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Thomas Paine

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

18 March - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 5

Pale Moon START Page - MSM Canada   Technology - BetaKit / Global News / Google (CA)

Technology - NextWeb / Tech Crunch / The Verge

10 pm MDT

A Swiss Doctor on Covid-19

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 6 hours ago
*hattip gallier2 (hope you got my email?)* *Please read and share all of the information below: * *Link* *Published: March 14, 2020; upd. March 18, 2020; Languages: EN, DE* *A Swiss medical doctor provided the following information on the current situation in order to enable our readers to make a realistic risk assessment.* *According to the latest data of the Italian National Health Institute ISS, the average age of the positively-tested deceased in Italy is currently about 81 years. 10% of the deceased are over 90 years old. 90% of the deceased are over 70 years old.* *80% of th... more »

Good Reasons to Doubt the Estimate of COVID-19 Deaths

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 6 hours ago
*A study released this week from immunologists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine **modelling** the potential impact of Covid-19 on the UK and US -- **suggesting that up to 30 percent of patients hospitalised with the virus will require intensive care treatment** -- has been used by governments worldwide to plan their response. * * While its conclusions are being reported as "grim," "bleak," and "a punch in the gut," our guest poster **William J. Luther** has looked at the American projections, and he reckons their modelling itself... more »

Your Papers Please: Curfew Declared in New Jersey

Dennis Behreandt at rss - 6 hours ago
[image: your-papers-please-curfew-declared-in-new-jersey] On March 16, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany under President Obama, and a former banker at Goldman Sachs, announced via Executive Order No. 104 the implementation of emergency measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the state.

Illegals To Be Deported Immediately With No Chance for Asylum Plea

R. Cort Kirkwood at rss - 6 hours ago
[image: illegals-to-be-deported-immediately-with-no-chance-for-asylum-plea] Starting now, “asylum seekers,” the new word for illegal aliens who jump the border, will be immediately deported to Mexico. And anyone who shows up at a port of entry better have a green card or another valid ID.

Thomas Massie on State and Federal Government Overreaches

TNA Video at rss - 6 hours ago
[image: thomas-massie-on-state-and-federal-government-overreaches] VIDEO - Congressman Thomas Massie joins Dr. Duke to discuss the ramifications of states and federal government overreaches and shutdowns, putting people out of work and under strict government controls. Massie explains how the current health crisis is being exploited by both governors and the federal government to trample on the Constitution.

Chet Raymo, “Seeing”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
* “Seeing”* by Chet Raymo “Elizabeth Bishop has a poem about a sandpiper, a tiny shore bird scurrying forward and reverse with the lick and ebb of the tide. It was not the sandpiper I thought of today as I walked the beach, but the sand with which the Bishop's bird is seemingly obsessed. The last two lines of the poem: "The millions of grains are black, white, tan, and gray, mixed with quartz grains, rose and amethyst." Everyone sees the sandpiper. Who could not? Those fluttering feet. The delicate engine of its controlled frenzy. But who sees what the sandpiper sees, the g... more »

"Hold Your Head Up"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 6 hours ago
"I want you to always hold your head up and follow your dreams wherever they take you. Don't you ever listen to the people out to hurt you or make you cry. Listen to your heart and be better than them. No one gets ahead by hurting others. The only real peace anyone will ever have is the one that comes from within. Live your life on your own terms and make it a happy life. Always. That's what's important.” - Sherrilyn Kenyon

Farewell Comrade Peggy

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 6 hours ago
Peggy, our indomitable feline comrade and companion, passed away earlier today. Before coming to us Peggy had led an itinerant life. She was unfortunate enough to have had three prior owners all of whom had to give her up. There was a relationship break up, work commitments, and someone who had to go into an old folks' home all in Peggy's past. And each time she ended up at Iris's Cats in Need, a fine and locally famous Stoke-on-Trent institution comprising a couple of charity shops and a cat sanctuary at the bottom of a garden in Abbey Hulton. This was where we met Peggy. After ... more »

President Trump Invokes Defense Production Act – Initiates Executive Order For Health And Medical Resources…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 6 hours ago
Earlier today President Trump announced he was invoking sections of the Defense Product Act to help mitigate COVID-19 (Chinese Coronavirus) in the U.S. The act empowers the government with greater authority to control specific sectors of the U.S. economy, and … Continue reading →

Alliance for Natural Health Special Report: COVID19 – Fearmongering Born out of Uncertainty

AdminM at Health Impact News - 6 hours ago
Coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2, that causes COVID-19 or just plain old ‘coronavirus’ – call it what you like – has taken the world by storm. Humans in every corner of the globe are coming together to ostensibly minimise human tragedy, suffering and hardship linked to the severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by the new circulating virus. Unwittingly, some of these efforts might actually cause harms they’re intending to prevent. Governments, corporations, transportation companies, schools, the entertainment and sporting sectors – mostly everyone – have accepted that in the absence o... more »

New Mexico Man Says He Unknowingly Stole TVs While Drunk

AP News at Snopes.com - 6 hours ago
A New Mexico man is facing charges after he told police he unknowingly stole two televisions while drunk.

