Post by mhbruin on Feb 22, 2022 9:46:28 GMT -8
US Vaccine Data - We Have Now Administered 551 Million Shots (Population 333 Million)
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California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday Feb 15)
January had NO rain or snow. February looks the same.
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Happy Twosday: Tuesday, 2-22-22
It feels like a normal day to me.
--------------
Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
Vlad the Invader Is Putin Those Troops Into Action
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognising them as independent states.
Russia said the troops have not yet been deployed but will be "peacekeeping" in the regions, which it has backed since 2014.
The US said calling them peacekeepers was "nonsense", and accused Russia of creating a pretext for war.
You Snooze, You Lose, Vlad
If Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to gobble up another chunk of Ukraine at little or no cost to his own interests, he should have done it while Donald Trump was still president. With President Biden leading the response, Putin’s potential costs are rising — while his hoped-for benefits have evaporated.
Did a Social Media Company Get Into Bed With a Pornographer?
OnlyFans has been accused of conspiring to blacklist the social media accounts of adult performers working for rival websites, BBC News has learned.
Legal documents, previously unreported, claim OnlyFans directed an unidentified social media company to disable accounts of performers by placing their content on a terrorism database.
It is alleged that OnlyFans representatives paid bribes to the firm's employees to facilitate the practice. OnlyFans says it is aware of the legal claim and it has "no merit".
UK website OnlyFans - best known for hosting pornography - has grown hugely in recent years. It lets users share video clips and photos with subscribers in return for tips or a monthly fee.
Performers often use social media accounts - including Twitter and Instagram - to promote and link to adult websites showing their explicit content.
BBC News has learned that rival adult website FanCentro has begun legal action in the US against OnlyFans' owner Leonid Radvinsky and the company which receives OnlyFans' payments, Fenix Internet LLC.
Youngkin Is Underwater Already
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was supposedly swept into office by parents angry about mask mandates and teaching about race in schools. A new poll from Christopher Newport University finds Youngkin’s approval rating underwater, with 41% of Virginia voters approving and 43% disapproving just over a month after his inauguration. “We have some history being made today. Glenn Youngkin is the first Virginia Governor to ever poll with a majority disapproval rating anytime in his first year in office,” Democratic state Sen. Louise Lucas gleefully noted. “He did it in just over a month!”
The same poll finds that majorities of voters support teaching about how racism impacts society, oppose a ban on critical race theory, and think school mask mandates should be determined by health data and information from health experts.
Stealing Again, Previous Guy?
DeathSentence Wants Kids Out of the Closet
In Florida, state legislators are proposing a bill, supported by Governor DeSantis, that would require teachers to inform parents if they know or suspect their children are LGBT.
The latest amendment removes any protections for children, while the original draft had exemptions for cases where the outing could lead to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Even the original draft was draconic, but this is just evil.
This Guy Wants to Get Jobs for Criminals So Much, He Hired One
Isabella Maria DeLuca got herself on Fox News in 2020 by claiming to have been assaulted. This got her a gig at Turning Point USA as an influencer. She then participated in the insurrection. Weeks later she appeared at a Young Republicans event in New York. Then, in April 2021 she was hired as an intern by Rep. Lee Zeldin of NY. At some point in the last year she was ID by the Sedition Hunters. In the last day or so, she has deleted most of her social media.
If Zeldin’s name sounds vaguely familiar to you, it might because last week he nominated Jared Kuschner and Avi Berkowitz for a Nobel Peace Prize.
The QOP Has a Man ... A Man With a Plan
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Monday released an 11-point plan detailing his party’s agenda if they win back the Senate later this year, something other GOP leaders have pointedly avoided doing in order to minimize divisions within their ranks.
The document outlines Scott’s vision for America, one shared by other prominent figures on the far right, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The plan is a campaign document, not a practical governing agenda.
If enacted — something that stands no serious chance of happening — the plan would radically downgrade the federal government, drastically cutting spending on social services, raising taxes on the poor and instituting “race-blind” policies.
The plan also calls for completing Donald Trump’s border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and naming it after the former president; declaring “there are two genders,” part of the anti-LGBTQ push on the right; eliminating questions about race on government forms and instituting term limits for members of Congress to 12 years of service.
The QOP Has Their Own List of Nominees
If You Recognized Coolidge, You Get a Gold Star
Putin Has No Fear of Newt or Previous Guy. PG Would Congratulate Him.
