Thursday, December 16, 2021

Wake-up Call: COVID, Variants Surging At Same Time


With the U.S. already dealing with a winter surge of the delta Covid-19 variant, straining hospitals in some places, the country is now facing a coming surge of the new omicron variant, which spreads even faster, at the same time. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday that early data suggests omicron has a doubling time of only about two days. While the CDC said omicron made up three percent of cases based on specimens collected last week, experts says it's likely higher than that because it transmits so fast surveillance can't keep up with it. There are indications from South Africa, however, where omicron was first reported, that it may cause less severe disease than delta, but it is better able to evade vaccine protection. Boosters significantly increase protection, and health officials have been urging that people who were vaccinated more than six months ago get boosted.


 
The White House said yesterday that lockdowns won't be needed because vaccines are widely available, and even though they offer less protection than against delta, they appear to be holding up in preventing severe illness. 



Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said yesterday that there is no need, at least for now, for a booster specifically designed for omicron, saying the Pfizer and Moderna shots, particularly boosted, still appear to offer considerable protection against hospitalization from omicron.


🌪BIDEN VISITS TORNADO-STRUCK KENTUCKY: President Biden went to Kentucky Wednesday after the state was particularly hard-hit by tornadoes that roared through the Midwest and parts of the South last Friday night, killing at least 88 people, 74 of them in Kentucky. Biden met with local officials and surveyed the damage, talking with and comforting residents in devastated areas. The president pledged to do, quote, "whatever it takes, as long as it takes" to help Kentucky and other states, saying, "You will recover and rebuild." Biden visited the towns of Dawson Springs and Mayfield, where he prayed with Graves County Executive Jesse Perry and a pastor.


💰CONGRESS SENDS $768.2 BILLION DEFENSE BILL TO BIDEN: The Senate passed a $768.2 billion defense bill on Wednesday, sending it to President Biden after it had earlier been passed by the House. The annual bill, which was approved by the Senate in a bipartisan 88-11 vote, includes a pay raise for servicemembers, makes changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, and lays the groundwork for a new memorial on the National Mall for those who served in the Global War on Terrorism launched after the 9/11 attacks. But it doesn't change current law in order to require women to register for the draft, which was scrapped due to opposition by many conservative Republican lawmakers.

➤CHAUVIN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES OF VIOLATING FLOYD'S CIVIL RIGHTS: Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin pled guilty Wednesday to a federal charge of violating George Floyd’s civil rights, admitting he deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer, by kneeling on his neck even though Floyd was handcuffed and not resisting. Chauvin was convicted earlier this year on state murder and manslaughter charges in Floyd's death and sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison. Under the plea argument on the federal charge, Chauvin, who could have faced life in prison, should face 20 to 25 years in prison, which would run at the same time as the state prison time.

➤ELEVEN EXECUTIONS IN U.S. IN 2021, LOWEST SINCE 1988: There were 11 executions carried out in 2021 by states and the federal government, the lowest since 1988, according to an annual report out today from the Death Penalty Information Center. Three of them took place in January, at the end of an unprecedented series of federal executions in the final months of former President Donald Trump's administration. Pandemic-related disruptions partly accounted for the three-decade low, but the number of annual executions have been steadily falling since peaking at 98 in 1999. A 2021 Gallup poll cited in the report shows support for the death penalty now at 54 percent, down from a high of 80 percent in 1994.

🌲WHITE HOUSE SCALING BACK HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS DUE TO COVID: With delta variant Covid infections surging and the omicron variant threatening, the White House is scaling back its planned Chrisman season parties and celebrations, according to NBC News, citing a statement from First Lady Jill Biden's office. Instead of hosting dozens of holiday receptions, there will be what's described as a "limited number of open-house style events" for guests to see the White House decorations in "timed increments via self-guided tours." The first lady's spokesperson, Michael LaRosa, said, "It is disappointing that we cannot host as many people as the Bidens would like to, but . . . we will continue to implement strong Covid protocols, developed in consultation with our public health advisors."

🚘THE BUSIEST HOLIDAY TRAVEL DAYS ARE COMING UP SOON: It’s that time of the year when getting to your holiday destination can cause some major stress – and experts are saying the worst travel days are coming up. And what till the busiest day of the year be? According to flight demand, the worst day of the year will be (no surprise here) Thursday, December 23rd; with the second busiest shaping up to be Friday, December 17th. If you’re looking to avoid crowds, it looks like the least busy days to travel this season are Tuesday, December 21st, Christmas Day, 12/25, and New Year’s Day, 1/1/22. Another travel tip: avoid the airport morning rush between 5am-7am, and the evening rush between 4pm-6pm… and a note for drivers: try to hit the road early (before 11am) or late (after 7pm)!

