Post by mhbruin on Feb 2, 2022 11:55:43 GMT -8
US Vaccine Data - We Have Now Administered 540 Million Shots (Population 333 Million)
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California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday Feb 2)
There has been no significant rain since the first week in January. There are no big storms in the 10-day forecast. After a great start, this could still turn out to be a bad season.
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Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
Does Death Sentence Really Think He is More Popular that Faucci?
Gov. Ron DeSantis has a new message to Dr. Anthony Fauci for Republicans to spread across Florida's beaches.
"Fauci Can Pound Sand," it says on the soles of sandals now available for purchase on DeSantis' campaign website. While shopping, DeSantis supporters can also buy "Don't Fauci My Florida" beer koozies. Perhaps they were directed to his site from a recent DeSantis campaign email, subject line: "Fauci for Prison."
In the absence of a clear political opponent at the onset of his campaign for re-election, DeSantis seems to have created one out of the 81-year-old doctor from Brooklyn and Biden chief medical adviser. Beyond campaign merchandise and fundraising pitches, Fauci figures prominently in most of DeSantis' public remarks.
Breaking Promises For Fun and Profit
Here's one big reason oil prices are near a seven-year high: OPEC and Russia are producing less than they promised.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and 10 other major crude oil producers, including Russia, have been gradually increasing their output after taking 9.7 million barrels per day out of the market as demand collapsed in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
But the group, known as OPEC+, has repeatedly failed to meet its monthly target of adding back 400,000 barrels per day due to production shortfalls in several countries.
Mexico Sues the Merchants of Death. Mexico Exports Refugees. The US Exports Death.
In August, Mexico sued the U.S. in federal court over the “torrent” of illegal arms it sells to violent drug cartels, leading to thousands of deaths and continuing to fuel gang wars.
The $10 billion suit claims that divisions of Smith & Wesson, Barrett Firearms, Colt's Manufacturing Company, Glock Inc., Sturm, Ruger & Co., and others knowingly encourage illegal arms trafficking into the country.
Now, just in time for the launch of National Gun Violence Survivors Week, 12 U.S. states—along with Washington D.C., Antigua, Barbuda, and Belize—have given their support to Mexico and filed separate suits demanding that a federal judge in Boston not dismiss the suit.
Of course, gun companies argue that Mexico has failed to prove that the violence could be attributable to them and that the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce Arms Act (PLCAA) protects them from suits when their product is misused, alleging that firearms “are not only lawful but constitutionally protected in the United States."
I Guess He Takes "Cotton" In His Name Seriously
According to Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton even slavery was not about race and did not actually evidence white supremacism. In the words of Cotton:
“The entire premise of the New York Times’ factually, historically flawed 1619 Project … is that America is at root, a systemically racist country to the core and irredeemable. I reject that root and branch. America is a great and noble country founded on the proposition that all mankind is created equal. We have always struggled to live up to that promise, but no country has ever done more to achieve it.” We have to study the history of slavery and its role and impact on the development of our country because otherwise we can’t understand our country. As the Founding Fathers said, it was the necessary evil upon which the union was built.”
The War on Pizza Parlors is Now a War on Butterflies
A South Texas butterfly sanctuary will close indefinitely due to safety concerns after it was repeatedly targeted by right-wing conspiracy theorists who baselessly accused it of aiding human traffickers.
“[The] Board has decided to close the center, but continue to pay staff, for the immediate future,” National Butterfly Center Director Marianna Treviño-Wright told HuffPost on Tuesday.
“The board’s paramount concern is the safety of staff, members and visitors,” she added. “So for that reason, they have made the decision to close the center for the immediate future while they seek expert advice and formulate a plan that will best serve our interests and public safety moving forward.”
The butterfly conservatory, which pushed back against Trump administration efforts to erect sections of a U.S.-Mexico border wall near its 100-acre nature preserve in Mission, Texas, has been tied up in litigation for years with the former presidential administration and its allies at We Build The Wall, making it an ongoing target for harassment.
TucKKKer Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is. And His Mouth is In a Disgusting Place.
Tucker Carlson apparently doesn’t just promote conservative politicians on his Fox News show, he also supports them privately as well.
Well, at least one of them: controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
According to The Hill, a Federal Election Commission filing dated Sept. 15 shows the Greene for Congress PAC received a $250 donation from a “Tucker Carlson” who lists Fox News as their employer.