Russian President Vladimir Putin "has no fear" of the United States or President Joe Biden, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Monday as concerns over a Russian invasion of Ukraine continue to mount.
Gingrich wrote on Twitter Monday evening that the "Biden Administration talks and Putin acts." He also compared Biden's dealings with Putin with those between Adolf Hitler and former U.K. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, a leader remembered by many for having a policy of appeasement toward Germany before World War II, according to the U.K. National Archives.
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While the US Moves Back Into the Dark Ages
Colombia decriminalises abortion in first 24 weeks
Colombia's constitutional court has decriminalised abortions within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Under the new rules, no one will be prosecuted for having an abortion within that time frame.
--------------
Sounds Nice But How Hot Will It Be?
Glow-in-the dark beaches. Billions of trees planted in a country dominated by the desert. Levitating trains. A fake moon. A car-free, carbon-free city built in a straight line over 100 miles long in the desert. These are some of the plans for Neom - a futuristic eco-city that is part of Saudi Arabia's pivot to go green. But is it all too good to be true?
Neom claims to be a "blueprint for tomorrow in which humanity progresses without compromise to the health of the planet". It's a $500bn (£366bn) project, part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan to wean the country off oil - the industry that made it rich.
Covering a total area of over 26,500 sq-km (10,230 sq-miles) - larger than Kuwait or Israel - Neom will, developers claim, exist entirely outside the confines of the current Saudi judicial system, governed by an autonomous legal system that will be drafted up by investors.
Ali Shihabi, a former banker now on Neom's advisory board, says the mega-territory will include a 170km (105m) long city, called The Line, which will run in a straight line through the desert.
If that sounds unlikely, Shihabi explains that The Line will be built in stages, block by block. "People say this is some crazy project that's going to cost gazillions, but it's going to be built module by module, in a manner that meets demand," he says.
Much like Barcelona's traffic-free "superblocks", he explains that each square will be self-sufficient and contain amenities such as shops and schools so that anything people need will be a five-minute walk or cycle away.
When complete, travel along The Line will be via hyper-speed trains, with the longest journey "never more than 20 minutes", the developers claim.
What's more, Neom will be home to Oxagon, a city floating on water spanning 7km (4.3 miles) - making it the largest floating structure in the world. Neom's chief executive, Nadhmi al-Nasr, has said the port city will "welcome its first manufacturing tenants at the beginning of 2022".
--------------
It Was A Lot Easier to Say "Bobby Fisher", But This is Still Impressive
Sixteen-year-old Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa stunned Magnus Carlsen on Sunday, beating the world No. 1 during the Airthings Masters.
Praggnanandhaa, nicknamed Pragg, belied his age and his experience as he remained cool and collected, while Carlsen appeared to make mistakes to present opportunities to the Indian youngster.
And although the five-time world champion fought to get back into the game, Pragg didn't give him an opening, eventually holding on for a famous victory in the rapid chess tournament.
When it became apparent a win was certain, the achievement appeared to dawn on Pragg, as he covered his mouth with his hand in shock.
It was Pragg's first victory over Carlsen, and he became the youngest player to beat Carlsen since the superstar became World Champion in 2013
When Will He Play Beth Harmon?
--------------
Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Results
Home Depot was the Dow's best-performing stock in 2021, soaring more than 55% thanks to strong demand from consumers in what was a red hot housing market. But shares are off to a bumpy start this year.
Shares of Home Depot have fallen 23% because of fears about eventual rate hikes from the Federal Reserve hurting the housing market and consumer spending. Mortgage rates have already started to climb.
--------------
A Fox News Host Tells the Truth. Twosday Really Is Different
Fox News and Fox Business host Neil Cavuto returned to the airwaves on Monday after a weekslong absence, revealing to viewers that he had been battling a life-threatening COVID-19 infection in an intensive care unit.
“I did get COVID again. But a far, far more serious strand. What doctors call COVID pneumonia. It landed me in intensive care for quite a while and it really was touch and go,” Cavuto said on Fox Business’ “Coast to Coast.”
“Some of you who wanted to put me out of my misery darn near got what you wished for. So, sorry to disappoint you,” he added, apparently referring to death threats and abuse he received last year after encouraging viewers to get vaccinated. He did so after he suffered a breakthrough COVID-19 infection in October.
The veteran anchor has multiple sclerosis and a heart condition, and survived stage 4 cancer, which compromises his body’s ability to develop immunity and receive the full benefits of the vaccine.
