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Monday, November 29, 2021

Wake-Up Call: New Variant Cases Increase Travel Restrictions

Daily Mail screen shot 11/29/21

Nations around the world are increasing their travel restrictions over fears of the newly-identified omicron variant of Covid-19, even as cases are being found in more countries. The Netherlands reported 13 omicron cases on Sunday, Australia reported two and Canada also reported two, the first known cases in North America. Several other countries had earlier reported cases of the variant first identified days ago by researchers in South Africa, where it's been spreading rapidly. Israel and Japan are closing their borders to foreign visitors and Morocco said it will suspend all incoming flights for two weeks. The U.S. has banned travel from several African nations, including South Africa. However, the World Health Organization is urging against such travel restrictions, with the regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, saying, "Travel restrictions may play a role in slightly reducing the spread of Covid-19 but place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods."

 
Meanwhile, while the information on the mutations in omicron is concerning to scientists, there's a lot that it still unknown, including whether it's more contagious, more likely to cause serious illness and able to evade vaccine protection. The White House released a statement in which Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, said it will take about two weeks to have more information about omicron, including how transmissible it is and how severe of an infection it causes. Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States, said on CNN's State of the Union yesterday, that while we wait to learn more, Americans should increase their efforts to use the tools we have, including vaccines, boosters for those vaccinated more than six months ago, and measures like wearing masks. He said, "I know, America, you’re really tired about hearing those things, but the virus is not tired of us."

 
➤SEVEN CHILDREN INJURED IN WISCONSIN PARADE CRASH STILL HOSPITALIZED: Seven children injured in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last week when a car plowed through the Christmas parade remained hospitalized as of Sunday, one week later. Hospital officials at Children's Wisconsin said of the seven children, four are in serious condition, two are in fair condition and one is in good condition. The hospital had originally received 16 patients. Five adults and one child were killed. The suspect, 39-year-old Darrell Brooks Jr., was reportedly leaving the scene of a domestic dispute minutes earlier when he drove through the parade. He's been charged with intentional homicide, with it alleged that he intended to hit marchers and spectators, steering his vehicle from side to side, and ignoring several attempts to stop him.

➤GHISLAINE MAXWELL'S SEX-TRAFFICKING TRIAL BEGINS TODAY: The sex-trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the 59-year-old former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, will begin today in New York City. Maxwell is charged with six counts related to sex trafficking for allegedly grooming underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004. It's unknown whether Maxwell will testify in her own defense. She's been detained in a Brooklyn federal prison since her 2020 arrest, one year after Epstein committed suicide in prison after being arrested on multiple sex-trafficking charges.

Nathan Valencia
➤UNLV STUDENT DIES AFTER FRATERNITY BOXING MATCH: A 20-year-old student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, died of brain injuries four days after taking part in a fraternity boxing match for charity. Nathan Valencia, who reportedly had no boxing experience, fought in Kappa Sigma fraternity’s Fight Night on November 19th. University President Keith E. Whitfield said in a statement that the event had taken place off-campus. He said the incident will be reviewed and the school will look at how off-campus events can be, quote, "as safe as possible." A statement from Valencia's parents said, "We will be completing a full investigation to determine how UNLV and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity could allow and promote an event like this to take place. College students should not be placed in a situation where they are pitted against each other for combat."

➤MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY WILL NOT RUN FOR GOVERNOR OF TEXAS:  In a three-minute video posted onto his personal Instagram page Sunday, the actor shared that although he will not be seeking political office, he will still work to better his home state.

He said, “I’m going to continue to work and invest the bounty I have by supporting entrepreneurs, businesses and foundations that I believe are creating pathways for people to succeed in life. Organizations that have a mission to serve and build trust while also generating prosperity. That’s the American dream.”

The announcement comes after a recent Dallas Morning News poll showing McConaughey would beat both Republican incumbent Greg Abbott and Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke.