Of Course It's a Crime
From the Folks Who Denied Football Causes Brain Damage For Decades
Former NFL coach Brian Flores' attorney publically criticized the NFL's response to the lawsuit he filed Tuesday accusing the league and three of its teams of having racist and discriminatory hiring practices, saying that the NFL spent more time investigating the New England Patriots' Deflategate scandal than they did responding to the lawsuit's claims.
During an appearance on ESPN's Get Up on Wednesday morning, Flores and his attorneys, Doug Wigdor and John Elefterakis, spoke about the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court. In response to the lawsuit, the NFL quickly issued a statement on Tuesday saying that the league "will defend against these claims, which are without merit."
"Their statement, which hopefully was a knee-jerk reaction, they came out with a denial and it's 'without merit'," Elefterakis said on Get Up. "We filed a 60-page complaint rife with details of some serious, serious allegations. I mean they've investigated deflated footballs longer than they even took to do a response here."
"I mean, when you put that in perspective, that we're talking about how black candidates and minority candidates are hired and fired and discriminated against and they, within 30 minutes to an hour, put out a statement that it is 'without merit,'" Elefterakis said. "I mean, the fact that they were able to do that is a real indication and indictment of what's been going on."
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Did You Have Any Doubts About Fani Willis?
In case anyone had any doubts, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has made her most explicit statement to date regarding the target of her investigation into alleged attempts at improperly influencing the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Willis’ letter sent Sunday to the FBI requesting a “risk assessment” of the county courthouse and the surrounding area has been covered by Daily Kos and other news outlets. Willis’ letter cited “alarming” rhetoric used by the defeated former guy at a rally in Conroe, Texas, on Saturday night.
”You are likely aware that I am conducting a criminal investigation of former President Donald J. Trump and his associates regarding alleged attempts to improperly influence the administration of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. Be advised that on May 2, 2022, a Fulton County Special Purpose Grand Jury will convene as the next stage of this investigation. My staff and I will not be influenced or intimidated by anyone as this investigation moves forward.”
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Every News Outlet Feel Compelled to Report Some Gibberish About a Groundhog Today
Does it feel like we are reliving this over and over?
Does It Feel Like We are Reliving THIS Over and Over and Over Again?
Top Democrats and Republicans are set to huddle Wednesday in pursuit of a deal that could fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year, hoping to stave off a shutdown while potentially pumping new spending into health care, education, science and defense.
The upcoming discussions mark the second consecutive day of private meetings on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers who oversee the federal purse increasingly have come to express a measure of confidence that they can act before an upcoming Feb. 18 deadline — and overcome months of prior political disputes and delays.
That's Because We Are
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Meanwhile the Ignore the Story of the Decade. WWMGD?
What Will Merrick Garland Do?
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It's Not Easy Being Green, But the EU Wants to Make It Easier, By Moving the Goalposts Closer
Nuclear and natural gas energy plants could be counted as "green energy" under controversial EU plans just unveiled.
The European Commission says it has decided that both types of energy can classify as "sustainable investment" if they meet certain targets.
But the move has divided the EU, and been fiercely opposed by some members.
Austria's chancellor responded to the news by saying "nuclear power is neither green nor sustainable".
What is Green and Sustainable About Gas?
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So We Have Mutations, Variants, and Sub-Variants?
As viruses mutate into new variants, they sometimes split or branch off into sub-lineages. The Delta variant, for example, comprises 200 different sub-variants.
The same happened with Omicron, which includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529.
A study of 8,500 households and 18,000 individuals conducted by Denmark's SSI found that BA.2 was "substantially" more transmissible than BA.1.
The study also showed evidence to suggest that the BA.2 sub-variant is better able to evade vaccines.
However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on.
A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1.
But the preliminary assessment found no evidence that vaccines would be any less effective against symptomatic disease for either sub-variant.
There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants.
There Appears to be No Relationship Between BA.2 and BA Baracus
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BA.2 Is Also Not Related to Bacchus
Almost half a century after it was stolen, a Roman statue of the god Bacchus has been handed back to the French museum where it was displayed.
The 1st Century bronze of Bacchus as a child was taken by thieves in December 1973, along with 5,000 Roman coins.
Art detective Arthur Brand traced the statue to the museum when a client was offered it by an Austrian collector.
"Fifty years after a theft it's unheard of that something comes back - normally it's been destroyed," he told the BBC.
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Introducing Cancel Cancer Culture (Part of Build Back Better?)