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The 10 Worst Presidential Scandals in History
--------------
Everybody Wants Credit for the Worst Ad in Super Bowl History
--------------
Was a Second Trial Really Necessary?
A federal jury found Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan guilty of several counts in the Ahmaud Arbery hate crimes case.
The U.S. District Court panel of eight white people, three Black people and one Hispanic person received the case on Monday.
The men pleaded not guilty to one count of interference of rights and attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels were each charged with using, carrying and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
The McMichaels and Bryan were already convicted in state court of murdering the 25-year-old Black jogger and are serving life sentences. The McMichaels were not given the possibility of parole.
Now It's Life Without Possibility of Parole PLUS 10 Years?
--------------
While the Rest of the World Relaxes Restrictions, Hong Kong Tests On.
Hong Kong will test its entire population of 7.5 million people for COVID-19 in March, the city’s leader said Tuesday, as it grapples with its worst outbreak driven by the omicron variant.
The population will be tested three times in March, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said.
She said testing capacity will be boosted to 1 million a day or more.
“Since we have a population of some 7 million people, testing will take about seven days,” she said.
--------------
You Can't Bee Too Careful. Particularly Once You Were Stung by Thieves
For a few frenzied weeks, beekeepers from around the United States truck billions of honeybees to California to rent them to almond growers who need the insects to pollinate the state's most valuable crop.
But as almond trees start to bloom, blanketing entire valleys in white and pink flowers, so begin beehive thefts that have become so prevalent that beekeepers are now turning to GPS tracking devices, surveillance cameras and other anti-theft technology to protect their precious colonies.
Hive thefts have been reported elsewhere in the country, most recently three hives containing about 60,000 bees taken from a grocery chain's garden in central Pennsylvania. They happen at a larger scale and uniquely in California this time of year because bees are most in demand during the largest pollination event in the world.
In the past few weeks, 1,036 beehives worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were reported stolen from orchards statewide, authorities said. The largest heist involved 384 beehives that were taken from a field in Mendocino County, prompting the state beekeepers association to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to their recovery.
--------------
There Was Already a Shortage of Health Care Workers Before COVID. We Can't Afford to Lose a Quarter of Them
Heading into the third year of a wearying pandemic, America's health care workers report significant levels of burnout, even anger about the complications of politics and rising incidents of abuse from patients and their families.
But three-fourths of them still say they love their jobs, an exclusive USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll of doctors, nurses, paramedics, therapists and others finds. It is a show of resilience, not without some costs, among those who have been on the front lines of fighting COVID-19.
"The pandemic has actually made me realize how important this career is, and how I really do make a difference," said Christina Rosa, 33, a mental health counselor from central Massachusetts who has had to close her office and see patients remotely. "I still love it."
Even so, one in four report they are likely to leave the health care field in the near future, an exodus that would represent an enormous loss of medical expertise. Half say they are burned out. One in 5 report feeling angry.
We Need to Import Nurses and Others
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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 22 | 425,178 | 253,055,679 | 215,006,201 | ||
Feb 21 | No Data | 78,306 | 1,872 | ||
Feb 20 | No Data | 98,012 | 1,872 | ||
Feb 19 | 473,537 | 252,791,817 | 214,745,073 | 100,129 | 1,890 |
Feb 18 | 491,120 | 252,650,507 | 214,602,856 | 103,462 | 1,920 |
Feb 17 | 493,892 | 252,539,755 | 214,474,721 | 112,653 | 1,998 |
Feb 16 | 516,988 | 252,400,057 | 214,218,580 | 121,664 | 2,020 |
Feb 15 | 544,184 | 252,277,758 | 214,104,148 | 134,468 | 2,100 |
Feb 14 | 546,667 | 252,144,326 | 213,962,983 | 146,921 | 2,208 |
Feb 13 | 555,669 | 252,054,215 | 213,869,678 | 161,197 | 2,196 |
Feb 12 | 486,374 | 251,926,344 | 213,734,419 | 168,881 | 2,197 |
Feb 11 | 568,820 | 251,755,851 | 213,563,173 | 175,395 | 2,241 |
Feb 10 | 580,896 | 251,655,172 | 213,430,434 | 190,401 | 2,305 |
Feb 9 | 591,786 | 251,467,303 | 213,246,140 | 215,418 | 2,313 |
Feb 8 | 602,606 | 251,312,470 | 213,061,117 | 230,602 | 2,303 |
Feb 7 | 611,742 | 251,176,199 | 212,920,278 | 247,319 | 2,404 |
Feb 6 | 627,161 | 251,070,439 | 212,806,521 | 291,471 | 2,294 |
Feb 5 | 655,591 | 250,915,858 | 212,657,682 | 298,890 | 2,331 |
Feb 4 | 680,135 | 250,731,754 | 212,481,465 | 313,117 | 2,404 |
Feb 3 | 719,986 | 250,593,665 | 212,336,183 | 343,563 | 2,371 |
Feb 2 | 494,092 | 250,378,993 | 212,130,684 | 378,015 | 2,403 |
Feb 1 | 510,477 | 250,184,240 | 211,954,555 | 415,552 | 2,369 |
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 |
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 | 76.2% | 64.8% | 43.4% |
% of Population 5+ | 81.0% | 68.8% | |
% of Population 12+ | 85.9% | 73.3% | 44.9% |
% of Population 18+ | 87.7% | 74.8% | 46.7% |
% of Population 65+ | 95.0% | 88.7% | 6.0% |
California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday Feb 15)
January had NO rain or snow. February looks the same.
