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Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Wake-Up Call: Population Growth At Historic Low

Wall Street Journal Graphic 12/22/21

The nation's population grew this year at a rate of 0.1%, the lowest growth since the United States was founded. The report from the U.S. Census Bureau, released yesterday, attributes the slow rate of growth to a decrease in net migration, decreased fertility, and increased mortality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The largest annual population gain was seen in Texas, which added 310,288 residents for a total population of 29,527,941.

CHECK IT OUT: To see the Census Bureau's state-by-state count, click here.

➤NEW MEASURES TO COMBAT COVID-19 SURGE: Military troops are expected to begin arriving in Wisconsin and Indiana this week to help healthcare workers at hospitals overwhelmed by a surge in COVID-19 cases. New testing sites will be opening soon in hard-hit New York City. And, the federal government is ordering 500,000 at-home testing kits to be distributed for free. These are among the measures announced yesterday by President Joe Biden to tackle the latest surge in COVID-19 illnesses. The president said he would not seek to impose additional mandates for vaccinations, restrictions on travel and other activities, or school closures.


Some infectious disease experts say it is not possible to keep the omicron variant from spreading. According to The New York Times, the apparent goal of the White House plan is to slow the spread, protect the most vulnerable, and prevent hospital systems from collapsing under the strain.


➤CAPITOL RIOT PARTICIPANT, AGE 81, GETS PROBATION: An 81-year-old Army veteran was sentenced to three years of probation and $2,500 in fines for his role in the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. Gary Wickersham was charged with illegally breaching the Capitol building. He said he regrets his actions that day.


➤EARTHQUAKE RATTLES ALASKA: An earthquake measuring 5.9 shook south-central Alaska yesterday afternoon. No damage was reportedly immediately, although the quake was felt through much of the state. It was centered about 140 miles southwest of Anchorage and 38 miles east of Port Alworth, which has a population of 186.

🌎EARTH IS SPINNING FASTER NOW THAN IT DID 50 YEARS AGO:  The Earth is spinning faster than it did 50 years ago. UK National Physical Laboratory scientist Peter Whibberley says the speed our planet rotates on its axis has varied throughout history. Millions of years ago, the Earth rotated 420 times per year, but now it rotates 365 times. But right now, the Earth is rotating a bit faster, and Whibberley warns that if the rotation rate increases further, it will affect the atomic clock, and require negative leap seconds to be added. The atomic clock is extremely precise, and measures time by the movement of electrons that have been cooled to absolute zero. So, to keep the atomic clock in line with the number of seconds in the rotation of the Earth, leap seconds have been added every 18 months or so since 1972. There has never been a negative leap second, and a system designed to make that possible hasn’t been tested. Judah Levine from the National Institute of Standards and Technology adds that leap seconds—added or removed—may not be worth the hassle, as in total they’d only add up to about a minute over 100 years.

➤CAR-SIZED BUG FOUND, LUCKILY LONG DEAD: Scientists in England have identified the fossilized remains of a creature found in Northumberland as a really big bug. It was a bug the size of a car, and it looked roughly like a millipede, which is a bug with many legs. Luckily, this bug died somewhere between 359 million and 299 million years ago, during the Carboniferous Period, according to LiveScience. The scientists think it may have been the largest anthropod ever. Anthropods are creatures that have a segmented body and jointed appendages. Bugs, basically.

🏈NFL TUESDAY NIGHT: Jalen Hurts overcomes 2 early turnovers to defeat Washington as the Eagles jump WFT in the NFC East  27-17. The Eagles are very much alive for a playoff berth after shaking off some rust, with Hurts bouncing back.   Also: Rams 20 Seahawks 10.



🏒NHL SKIPS THE OLYMPICS: The National Hockey League has withdrawn its players from participation in the Winter Olympics men's hockey tournament in Beijing in February, several sources reported yesterday. Coronavirus outbreaks among players and staff have forced the postponement of 50 of the league's regular-season games to date.

🏈BUCS SIGN FREE AGENT BELL: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are signing free agent running back Le'Veon Bell, according to the NFL Network. He may need to step in for Leonard Fournette, who was on crutches with a hamstring injury after Sunday's game and may be headed for the injured list. Bell last played for the Baltimore Ravens.

🏈BEASLEY ON THE RESERVE LIST: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley has been placed on the reserve COVID-19 list, according to a report in the NFL Network. If he tested positive, he will miss 10 days. Beasley made headlines last summer while speaking out against the NFL's COVID-19 policy. He is reportedly still unvaccinated.

🏈WOLVERINES TAKE NO CHANCES: Every player on the Michigan Wolverines team is going to line up today to get a COVID-19 booster shot. They're taking no chances before the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Georgia Bulldogs. "I think everyone understands the gravity of the situation. To have an outbreak now would be devastating to a lot of people," said offensive lineman Andrew Stueber.

⚾TIGERS COACH BARTEE DIES AT AGE 49: Detroit Tigers coach and former outfielder Kimera Bartee died unexpectedly on Monday, the team announced. He was 49 years old. A native of Nebraska, Bartee made his major-league debut with the Tigers in 1996.

🌃LOOK FOR THE CHRISTMAS COMET: Astronomers are calling it the Christmas comet. It's also called Comet Leonard, and it's the brightest comet of the year. It will be visible in the sky from now until the end of the month. NASA advises comet-watchers to look just over the horizon just at sunset. Binoculars or a small telescope would help but you might see it without help from a rural area. It won't be back for another 80,000 years.






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