"Economic Market Snapshot PM 3/18/20"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 7 hours ago
*PM 3/18/20, Updated as Available.* ◆ *Perfect storm: "*A perfect storm is an event in which a rare combination of circumstances drastically aggravates the event. The term is used by analogy to an unusually severe storm that results from a rare combination of meteorological phenomena." Coronavirus consequences precipitate total global economic collapse... ◆ A Suggested MUST read: "The Demise Of The Financial System Is Imminent" "Banks Are Going To Drown In An Ocean Of Defaults" *MAR 18, 2020 4:01 PM: *"'We're About Halfway There' - Historic Carnage Everywhere Sparked By Dollar Margi... more »

Trust And Teaching

Peter Greene at CURMUDGUCATION - 7 hours ago
Among the may lessons we get to glean from the coronavirus semester is this one: trust matters. Trust matters a lot. And it matters in little things as well as big things, because little things set the stage for big things. You can start out with silly stuff like "My inauguration crowd was the biggest ever," and folks can just wave it off as harmless, but at the other end of the road is a major event for which the public needs a dependable national-level source of information, and there is not one to be found. Trumpism is a symptom of a larger disease, fed and watered by the interne... more »

Big Tech Firms are Using Automation to Censor News About the Coronavirus

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 7 hours ago
Social media is awash with people angry that their posts have been removed for no legitimate reason. MintPress was no exception, with a story about Cuba’s response to the coronavirus flagged and blocked. The post Big Tech Firms are Using Automation to Censor News About the Coronavirus appeared first on MintPress News.

FRANCE: New govt-issued pass required each time you leave your property, enforced by 100,000 police and Gendarmes – “it’s really scary here, 65 mill of us in lock down” (a local reports)

Pam Vernon at Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch - 7 hours ago
This is a bit like accounts of pre war Germany isnt it … passes required to move about & alone only? Also intriguing that these officials are wearing no protective gear to keep them safe from the deadly virus? EWR “If you want to exercise you have to live in the vicinity, and must do […]

Daily COVID-19 update: more closures, but the Irving Shipyard, which employs 1,300 people, is still open

Tim Bousquet at Halifax Examiner - 7 hours ago
The Halifax Examiner is providing all COVID-19 coverage for free. Five more people in Nova Scotia have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, bringing the total to 12. All 12 cases are either people who travelled from abroad to Nova Scotia, or connected to those cases. They range in age from their 30s through their […]

Report Highlights Impact of Prior Learning Assessments

Sarah Wood at Diverse - 7 hours ago
As part of the Association of Community College Trustees' (ACCT) focus on developing community college workforce strategies, a new policy brief analyzed the impact of prior learning assessments.

Trump Pauses Evictions, Foreclosures as AOC Calls for Rent “Suspension”

Luis Miguel at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: trump-pauses-evictions-foreclosures-as-aoc-calls-for-rent-suspension] President Trump has directed HUD to halt evictions and foreclosures over coronavirus. Meanwhile, progressives are pushing for rent and mortgage suspension.

Texas Considering Mail-in Balloting as a Response to Coronavirus

Kurt Hyde at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: texas-considering-mail-in-balloting-as-a-response-to-coronavirus] Texas election officials are considering mail-in balloting as a reaction to the coronavirus, the *Houston Chronicle* reported on March 17.