Percent of Average for this Date | Last Week | 2 Weeks ago | 3 Weeks ago | 7 Weeks ago | |
Northern Sierra Precipitation | 99% (59%) | 105% (59% of average for full season) | 113% | 124% | 170% |
San Joaquin Precipitation | 86% (51%) | 92% (51%) | 99% | 110% | 170% |
Tulare Basin Precipitation | 79% (46%) | 84% (46%) | 91% | 101% | 151% |
Snow Water Content - North | 68% (53%) | 80% (58%) | 89% | 134% | |
Snow Water Content - Central | 75% (57%) | 80% (57%) | 89% | 148% | |
Snow Water Content - South | 74% (54%) | 81% (57%) | 92% | 158% |
Happy Twosday: Tuesday, 2-22-22
It feels like a normal day to me.
--------------
Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
Vlad the Invader Is Putin Those Troops Into Action
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognising them as independent states.
Russia said the troops have not yet been deployed but will be "peacekeeping" in the regions, which it has backed since 2014.
The US said calling them peacekeepers was "nonsense", and accused Russia of creating a pretext for war.
You Snooze, You Lose, Vlad
If Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to gobble up another chunk of Ukraine at little or no cost to his own interests, he should have done it while Donald Trump was still president. With President Biden leading the response, Putin’s potential costs are rising — while his hoped-for benefits have evaporated.
Did a Social Media Company Get Into Bed With a Pornographer?
OnlyFans has been accused of conspiring to blacklist the social media accounts of adult performers working for rival websites, BBC News has learned.
Legal documents, previously unreported, claim OnlyFans directed an unidentified social media company to disable accounts of performers by placing their content on a terrorism database.
It is alleged that OnlyFans representatives paid bribes to the firm's employees to facilitate the practice. OnlyFans says it is aware of the legal claim and it has "no merit".
UK website OnlyFans - best known for hosting pornography - has grown hugely in recent years. It lets users share video clips and photos with subscribers in return for tips or a monthly fee.
Performers often use social media accounts - including Twitter and Instagram - to promote and link to adult websites showing their explicit content.
BBC News has learned that rival adult website FanCentro has begun legal action in the US against OnlyFans' owner Leonid Radvinsky and the company which receives OnlyFans' payments, Fenix Internet LLC.
Youngkin Is Underwater Already
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was supposedly swept into office by parents angry about mask mandates and teaching about race in schools. A new poll from Christopher Newport University finds Youngkin’s approval rating underwater, with 41% of Virginia voters approving and 43% disapproving just over a month after his inauguration. “We have some history being made today. Glenn Youngkin is the first Virginia Governor to ever poll with a majority disapproval rating anytime in his first year in office,” Democratic state Sen. Louise Lucas gleefully noted. “He did it in just over a month!”
The same poll finds that majorities of voters support teaching about how racism impacts society, oppose a ban on critical race theory, and think school mask mandates should be determined by health data and information from health experts.
Stealing Again, Previous Guy?
DeathSentence Wants Kids Out of the Closet
In Florida, state legislators are proposing a bill, supported by Governor DeSantis, that would require teachers to inform parents if they know or suspect their children are LGBT.
The latest amendment removes any protections for children, while the original draft had exemptions for cases where the outing could lead to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Even the original draft was draconic, but this is just evil.