➤A NASA SPACECRAFT JUST FLEW INTO THE SUN’S ATMOSPHERE FOR THE FIRST TIME: NASA just made history! Three years after its launch, the Parker Solar Probe has “touched” the sun, soaring into the sun’s atmosphere, producing discoveries that weren’t possible before. The probe was made to withstand temperatures of more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, making it possible to travel so far (6.5 million miles!) and so close to the sun. This momentous occasion could help scientists predict extreme space weather events, which can lead to satellite damage and telecommunication issues on earth.


➤DRAWING BOUGHT FOR $30 ACTUALLY WORTH $50 MILLION: A Massachusetts man’s unplanned stop off the highway led to some incredible news! On his way to a retirement party, Clifford Schorer pulled off to get a present from a rare book dealer who sold titles out of his home. On his way out, the shop owner asked Schorer if he knew anything about art, mentioning that his friend had an Albrecht Dürer drawing. Schorer then put the shop owner in touch with his friend, who confirmed in an astonished state that the drawing to be an original Dürer. The man purchased the drawing for $30 at an estate sale, and the piece of art is expected to be worth at least $50 million. So if you have any old art lying around, get it appraised – it could change your life!

Urban Meyer
🏈JAGUARS FIRE HEAD COACH MEYER AFTER 13 GAMES: The Jacksonville Jaguars fired head coach Urban Meyer yesterday evening after 13 games, during which the Jags managed just two wins, as well as multiple off-field controversies. Owner Shad Khan said in a statement released early this morning, "After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban’s tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone." Meyer won three national college championships, but failed in his attempt to successfully make the transition to the NFL. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will take over as interim head coach for the final four games.


🏀GRAHAM HEAVES 61-FOOT SHOT AT BUZZER TO GIVE PELICANS WIN OVER THUNDER: The Pelicans' Devonte Graham heaved a 61-foot shot at the buzzer that went in last night to give New Orleans a 113-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Graham's score came after Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had just made an off-balance 30-foot shot to tie the score with 2.3 seconds remaining.

🏀LAKERS ROOKIE REAVES MAKES THREE-POINT SHOT AT BUZZER IN OT FOR VICTORY: Los Angeles Lakers rookie Austin Reaves made a three-point shot at the buzzer in overtime last nightnto give L.A. a 107-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. LeBron James led with 24 points for the Lakers against Dallas, who were playing their third straight game without injured star guard Luka Doncic.

🏒BLACKHAWKS SETTLE LAWSUIT WITH BEACH OVER SEX ASSAULT BY ASST. COACH: The Chicago Blackhawks have settled a lawsuit brought by former player Kyle Beach who alleged he was sexually assaulted by an assistant coach more than a decade ago, it was announced yesterday. The Blackhawks said in a statement about the confidential settlement, "[We] hope that this resolution will bring some measure of peace and closure for Mr. Beach." Chicago's stance had previously been that Beach's accusation against former assistant coach Brad Aldrich lacked merit, but an an independent review released in October found the organization badly mishandled Beach’s allegations that he was assaulted by Aldrich, who was then a video coach, during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup run. Aldrich claimed the encounter was consensual.

🏈GOODELL SAYS WFT OWNER SNYDER DIDN'T HINDER INVESTIGATION: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday that Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder didn't hinder last year's investigation into alleged sexual misconduct allegations in his franchise. The Washington Post reported a day earlier that Snyder tried to prevent attorney Beth Wilkinson, who was carrying out the probe, from interviewing a woman who had accused him of sexual misconduct in 2009. Goodell said, "We went through a very lengthy period of investigation and discussions. The one thing I can say with 100 percent assurance is that it didn't interfere with the work that our investigator did." The results of the investigation were not made public.

Daily Mail Screenshot 12/16/21


➤DUST STORM LATEST MIDWEAT WOE: A blinding dust storm moving at hurricane force winds of 90mph tore through half of Kansas, as trailers were knocked over in Colorado and fires spread throughout Oklahoma on Wednesday. The wild weather affected 100 million people in states throughout the Midwest and Great Plains with the National Weather Service calling it a 'historical weather day.' 'The Central US has never seen a December storm like this,' tweeted Bill Karins, a meteorologist for MSNBC, saying it was 'multi-hazard, life threatening weather today.' Winds of 70 to more than 100 miles per hour have already torn through the area, ripping off roofs, overturning 18-wheelers and leaving at least 380,000 people without power as of 8.30pm Wednesday throughout Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. It came amid some record-high temperatures, just days after dozens of powerful tornadoes swept through the area, flattening buildings in nearby Kentucky. 





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