S.F. Bay Area Imposes “Shelter in Place” Order; NY Governor Nixes NYC Mayor’s Plan to Do the Same

Warren Mass at rss - 7 hours ago
[image: s-f-bay-area-counties-impose-shelter-in-place-order-ny-gov-nixes-nyc-mayor-s-plan-to-do-the-same] Residents in six San Francisco Bay Area counties will be prohibited from leaving their homes under a new shelter-in-place order aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

No, Climate Didn’t Cause Coronavirus

Ron Clutz at Science Matters - 7 hours ago
It didn’t take long for climatists to tie coronavirus to global warming/climate change; IOW, “It’s our fault for using fossil fuels.” And also: “Changes to fight coronavirus also fight climate change.” Activists have a long record of claiming that de-carbonizing is a snake oil curing all of society’s ills. The latest memes give the flavor […]

Coronavirus Parody

Hadenoughalready at 'Nox & Friends - 7 hours ago
Mar 15, 2020 A parody of Glenn Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy” lyric by Matt McAtee, performed by Matt McAtee ~I know the situation we’re in is rather serious but let’s take a deep breath, stop clutching our pearls and take the opportunity to have a good laugh over something we cannot fix while we can – lest we cry…HEA

Improper Payments by Government never happens…

Uriel at 'Nox & Friends - 7 hours ago
… now what could be wrong with that statement. On March 2, 2020 before some of the major decisions on the pandemic had begun to look toward citizen assistance, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) delivered their annual report card on what they had found out about federal agencies and their improper payments. Is there a grade point below F? Obama wanted to take credit for the rise in income, encouraging signs of the financial markets, and the lowering of unemployment but it is very doubtful he would be so quick to take credit for the bad government numbers that were … Continue ... more »

Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic: What Is The U.S. Military (And The Military Of Other Countries) Doing?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 7 hours ago
*Daily Mail: **The Pentagon will donate 5 MILLION respirators to strapped medical facilities – and plans to deploy two Navy hospital ships to help deal with an anticipated flood of patients during the coronavirus outbreak* * The U.S. has begun sending out equipment from its strategic stockpile * Looming shortages of masks, gowns, and gloves amid predicted hospitalizations * In New York state, 19 per cent of positive coronavirus cases are being hospitalized * Defense Secretary Esper says 1 million respirators are being shipped immediately * Two U.S. Navy hospital ships to assist the... more »

Let's Hear It For Some Anti-Party Unity

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 7 hours ago
"Well-played, Bernie," simpers Michelle Cottle of the New York Times today as she ever so "gently and gratefully" shoves Sanders into the memory hole that she and her cohort were so feverishly digging for him and for America for the better part of the last year. Joe Biden is so great and such a savior that even the coronavirus couldn't keep legions of his fans away from the latest batch of Democratic primaries. Yes - Michelle Cottle really does come right out and gush that tens or hundreds of thousands of voters unnecessarily exposing themselves to infection is so well worth it so... more »

Is This Timeline of Trump’s Coronavirus Responses Accurate?

Dan Evon at Snopes.com - 7 hours ago
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that he felt COVID-19 was a pandemic "long before it was called a pandemic," but his previous recorded statements paint a different picture.

COVID-19 Pandemic Forces Rethinking: International Cooperation Indispensable!

Alicia at LaRouchePAC Feed - 7 hours ago
Helga Zepp LaRouche *by Helga Zepp-LaRouche, zepp-larouche@eir.de* We are now experiencing the worst international health crisis of the past hundred years. This crisis is so extremely dangerous, because the coronavirus pandemic now coincides with the systemic global financial crisis that was already near explosion before the medical crisis broke out. The pandemic was merely the trigger. A solution exists—but only if western societies are prepared to replace all the axioms of the neoliberal model with an economic policy, which is not guided by monetarist considerations, i.e., to sp... more »

World News Briefs -- March 18, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 7 hours ago
*SCMP: **Coronavirus: global recession in 2020 now seen as guaranteed as outbreak ravages Europe, US* * Hope for rapid global economic recovery has faded, with some analysts predicting the downturn may last until next year * Escalation of containment measures in Europe and the US, along with weak Chinese economic data, are seen as tipping points in the outlook for the economy A global economic recession is now all but guaranteed in 2020, with analysts worldwide continuing to slash their already grim forecasts as the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic outside China results in... more »

Forced isolation, fines and large gatherings banned: Queensland rushes through coronavirus emergency laws

Josh Bavas at Just In - 7 hours ago
New laws are rushed through Parliament in a late-night emergency sitting, giving the state's chief health officer and senior hospital staff greater powers to force individuals into isolation as well as the ability to suspend the upcoming council elections.

Risky business: Uniper's potential investor-state dispute against the Dutch coal ban

bilaterals.org - 7 hours ago
18-Mar-2020 While policies aiming to phase out coal are necessary to tackle climate change, they may give rise to legal claims from companies whose investments are adversely affected by the low-carbon energy transition.