This Guy Wants to Get Jobs for Criminals So Much, He Hired One
Isabella Maria DeLuca got herself on Fox News in 2020 by claiming to have been assaulted. This got her a gig at Turning Point USA as an influencer. She then participated in the insurrection. Weeks later she appeared at a Young Republicans event in New York. Then, in April 2021 she was hired as an intern by Rep. Lee Zeldin of NY. At some point in the last year she was ID by the Sedition Hunters. In the last day or so, she has deleted most of her social media.
If Zeldin’s name sounds vaguely familiar to you, it might because last week he nominated Jared Kuschner and Avi Berkowitz for a Nobel Peace Prize.
The QOP Has a Man ... A Man With a Plan
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Monday released an 11-point plan detailing his party’s agenda if they win back the Senate later this year, something other GOP leaders have pointedly avoided doing in order to minimize divisions within their ranks.
The document outlines Scott’s vision for America, one shared by other prominent figures on the far right, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The plan is a campaign document, not a practical governing agenda.
If enacted — something that stands no serious chance of happening — the plan would radically downgrade the federal government, drastically cutting spending on social services, raising taxes on the poor and instituting “race-blind” policies.
The plan also calls for completing Donald Trump’s border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and naming it after the former president; declaring “there are two genders,” part of the anti-LGBTQ push on the right; eliminating questions about race on government forms and instituting term limits for members of Congress to 12 years of service.
The QOP Has Their Own List of Nominees
If You Recognized Coolidge, You Get a Gold Star
Putin Has No Fear of Newt or Previous Guy. PG Would Congratulate Him.
Russian President Vladimir Putin "has no fear" of the United States or President Joe Biden, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Monday as concerns over a Russian invasion of Ukraine continue to mount.
Gingrich wrote on Twitter Monday evening that the "Biden Administration talks and Putin acts." He also compared Biden's dealings with Putin with those between Adolf Hitler and former U.K. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, a leader remembered by many for having a policy of appeasement toward Germany before World War II, according to the U.K. National Archives.
--------------
While the US Moves Back Into the Dark Ages
Colombia decriminalises abortion in first 24 weeks
Colombia's constitutional court has decriminalised abortions within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Under the new rules, no one will be prosecuted for having an abortion within that time frame.
--------------
Sounds Nice But How Hot Will It Be?
Glow-in-the dark beaches. Billions of trees planted in a country dominated by the desert. Levitating trains. A fake moon. A car-free, carbon-free city built in a straight line over 100 miles long in the desert. These are some of the plans for Neom - a futuristic eco-city that is part of Saudi Arabia's pivot to go green. But is it all too good to be true?
Neom claims to be a "blueprint for tomorrow in which humanity progresses without compromise to the health of the planet". It's a $500bn (£366bn) project, part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan to wean the country off oil - the industry that made it rich.
Covering a total area of over 26,500 sq-km (10,230 sq-miles) - larger than Kuwait or Israel - Neom will, developers claim, exist entirely outside the confines of the current Saudi judicial system, governed by an autonomous legal system that will be drafted up by investors.
Ali Shihabi, a former banker now on Neom's advisory board, says the mega-territory will include a 170km (105m) long city, called The Line, which will run in a straight line through the desert.
If that sounds unlikely, Shihabi explains that The Line will be built in stages, block by block. "People say this is some crazy project that's going to cost gazillions, but it's going to be built module by module, in a manner that meets demand," he says.
Much like Barcelona's traffic-free "superblocks", he explains that each square will be self-sufficient and contain amenities such as shops and schools so that anything people need will be a five-minute walk or cycle away.
When complete, travel along The Line will be via hyper-speed trains, with the longest journey "never more than 20 minutes", the developers claim.
What's more, Neom will be home to Oxagon, a city floating on water spanning 7km (4.3 miles) - making it the largest floating structure in the world. Neom's chief executive, Nadhmi al-Nasr, has said the port city will "welcome its first manufacturing tenants at the beginning of 2022".
--------------
It Was A Lot Easier to Say "Bobby Fisher", But This is Still Impressive
Sixteen-year-old Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa stunned Magnus Carlsen on Sunday, beating the world No. 1 during the Airthings Masters.
Praggnanandhaa, nicknamed Pragg, belied his age and his experience as he remained cool and collected, while Carlsen appeared to make mistakes to present opportunities to the Indian youngster.
And although the five-time world champion fought to get back into the game, Pragg didn't give him an opening, eventually holding on for a famous victory in the rapid chess tournament.
