445 | 247,051,363 | 207,796,335 | 750,996 | 1,633 |
| Jan 9 | 1,331,635 | 246,812,939 | 207,662,071 | 674,406 | 1,552 |
| Jan 8 | 1,286,783 | 246,447,823 | 207,452,448 | 680,330 | 1,544 |
| Jan 7 | 1,226,151 | 246,050,320 | 207,229,983 | 668,497 | 1,513 |
| Jan 6 | 1,164,127 | 245,653,518 | 207,016,514 | 614,552 | 1,350 |
| Jan 5 | 1,117,999 | 245,278,020 | 206,797,799 | 586,391 | 1,245 |
| Jan 4 | 1,093,005 | 244,947,293 | 206,581,659 | 554,328 | 1,238 |
| Jan 3 | No Data | 491,652 | 1,165 | ||
| Jan 2 | No Data | 438,082 | 1,174 | ||
| Jan 1 | No Data | 411,871 | 1,151 | ||
| Dec 31 | No Data | 391,098 | 1,135 | ||
| Dec 30 | 1,234,917 | 243,527,564 | 205,811,394 | 360,276 | 1,144 |
| Dec 29 | 1,042,911 | 243,182,423 | 205,638,307 | 316,277 | 1,100 |
| Dec 28 | 1,091,279 | 242,813,374 | 205,420,745 | 277,241 | 1,085 |
| Dec 27 | 1,034,442 | 242,433,620 | 205,196,973 | 240,408 | 1,096 |
| Dec 26 | No Data | 206,577 | 1,041 | ||
| Dec 25 | No Data | 196,511 | 1,053 | ||
| Dec 24 | No Data | 195,713 | 1,108 | ||
| Dec 23 | 1,189,954 | 241,520,561 | 204,740,321 | 192,453 | 1,199 |
| Dec 22 | 1,283,244 | 241,583,543 | 204,818,717 | 176,097 | 1,213 |
| Dec 21 | 1,542,936 | 241,132,288 | 204,578,725 | 161,261 | 1,223 |
| Dec 20 | 1,554,261 | 241,881,712 | 204,098,982 | 149,331 | 1,188 |
| Dec 19 | 1,558,720 | 241,571,084 | 203,926,479 | 132,659 | 1,169 |
| Dec 18 | 1,562,366 | 241,205,528 | 203,727,446 | 127,445 | 1,182 |
| Dec 17 | 2,065,555 | 240,775,382 | 203,479,206 | 125,775 | 1,182 |
| 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 |
| Feb 16, 2021 | 1,716,311 | 39,670,551 | 15,015,434 | 78,292 |
| At Least One Dose | Fully Vaccinated | % of Vaccinated W/ Boosters | |
| % of Total Population | 74.8% | 62.9% | 37.8% |
| % of Population 5+ | 79.5% | 66.9% | |
| % of Population 12+ | 84.8% | 71.8% | 41.0% |
| % of Population 18+ | 86.8% | 73.5% | 52.6% |
| % of Population 65+ | 95.0% | 88.0% | 61.6% |
California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday Jan 11)
We had a great December, but January has been pretty bad. There are no big storms in the 10-day forecast.
| Percent of Average for this Date | Last Week | 2 Weeks ago | |
| Northern Sierra Precipitation | 149% | 158% | 170% |
| San Joaquin Precipitation | 138% | 156% | 170% |
| Tulare Basin Precipitation | 127% | 145% | 151% |
| Snow Water Content - North | 128% | 135% | 134% |
| Snow Water Content - Central | 129% | 148% | 148% |
| Snow Water Content - South | 135% | 160% | 158% |
Reservoirs are still low, but slightly better.
--------------
I Guess the Women Didn't Think of Him as a Dutch Treat
The Voice of Holland, which originated 150 global versions of the hit talent TV show, has been pulled off-air amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
The singing show is suspended while the allegations are being investigated, said the news website for Dutch broadcaster RTL, which produces it.
Jeroen Rietbergen, the series' band leader, resigned on Saturday, admitting to "relationships of a sexual nature" with women involved in the programme.
Belgium is Asked if They Approve of This Decision. Belgium Waffles
--------------
Rough Times in Tonga
Tongans living overseas are facing an anxious wait for news of loved ones after a volcano triggered a tsunami.
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupted on Saturday, about 65km (40 miles) north of the capital Nuku'alofa.
The eruption, which was heard as far away as the US, caused waves higher than a metre to crash into Tonga.
The authorities have not confirmed any deaths but communications are crippled, making it difficult to establish the scale of the destruction.
But a British woman, Angela Glover, died after being swept away in the waves, her brother says.
I Was Going to Make a Joke About This Guy, But ...
Pita Taufatofua, who went viral during the Olympics for being oiled up as he carried Tonga’s flag at the opening ceremonies, revealed Saturday his father and other members of his family were missing following an underwater volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami that hit the country.
Taufatofua’s father is the governor in Haapai and following the disaster, all communication had been cut off.
--------------
Because One Form of Crazy and Stupid Isn't Enough For Some People
Media Matters for America has been tracking the slow merge between "QAnon" conspiracy theorists and longtime anti-vaccination conspiracy theorists, and it's worth a read. The takeaway point is that anti-vax "leaders" have been quick to seize on the nation's new largest collection of gullibles, and have been increasingly given platforms by Q-centric hosts and events so as to explain to the nice weird people who believe that world elites are harvesting the blood of children that Actually, not getting polio has been a major part of this conspiracy all along.