➤EX-DEFENSE SECRETARY ESPER SUES OVER DOD NOT CLEARING BOOK  FOR PUBLICATION: Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who served under former President Donald Trump, is suing the Defense Department for not clearing his book for publication. Esper's suit, filed yesterday, says he was told he needed to take out parts of his book that included quotes from Trump and others, conversations he had with Trump, and his views related to other countries. Such reviews are intended to keep state secrets and other protected information from being made public. The suit claims that making the redactions, quote, "would be a serious injustice to important moments in history that the American people need to know and understand." He also said he didn't believe the proposed redactions from the Defense Department covered classified information. Trump appointed Esper defense secretary in June 2019 and fired him in November 2020, days after losing reelection. The two had an increasingly tense relationship, particularly in the summer of 2020 after Esper said he didn't support using active-duty troops to try to put down the protests across the U.S. in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

🛫STOWAWAY AT MIAMI AIRPORT SURVIVED NEARLY THREE-HOUR FLIGHT IN PLANE'S LANDING GEAR: A 26-year-old man was taken into custody by federal authorities at Miami International Airport Saturday morning after having survived a nearly three-hour flight in the landing gear of an American Airlines flight from Guatemala. The man appeared to be unharmed, but was taken to a hospital for a medical assessment. NBC Miami said temperatures would have been well below zero in the landing gear area for much of the flight.
 
🛍BLACK FRIDAY SPENDING ONLINE DOWN, STORE VISITS UP: Online spending on Black Friday was down slightly this year, the first time it's ever fallen, according to data from Adobe Analytics, at $8.9 billion in sales, down from $9 billion in 2020. Playing a significant role in that was retailers urging people to do their online shopping earlier this year because of the supply chain problems. People may have been led to go to stores to shop for the same reason, able to buy products in person without having to worry about supply issues and shipping. In-store shopper visits were up 47.5 percent compared to 2020, when the pandemic kept people home, but still down 28.3 percent from the pre-pandemic year of 2019, according to Sensormatic Solutions. It remains to be seen how retailers' encouragement of earlier Christmas shopping will effect sales on Cyber Monday today, the first Monday after Thanksgiving.

➤THE TOXIC PHRASE WE NEED TO STOP SAYING AROUND THE HOLIDAYS:  If a fitness instructor says “Let’s work off ____!” It’s not an innocent phrase. Nutritionist Emmie Keefe says whenever instructors focus on this calorie-based “motivation,” it backfires. She adds, “We should never exercise for the sake of burning calories… We should exercise for cardiovascular health, for mental health, for emotional health. It gives structure to your day. You can create social relationships through classes together.” Research shows that focusing on exercise improves your longevity, even more so than focusing on weight loss. Looking at exercise as punishment rather than a beneficial activity also makes you less likely to engage in the healthy behavior. Alyssa Royse, owner of Rocket Community Fitness in Seattle, adds that the idea that you have to deserve some pie or undo the damage is “really dangerous.” She says, “It links us to this idea that we have to earn the right to eat and have to earn the right to have pleasure. Both of those things are innate in simply having a body… by virtue of being alive, you are allowed [both]. When we moralize food, we trigger all sorts of dangerous thoughts and behavior patterns in people.” Both experts believe it’s necessary to tune into your body instead of letting outside forces influence how you feel, including toxic diet culture, especially when it comes to the holidays.

➤WHY GEN-Z AND MILLENNIALS DON’T LIKE TO SAY ‘YOU’RE WELCOME’:   Younger generations like Millennials and Gen-Zers don’t use the phrase “you’re welcome” as often as their older counterparts. Twitter account @DrHistoryBrad tweeted a theory as to why this is, writing, “My generation says ‘no worries’ instead of ‘you’re welcome’ to 1) show that doing a favor for someone doesn’t need to be a transactional thing and that we’re happy to help and 2) because if they really knew how worried we actually were, they’d never ever talk to us again.” Others have a theory that saying “no problem” or “no worries” simply sounds less formal and more friendly, and they think that saying something very formal can make the other person feel shy. Language experts note that it’s not just English speakers saying “no problem,” as around the globe, similar phrases are becoming more commonly used to express that doing a favor for someone is no big deal.