President Joe Biden on Wednesday will announce a relaunch of the Cancer Moonshot program that was started during the Obama administration to end a disease that kills more than 600,000 people a year in the U.S., the White House said.
Biden's revamped Cancer Moonshot aims to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years and improve the experiences of people diagnosed with cancer and their families, according to a fact sheet shared by the White House.
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Nothing Shows How Hard He is Working Like Attending a Concert
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife attended a Lunar New Year’s Day concert in Pyongyang where he received thunderous cheers from audience members and artists who praised him for heralding a “new era” of national power, state media reported.
The North’s official media has been highlighting Kim’s authoritarian leadership following a spree of missile tests in January, which some experts see as an attempt to pressure Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations after two years of pandemic border closures and economic decay.
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Who the Fork is "A Tribe Called Quest?"
Dolly Parton, Eminem, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran and A Tribe Called Quest are among this year’s first-time nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Cleveland-based institution announced 17 artists and groups being considered for Rock Hall induction, including Rage Against the Machine, Pat Benatar, Dionne Warwick, Carly Simon, Judas Priest and Beck.
Beck and Simon are also nominated for the first time. Eminem, who is playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar, earned a nomination in the first year he was eligible.
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It Couldn't Happen to Nice More-Disgusting Guys
Many of the GOP candidates Trump is backing in open-seat races are struggling to raise significant funds as well against better-funded opponents—and every single one of the GOP candidates Trump has endorsed against a GOP incumbent is getting crushed in fundraising, according to newly released campaign finance reports.
Even strong-performing Trump allies are getting lapped in fundraising. Trump-backed Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker raised almost $5.4 million in the past three months and has about the same amount in the bank. That’s a huge haul, but Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock far outpaced him, bringing in $9.8 million in the same time period. Warnock has $22.9 million in the bank for what’s sure to be one of this cycle’s most expensive Senate races.
Every single one of the House candidates Trump has endorsed against a GOP incumbent is getting shellacked in fundraising as well.
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There is no "Other Side" to This
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To Peacock or Not to Peacock, That is the Question. It's Not About Whether to Subscribe to NBC's Streaming Service.
Peacocks could be on the outs in some South Florida neighborhoods after the Miami-Dade commission agreed to loosen a law protecting the birds.
While the 20-year-old law still protects peacocks from harm, commissioners agreed Tuesday to allow cities to opt out if they present appropriate plans to humanely remove the divisive birds from areas where they’re not wanted, the Miami Herald reported.
“Mating season is when we get the most complaints. They get very aggressive,” said sponsor Raquel Regalado, whose district includes neighborhoods in Coral Gables and Miami where peacocks roam freely. “They lay their eggs, they build their nests, they peck the cars.”
Neighbors often clash over the peacocks. Some love the colorful birds while others complain of droppings, noise and the damage they cause by roosting on cars or houses.
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Vindman Seeks Vindication --- And Damages
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a key figure in the first impeachment proceedings against former President Donald Trump, has filed suit against Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and two other ex-White House aides, alleging they mounted a coordinated campaign to intimidate and retaliate against him after he testified before House investigators.
Filed in federal district court in Washington, Vindman alleges that he was the target of a "dangerous campaign of witness intimidation" that sought to punish him for his role in the impeachment investigation and deter other potential witnesses from speaking out against Trump.
The suit names Trump Jr., the former president's oldest son, Giuliani, his personal attorney, and White House aides Dan Scavino and Julia Hahn. Vindman and his lawmakers argue the group conspired with one another "with a shared purpose of preventing, by force, intimidation, or threat, Lt. Col. Vindman from holding and discharging the duties of his office" in violation of federal civil rights law.
"Whatever one thinks of the merits of the underlying impeachment, purposefully attacking witnesses for participating in an official proceeding and telling the truth cannot be dismissed as politics as usual and cannot be tolerated in a nation built on the rule of law," Vindman's lawyers wrote in their complaint. "However toxic our politics may have become, this kind of unlawful conduct must not be accepted as 'normal' in any healthy democracy."
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The Army Marches to Their Own Drummer, But Finally Gets There.
Under a directive issued by Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, commanders are to initiate "involuntary administrative separation proceedings" against unvaccinated soldiers with no approved or pending exemption request, the Pentagon said in a statement Wednesday. The order applies to regular Army, reservists and cadets.
“Army readiness depends on Soldiers who are prepared to train, deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars,” Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said. “Unvaccinated Soldiers present risk to the force and jeopardize readiness."