And yes, that includes disgraced researcher Andrew Wakefield, the fraud who invented much of modern anti-vax conspiracy movement in the first place. He's been looking for allies inside the "Q" movement and finding them. But a twist is that the antivax-QAnon relationship is a two way street; while QAnon audiences have been eager to hear from their anti-vax conspiracy comrades, Media Matters notes that the anti-vaccine leaders are themselves embracing QAnon slogans and theories during QAnon events.
And Because One Form Of Taking Their Money Isn't Enough For Other People
--------------
An Excellent Analysis of What's Next
threadreaderapp.com/thread/1482424398342619137.html
January is the Cruelest Month
--------------
Too Little, Too Late
The well-meaning attorney general may pursue Trump on narrow charges but is unlikely to take a much-needed broader view, and is almost certain to be too slow to save America.
The prosecution of the former president is on a slower timeline. This includes not only the criminal investigations being pursued in Georgia by the Fulton County district attorney, and in New York by the state attorney general and the Manhattan district attorney, but also any investigations emanating from the U.S. Department of Justice. But that’s okay; Merrick Garland is no longer the problem or the solution.
I came to this conclusion after Attorney General Garland delivered a much-hyped speech commemorating the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol. After considering his words, I opened a calendar and did the math. We’ll get to that math in a moment. But first, let’s be clear about what Garland did and didn’t promise.
After watching his talk and then reading the prepared remarks published on the DOJ website, I have this take: I fully trust Garland to prosecute Trump in connection with the events directly leading up to and surrounding the certification of the electoral vote on January 6. But I’m less sure how much Trump mischief that will include.
Too Many People Think We Are In Normal Times, and That Normal Measures are Required
--------------
I Have 6 Words For People Like Manchin and QOP Politicians Who Support Trump.
"The Night of the Long Knives"
That's the night when Hitler had many of his top supporters murdered. These were the same people who helped him get power.
Trump has shown the same ability to turn on people who supported him. If they put him into power people like Mitch, Kevin, and Joe will be among the first to feel his wrath.
--------------
Since It is Unsigned, We Don't Know Who Wrote This Drivel
“COVID-19 can and does spread at home, in schools, during sporting events, and everywhere else that people gather,” the unsigned opinion reads. “That kind of universal risk is no different from the day-to-day dangers that all face from crime, air pollution, or any number of communicable diseases.”
This is laughable logic. OSHA regulates many, many hazards that are also present outside the workplace. The fact that you can die in a fire in your apartment is not an argument against regulating fire hazards in factories or offices. The mandate applied to firms whose employees have to work indoors, because that’s how the virus spreads. Moreover, unlike attending a sporting event as a spectator, people have to go to work, unless they’re lucky enough to be, say, a Supreme Court justice, in which case you can work remotely.
--------------
Every Dollar Spent Is One Less Dollar These Clowns Can Give to Evil People
“That’s not small potatoes,” the lead author of the letter, Kao-Ping Chua of the University of Michigan Medical School, told me. The unit cost of ivermectin pills is low — about $1 to $1.50 per pill — but the volume of wasteful prescriptions adds up.
The $129.7 million spent on wasteful ivermectin, the letter’s authors calculated, is more than the annual Medicare spending on unnecessary imaging for lower back pain, a low-value diagnostic order that has been widely researched. No one has paid much attention to the ivermectin expense, however.
And That Leaves More Real Medicine For the Rest of Us
--------------
Coal Joe Has Always Been Despicable
Actually, Joe Manchin started his sabotage of the West Virginia Democratic Party back in 1996. Manchin ran for governor in 1996, but he lost the Democratic Primary to a progressive candidate by the name of Charlotte Pritt. After the primary, Manchin started an orginization “Democrats for Underwood” who was the Republican candidate.
Yeah. Manchin was supporting the Republican over the Democratic candidate.
That’s bad enough, but Pritt claims that Manchin devised a smear campaign against her and helped Republicans with a false TV Ad.
--------------
Is It Time For a "a total and complete shutdown of British Citizens entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on."
The man who took four hostages at a synagogue in Texas on Saturday is a 44 year-old British citizen, the FBI said Sunday.
--------------
Too Little, Too Late
The largest satellite provider in the United States said late Friday it will drop One America News, a move that could financially cripple the rightwing TV network known for fueling conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
The announcement by DirecTV, which is 70% owned by AT&T, comes three months after a Reuters investigation revealed that OAN’s founder testified that AT&T inspired him to create the network. Court testimony also showed that OAN receives nearly all of its revenue from DirecTV.
I Already Switched My Cell Service to T-Mobile. I'm Not Going Back to AT&T.
--------------
Ridiculous Headline from NBC. "Barren Shelves"??
Store shelves are empty again across the country. Here's why.
The recent spread of the omicron variant among supply chain workers, sour weather and even a recall of bagged salads and vegetables have caused Americans to once again find barren shelves at supermarkets or retail stores.
There are a Few Shortages, But Our Grocery Store Hardly Looks Like Soviet Russia or North Korea
More than a little over-exaggeration
--------------
Personal Note
The swelling around my eyes has gone down to the point where my vision is getting back to normal. I'm finally able to read the news again. I am not sure that is a blessing.