🏈NFL SCORES -- WEEK 12:
  • Cincinnati Bengals 41, Pittsburgh Steelers 10
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38, Indianapolis Colts 31
  • Miami Dolphins 33, Carolina Panthers 10
  • New England Patriots 36, Tennessee Titans 13
  • New York Giants 13, Philadelphia Eagles 7
  • Atlanta Falcons 21, Jacksonville Jaguars 14
  • New York Jets 21, Houston Texans 14
  • Denver Broncos 28, Los Angeles Chargers 13
  • Green Bay Packers 36, Los Angeles Rams 28
  • San Francisco 49ers 34, Minnesota Vikings 26
  • Baltimore Ravens 16, Cleveland Browns 10
Monday Night Football on ESPN: Seattle Seahawks at Washington Football Team (8:15 ET)


🏈RAVENS BEAT BROWNS 16-10 DESPITE QB JACKSON'S FOUR INTERCEPTIONS: The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cleveland Browns 16-10 last night, but they had to overcome quarterback Lamar Jackson's career-high four interceptions to do it. Jackson, who missed last weekend's game with an illness, gave credit to the Ravens' defense, saying, "Our defense just played lights out today. I'm ticked off, but I told all those guys: 'Way to have our back, way to have my back.'" Baltimore has been doing well all season in tight games, now at 6-1 in games decided by eight points or fewer.

🏀NO FIREWORKS BETWEEN LEBRON AND STEWART IN LAKERS-PISTONS REMATCH: The L.A. Lakers and Detroit Pistons faced off again last night, one week after an incident between L.A.'s LeBron James and Detroit's Isaiah Stewart led to suspensions for both players. But there were no renewed fireworks between the two, although Stewart was booed loudly and repeatedly at the Staples Center during L.A.'s 110-106 win. James scored 33 points in the game and Stewart had five points. Stewart had said Friday that he didn't think James hitting him in the face while jockeying for rebounding position was accidental, as LeBron claims. Stewart earned his suspension when he repeatedly tried to charge at James after being hit.

🏈USC HIRES FOOTBALL COACH RILEY AWAY FROM OKLAHOMA: In a stunning and unexpected move, USC has hired Lincoln Riley away from Oklahoma as their new head football coach, with the 38-year-old accepting the position yesterday. Riley said in a statement, "Leaving OU was probably the most difficult decision of my life. . . . This was a personal decision solely based on my willingness to go take on a new challenge . . . " He's replacing Clay Helton, who was fired in September. Riley had a 55-10 record in five seasons with Oklahoma and guided the team to four consecutive Big 12 titles and three College Football Playoff appearances. His departure comes as a blow as the Sooners are about transition into the SEC. Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who retired in 2017, will become interim coach.

🏒LAST NIGHT'S, TOMORROW'S ISLANDERS GAMES CANCELED DUE TO COVID OUTBREAK: The New York Islanders' scheduled game last night against the New York Rangers and tomorrow's game against the Philadelphia Flyers were postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak on the team. The NHL had said Saturday that the possibility of additional spread contributed to the games being called off. The league has now postponed five games so far this season due to Covid, after three Ottawa Senators games in mid-November were called off because of the team's outbreak.

⚾RANGERS AGREE TO SEVEN-YEAR, $175 MILLION DEAL WITH SEMIEN: The Texas Rangers have agreed to a seven-year deal with second baseman Marcus Semien, according to reports Sunday (November 28th), with ESPN saying it's worth $175 million. Semien played at second base for the Toronto Blue Jays this past season after six seasons at shortstop for the Oakland A's. The 31-year-old hit .265 with Toronto and had career highs with 45 homers -- an MLB record for a second baseman -- 102 RBIs and 15 stolen bases, and he finished third in the AL MVP voting.



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