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in August ordered vaccination for every service member. The Army has not yet involuntarily separated any soldiers for failing to get vaccinated. The Navy announced it would begin discharging unvaccinated members in December; the Air Force began separating unvaccinated people that same month.
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WTF is a Philosophical Need?
New Orleans has become one of the first major U.S. cities to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for eligible children ages 5 and up in order to attend school.
The requirement went into effect Tuesday, though families may claim an exemption for philosophical, religious or medical needs, according to New Orleans public school districts.
I Kant Take a Vaccine? Vaccines are an Existential Threat? The Thought of Vaccines Makes Me Want to Thoreau Up?
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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 | |
| Feb 2 | |||||
| Feb 1 | 510,477 | 250,184,240 | 211,954,555 | ||
| Jan 31 | 575,732 | 250,029,773 | 211,818,885 | 446,355 | 2,287 |
| Jan 30 | 603,030 | 249,892,470 | 211,695,131 | 497,296 | 2,234 |
| Jan 29 | 595,871 | 249,695,301 | 211,533,229 | 522,626 | 2,261 |
| Jan 28 | 626,946 | 249,473,925 | 211,343,818 | 543,016 | 2,265 |
| Jan 27 | 643,725 | 249,267,851 (I don't know why) | 211,162,083 | 577,748 | 2,300 |
| Jan 26 | 962,958 | 251,518,114 | 210,850,212 | 596,859 | 2,288 |
| Jan 25 | 1,011,603 | 251,289,667 | 210,682,471 | 627,294 | 2,246 |
| Jan 24 | 1,201,186 | 250,964,433 | 210,459,963 | 692,359 | 2,166 |
| Jan 23 | 1,101,405 | 250,763,600 | 210,358,008 | 663,908 | 1,936 |
| Jan 22 | 1,002,322 | 250,568,431 | 210,229,586 | 686,715 | 1,939 |
| Jan 21 | 1,035,111 | 250,262,153 | 210,021,766 | 716,829 | 1,974 |
| Jan 20 | 1,094,988 | 250,028,635 | 209,842,610 | 726,870 | 1,843 |
| Jan 19 | 1,135,453 | 249,702,939 | 209,509,297 | 744,615 | 1,749 |
| Jan 18 | 1,158,537 | 249,393,487 | 209,312,770 | 755,095 | 1,669 |
| Jan 17 | No Data | 736,350 | 1,746 | ||
| Jan 16 | No Data | 771,131 | 1,851 | ||
| Jan 15 | 1,268,202 | 248,707,432 | 208,995,438 | 788,628 | 1,858 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 75.4% | 64.8% | 41.7% |
| % of Population 5+ | 80.1% | 67.9% | |
| % of Population 12+ | 85.1% | 72.5% | 44.8% |
| % of Population 18+ | 87.0% | 74.2% | 56.2% |
| % of Population 65+ | 95.0% | 88.4% | 64.5% |
California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday Feb 2)
There has been no significant rain since the first week in January. There are no big storms in the 10-day forecast. After a great start, this could still turn out to be a bad season.
| Percent of Average for this Date | Last Week | 2 Weeks ago | 3 Weeks ago | 4 Weeks ago | 5 Weeks ago | |
| Northern Sierra Precipitation | 113% | 124% | 134% | 149% | 158% | 170% |
| San Joaquin Precipitation | 99% | 110% | 121% | 138% | 156% | 170% |
| Tulare Basin Precipitation | 91% | 101% | 112% | 127% | 145% | 151% |
| Snow Water Content - North | 89% | 117% | 128% | 135% | 134% | |
| Snow Water Content - Central | 89% | 114% | 129% | 148% | 148% | |
| Snow Water Content - South | 92% | 121% | 135% | 160% | 158% |
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Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
Does Death Sentence Really Think He is More Popular that Faucci?
Gov. Ron DeSantis has a new message to Dr. Anthony Fauci for Republicans to spread across Florida's beaches.
"Fauci Can Pound Sand," it says on the soles of sandals now available for purchase on DeSantis' campaign website. While shopping, DeSantis supporters can also buy "Don't Fauci My Florida" beer koozies. Perhaps they were directed to his site from a recent DeSantis campaign email, subject line: "Fauci for Prison."