When it became apparent a win was certain, the achievement appeared to dawn on Pragg, as he covered his mouth with his hand in shock.
It was Pragg's first victory over Carlsen, and he became the youngest player to beat Carlsen since the superstar became World Champion in 2013
When Will He Play Beth Harmon?
--------------
Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Results
Home Depot was the Dow's best-performing stock in 2021, soaring more than 55% thanks to strong demand from consumers in what was a red hot housing market. But shares are off to a bumpy start this year.
Shares of Home Depot have fallen 23% because of fears about eventual rate hikes from the Federal Reserve hurting the housing market and consumer spending. Mortgage rates have already started to climb.
--------------
A Fox News Host Tells the Truth. Twosday Really Is Different
Fox News and Fox Business host Neil Cavuto returned to the airwaves on Monday after a weekslong absence, revealing to viewers that he had been battling a life-threatening COVID-19 infection in an intensive care unit.
“I did get COVID again. But a far, far more serious strand. What doctors call COVID pneumonia. It landed me in intensive care for quite a while and it really was touch and go,” Cavuto said on Fox Business’ “Coast to Coast.”
“Some of you who wanted to put me out of my misery darn near got what you wished for. So, sorry to disappoint you,” he added, apparently referring to death threats and abuse he received last year after encouraging viewers to get vaccinated. He did so after he suffered a breakthrough COVID-19 infection in October.
The veteran anchor has multiple sclerosis and a heart condition, and survived stage 4 cancer, which compromises his body’s ability to develop immunity and receive the full benefits of the vaccine.
--------------
The 10 Worst Presidential Scandals in History
--------------
Everybody Wants Credit for the Worst Ad in Super Bowl History
--------------
Was a Second Trial Really Necessary?
A federal jury found Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan guilty of several counts in the Ahmaud Arbery hate crimes case.
The U.S. District Court panel of eight white people, three Black people and one Hispanic person received the case on Monday.
The men pleaded not guilty to one count of interference of rights and attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels were each charged with using, carrying and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
The McMichaels and Bryan were already convicted in state court of murdering the 25-year-old Black jogger and are serving life sentences. The McMichaels were not given the possibility of parole.
Now It's Life Without Possibility of Parole PLUS 10 Years?
--------------
While the Rest of the World Relaxes Restrictions, Hong Kong Tests On.
Hong Kong will test its entire population of 7.5 million people for COVID-19 in March, the city’s leader said Tuesday, as it grapples with its worst outbreak driven by the omicron variant.
The population will be tested three times in March, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said.
She said testing capacity will be boosted to 1 million a day or more.
“Since we have a population of some 7 million people, testing will take about seven days,” she said.
--------------
You Can't Bee Too Careful. Particularly Once You Were Stung by Thieves
For a few frenzied weeks, beekeepers from around the United States truck billions of honeybees to California to rent them to almond growers who need the insects to pollinate the state's most valuable crop.
But as almond trees start to bloom, blanketing entire valleys in white and pink flowers, so begin beehive thefts that have become so prevalent that beekeepers are now turning to GPS tracking devices, surveillance cameras and other anti-theft technology to protect their precious colonies.
Hive thefts have been reported elsewhere in the country, most recently three hives containing about 60,000 bees taken from a grocery chain's garden in central Pennsylvania. They happen at a larger scale and uniquely in California this time of year because bees are most in demand during the largest pollination event in the world.
In the past few weeks, 1,036 beehives worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were reported stolen from orchards statewide, authorities said. The largest heist involved 384 beehives that were taken from a field in Mendocino County, prompting the state beekeepers association to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to their recovery.
--------------
There Was Already a Shortage of Health Care Workers Before COVID. We Can't Afford to Lose a Quarter of Them
Heading into the third year of a wearying pandemic, America's health care workers report significant levels of burnout, even anger about the complications of politics and rising incidents of abuse from patients and their families.
But three-fourths of them still say they love their jobs, an exclusive USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll of doctors, nurses, paramedics, therapists and others finds. It is a show of resilience, not without some costs, among those who have been on the front lines of fighting COVID-19.
"The pandemic has actually made me realize how important this career is, and how I really do make a difference," said Christina Rosa, 33, a mental health counselor from central Massachusetts who has had to close her office and see patients remotely. "I still love it."
Even so, one in four report they are likely to leave the health care field in the near future, an exodus that would represent an enormous loss of medical expertise. Half say they are burned out. One in 5 report feeling angry.
We Need to Import Nurses and Others
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