In the absence of a clear political opponent at the onset of his campaign for re-election, DeSantis seems to have created one out of the 81-year-old doctor from Brooklyn and Biden chief medical adviser. Beyond campaign merchandise and fundraising pitches, Fauci figures prominently in most of DeSantis' public remarks.
Breaking Promises For Fun and Profit
Here's one big reason oil prices are near a seven-year high: OPEC and Russia are producing less than they promised.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and 10 other major crude oil producers, including Russia, have been gradually increasing their output after taking 9.7 million barrels per day out of the market as demand collapsed in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
But the group, known as OPEC+, has repeatedly failed to meet its monthly target of adding back 400,000 barrels per day due to production shortfalls in several countries.
Mexico Sues the Merchants of Death. Mexico Exports Refugees. The US Exports Death.
In August, Mexico sued the U.S. in federal court over the “torrent” of illegal arms it sells to violent drug cartels, leading to thousands of deaths and continuing to fuel gang wars.
The $10 billion suit claims that divisions of Smith & Wesson, Barrett Firearms, Colt's Manufacturing Company, Glock Inc., Sturm, Ruger & Co., and others knowingly encourage illegal arms trafficking into the country.
Now, just in time for the launch of National Gun Violence Survivors Week, 12 U.S. states—along with Washington D.C., Antigua, Barbuda, and Belize—have given their support to Mexico and filed separate suits demanding that a federal judge in Boston not dismiss the suit.
Of course, gun companies argue that Mexico has failed to prove that the violence could be attributable to them and that the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce Arms Act (PLCAA) protects them from suits when their product is misused, alleging that firearms “are not only lawful but constitutionally protected in the United States."
I Guess He Takes "Cotton" In His Name Seriously
According to Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton even slavery was not about race and did not actually evidence white supremacism. In the words of Cotton:
“The entire premise of the New York Times’ factually, historically flawed 1619 Project … is that America is at root, a systemically racist country to the core and irredeemable. I reject that root and branch. America is a great and noble country founded on the proposition that all mankind is created equal. We have always struggled to live up to that promise, but no country has ever done more to achieve it.” We have to study the history of slavery and its role and impact on the development of our country because otherwise we can’t understand our country. As the Founding Fathers said, it was the necessary evil upon which the union was built.”
The War on Pizza Parlors is Now a War on Butterflies
A South Texas butterfly sanctuary will close indefinitely due to safety concerns after it was repeatedly targeted by right-wing conspiracy theorists who baselessly accused it of aiding human traffickers.
“[The] Board has decided to close the center, but continue to pay staff, for the immediate future,” National Butterfly Center Director Marianna Treviño-Wright told HuffPost on Tuesday.
“The board’s paramount concern is the safety of staff, members and visitors,” she added. “So for that reason, they have made the decision to close the center for the immediate future while they seek expert advice and formulate a plan that will best serve our interests and public safety moving forward.”
The butterfly conservatory, which pushed back against Trump administration efforts to erect sections of a U.S.-Mexico border wall near its 100-acre nature preserve in Mission, Texas, has been tied up in litigation for years with the former presidential administration and its allies at We Build The Wall, making it an ongoing target for harassment.
TucKKKer Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is. And His Mouth is In a Disgusting Place.
Tucker Carlson apparently doesn’t just promote conservative politicians on his Fox News show, he also supports them privately as well.
Well, at least one of them: controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
According to The Hill, a Federal Election Commission filing dated Sept. 15 shows the Greene for Congress PAC received a $250 donation from a “Tucker Carlson” who lists Fox News as their employer.
Of Course It's a Crime
From the Folks Who Denied Football Causes Brain Damage For Decades
Former NFL coach Brian Flores' attorney publically criticized the NFL's response to the lawsuit he filed Tuesday accusing the league and three of its teams of having racist and discriminatory hiring practices, saying that the NFL spent more time investigating the New England Patriots' Deflategate scandal than they did responding to the lawsuit's claims.
During an appearance on ESPN's Get Up on Wednesday morning, Flores and his attorneys, Doug Wigdor and John Elefterakis, spoke about the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court. In response to the lawsuit, the NFL quickly issued a statement on Tuesday saying that the league "will defend against these claims, which are without merit."
"Their statement, which hopefully was a knee-jerk reaction, they came out with a denial and it's 'without merit'," Elefterakis said on Get Up. "We filed a 60-page complaint rife with details of some serious, serious allegations. I mean they've investigated deflated footballs longer than they even took to do a response here."
"I mean, when you put that in perspective, that we're talking about how black candidates and minority candidates are hired and fired and discriminated against and they, within 30 minutes to an hour, put out a statement that it is 'without merit,'" Elefterakis said. "I mean, the fact that they were able to do that is a real indication and indictment of what's been going on."
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Did You Have Any Doubts About Fani Willis?
In case anyone had any doubts, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has made her most explicit statement to date regarding the target of her investigation into alleged attempts at improperly influencing the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Willis’ letter sent Sunday to the FBI requesting a “risk assessment” of the county courthouse and the surrounding area has been covered by Daily Kos and other news outlets. Willis’ letter cited “alarming” rhetoric used by the defeated former guy at a rally in Conroe, Texas, on Saturday night.
”You are likely aware that I am conducting a criminal investigation of former President Donald J. Trump and his associates regarding alleged attempts to improperly influence the administration of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. Be advised that on May 2, 2022, a Fulton County Special Purpose Grand Jury will convene as the next stage of this investigation. My staff and I will not be influenced or intimidated by anyone as this investigation moves forward.”
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Every News Outlet Feel Compelled to Report Some Gibberish About a Groundhog Today
Does it feel like we are reliving this over and over?
Does It Feel Like We are Reliving THIS Over and Over and Over Again?
Top Democrats and Republicans are set to huddle Wednesday in pursuit of a deal that could fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year, hoping to stave off a shutdown while potentially pumping new spending into health care, education, science and defense.
The upcoming discussions mark the second consecutive day of private meetings on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers who oversee the federal purse increasingly have come to express a measure of confidence that they can act before an upcoming Feb. 18 deadline — and overcome months of prior political disputes and delays.
That's Because We Are
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Meanwhile the Ignore the Story of the Decade. WWMGD?
What Will Merrick Garland Do?
--------------
It's Not Easy Being Green, But the EU Wants to Make It Easier, By Moving the Goalposts Closer
Nuclear and natural gas energy plants could be counted as "green energy" under controversial EU plans just unveiled.
The European Commission says it has decided that both types of energy can classify as "sustainable investment" if they meet certain targets.
But the move has divided the EU, and been fiercely opposed by some members.
Austria's chancellor responded to the news by saying "nuclear power is neither green nor sustainable".
What is Green and Sustainable About Gas?
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So We Have Mutations, Variants, and Sub-Variants?
As viruses mutate into new variants, they sometimes split or branch off into sub-lineages. The Delta variant, for example, comprises 200 different sub-variants.
The same happened with Omicron, which includes the lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and B.1.1.529.
A study of 8,500 households and 18,000 individuals conducted by Denmark's SSI found that BA.2 was "substantially" more transmissible than BA.1.
The study also showed evidence to suggest that the BA.2 sub-variant is better able to evade vaccines.
However, vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected than unvaccinated individuals, and they are also less likely to pass it on.
A separate UK study also found higher transmissibility for BA.2 compared to BA.1.
But the preliminary assessment found no evidence that vaccines would be any less effective against symptomatic disease for either sub-variant.
There is no data to suggest that BA.2 leads to more severe disease than previous Omicron sub-variants.
There Appears to be No Relationship Between BA.2 and BA Baracus
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BA.2 Is Also Not Related to Bacchus
Almost half a century after it was stolen, a Roman statue of the god Bacchus has been handed back to the French museum where it was displayed.
The 1st Century bronze of Bacchus as a child was taken by thieves in December 1973, along with 5,000 Roman coins.
Art detective Arthur Brand traced the statue to the museum when a client was offered it by an Austrian collector.
"Fifty years after a theft it's unheard of that something comes back - normally it's been destroyed," he told the BBC.
--------------
Introducing Cancel Cancer Culture (Part of Build Back Better?)
President Joe Biden on Wednesday will announce a relaunch of the Cancer Moonshot program that was started during the Obama administration to end a disease that kills more than 600,000 people a year in the U.S., the White House said.
Biden's revamped Cancer Moonshot aims to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years and improve the experiences of people diagnosed with cancer and their families, according to a fact sheet shared by the White House.
--------------
Nothing Shows How Hard He is Working Like Attending a Concert
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife attended a Lunar New Year’s Day concert in Pyongyang where he received thunderous cheers from audience members and artists who praised him for heralding a “new era” of national power, state media reported.
The North’s official media has been highlighting Kim’s authoritarian leadership following a spree of missile tests in January, which some experts see as an attempt to pressure Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations after two years of pandemic border closures and economic decay.
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Who the Fork is "A Tribe Called Quest?"
Dolly Parton, Eminem, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran and A Tribe Called Quest are among this year’s first-time nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Cleveland-based institution announced 17 artists and groups being considered for Rock Hall induction, including Rage Against the Machine, Pat Benatar, Dionne Warwick, Carly Simon, Judas Priest and Beck.
Beck and Simon are also nominated for the first time. Eminem, who is playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar, earned a nomination in the first year he was eligible.
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It Couldn't Happen to Nice More-Disgusting Guys
Many of the GOP candidates Trump is backing in open-seat races are struggling to raise significant funds as well against better-funded opponents—and every single one of the GOP candidates Trump has endorsed against a GOP incumbent is getting crushed in fundraising, according to newly released campaign finance reports.
Even strong-performing Trump allies are getting lapped in fundraising. Trump-backed Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker raised almost $5.4 million in the past three months and has about the same amount in the bank. That’s a huge haul, but Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock far outpaced him, bringing in $9.8 million in the same time period. Warnock has $22.9 million in the bank for what’s sure to be one of this cycle’s most expensive Senate races.
Every single one of the House candidates Trump has endorsed against a GOP incumbent is getting shellacked in fundraising as well.
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There is no "Other Side" to This
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To Peacock or Not to Peacock, That is the Question. It's Not About Whether to Subscribe to NBC's Streaming Service.
Peacocks could be on the outs in some South Florida neighborhoods after the Miami-Dade commission agreed to loosen a law protecting the birds.
While the 20-year-old law still protects peacocks from harm, commissioners agreed Tuesday to allow cities to opt out if they present appropriate plans to humanely remove the divisive birds from areas where they’re not wanted, the Miami Herald reported.
“Mating season is when we get the most complaints. They get very aggressive,” said sponsor Raquel Regalado, whose district includes neighborhoods in Coral Gables and Miami where peacocks roam freely. “They lay their eggs, they build their nests, they peck the cars.”
Neighbors often clash over the peacocks. Some love the colorful birds while others complain of droppings, noise and the damage they cause by roosting on cars or houses.
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Vindman Seeks Vindication --- And Damages
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a key figure in the first impeachment proceedings against former President Donald Trump, has filed suit against Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and two other ex-White House aides, alleging they mounted a coordinated campaign to intimidate and retaliate against him after he testified before House investigators.
Filed in federal district court in Washington, Vindman alleges that he was the target of a "dangerous campaign of witness intimidation" that sought to punish him for his role in the impeachment investigation and deter other potential witnesses from speaking out against Trump.
The suit names Trump Jr., the former president's oldest son, Giuliani, his personal attorney, and White House aides Dan Scavino and Julia Hahn. Vindman and his lawmakers argue the group conspired with one another "with a shared purpose of preventing, by force, intimidation, or threat, Lt. Col. Vindman from holding and discharging the duties of his office" in violation of federal civil rights law.
"Whatever one thinks of the merits of the underlying impeachment, purposefully attacking witnesses for participating in an official proceeding and telling the truth cannot be dismissed as politics as usual and cannot be tolerated in a nation built on the rule of law," Vindman's lawyers wrote in their complaint. "However toxic our politics may have become, this kind of unlawful conduct must not be accepted as 'normal' in any healthy democracy."
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The Army Marches to Their Own Drummer, But Finally Gets There.
Under a directive issued by Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, commanders are to initiate "involuntary administrative separation proceedings" against unvaccinated soldiers with no approved or pending exemption request, the Pentagon said in a statement Wednesday. The order applies to regular Army, reservists and cadets.
“Army readiness depends on Soldiers who are prepared to train, deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars,” Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said. “Unvaccinated Soldiers present risk to the force and jeopardize readiness."
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in August ordered vaccination for every service member. The Army has not yet involuntarily separated any soldiers for failing to get vaccinated. The Navy announced it would begin discharging unvaccinated members in December; the Air Force began separating unvaccinated people that same month.
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WTF is a Philosophical Need?
New Orleans has become one of the first major U.S. cities to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for eligible children ages 5 and up in order to attend school.
The requirement went into effect Tuesday, though families may claim an exemption for philosophical, religious or medical needs, according to New Orleans public school districts.
I Kant Take a Vaccine? Vaccines are an Existential Threat? The Thought of Vaccines Makes Me Want to Thoreau Up?
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