The Wild and Strange Story of How China Got Its First Aircraft Carrier

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Asia* [image: Reuters] Was it... legal? *Key Point*: The former Soviet carrier was supposed to become a floating casino. However, it was all a part of a secret scheme for Beijing to get its hands on a flat top. China was proud to launch its first aircraft carrier, the *Liaoning, *in 2012. This vessel was a refit of an incomplete Soviet Kuznetsov-class cruiser carrier. However, the story of how China got that ship in the first place may as well be a comedy—because the carrier was actually a rogue acquisition for the Chinese military against the wishes... more »

Will Donald Trump Give the Airlines a $48 Billion Bailout?

Hunter DeRensis at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Hunter DeRensis* *economy, * At the start of this week, facing financial losses worse than after the September 11 terrorist attacks, U.S. airline companies collectively asked the federal government for a $48 billion bailout. Half of it would be in direct assistance, and the other half would take the form of loan guarantees. President Donald Trump seems willing and able to grant it. Will Congress go along? At the start of this week, facing financial losses worse than after the September 11 terrorist attacks, U.S. airline companies collectively asked the federal government for a... more »

Not Dead Yet: Will the F-16's New Radars Let It Take out Cruise Missiles?

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Technology, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2018%3Anewsml_RC15990A3F00&share=true] An old fighter keeps fighting. *Key point: *The F-16 is a good plane that is getting an upgraded radar. Will it really revolutionize what this fighter can do? The agile F-16 Fighting Falcon is the most numerous jet in military service today—and boasts a superb combat record. But the 40-year old single-engine fighter—planned to remain in U.S. military service through 2048—will need to evolve to keep its edge in a world where stealth fi... more »

Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Plan: How Will Congress and Trump Save the Economy?

Hunter DeRensis at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Hunter DeRensis* *economy, * Time to send checks? A payroll tax cut? What will work? Today the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the coronavirus relief bill passed by the House on Friday. Negotiated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the bill would ensure testing for the coronavirus would be free, expand food assistance programs, and provide paid family leave for individuals affected by the nationwide business shutdowns. Projected costs for the bill are $104 billion. “A number of my members think there were considerable shortcomings in the House bi... more »

Russia Claims It Is Building T-72 Drone Tanks, but How Good Are They Really?

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2017%3Anewsml_RC13C0F72810&share=true] Let's take a look. *Key point: *Drones are nothing new, but a fully robot tank would be. Granted, these are weapons America is also working on. Russia may have been slower to adopt armed aerial drones (UCAVs) into service but it moved ahead of America in the domain-land warfare when it deployed the Uran-9—effectively, a heavily-armed remote-control infantry fighting vehicle—into combat in Syria. *This first appeared in 2019 and is bein... more »

Death by Netflix: Can Comcast's Xfinity TV Service Survive?

Ethen Kim Lieser at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Ethen Kim Lieser* *Technology, * The story is indeed well known by now: Another traditional cable company is hemorrhaging subscribers. Can Comcast do anything about it? The story is indeed well known by now: Another traditional cable company is hemorrhaging subscribers. Put Xfinity TV on that list as well. Like its satellite cable TV counterparts, Xfinity has taken its share of gut punches. In Q3 last year, Comcast, the parent company of Xfinity, reported that it had lost 238,000 cable subscribers. But on a bright note, it gained 379,000 subscribers for its high-speed internet... more »

The Danger of Turning Russia Into a Pariah State

Aleks Zivic at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Aleks Zivic* *Security, Eurasia* [image: Reuters] This is the most important lesson from the Treaty of Rapallo. A generally overlooked and misunderstood turning point in the history of relations between Russia and the West occurred in April 1922 in the town of Rapallo, Italy. It was there, on the coast of the Ligurian Sea, that the Second Treaty of Rapallo was signed between the newly created entities of the Soviet Union and the German Republic. It would leave an indelible mark on the future of Europe. To many, Rapallo is known for the secret cooperation agreement between the ... more »

Yes North Korea Sent Jets and Pilots to Fight America in Vietnam

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *History, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2001%3Anewsml_PBEAHULDLAD&share=true] A forgotten piece of history. *Key point:* North Korea wanted to assist a fellow communist regime. However, Pyongyang's pilots and planes weren't that good. In the year 2000, a visit by North Korea’s foreign minister to a cemetery in Bac Giang, Vietnam confirmed a long-rumored fact: dozens of North Korean pilots had dueled American Navy and Air Force pilots over the skies of Vietnam during the 1960s. And fourteen North Korean Air Force did no... more »

Why China Is Bringing Stealth Fighters to Its Aircraft Carriers

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2017%3Anewsml_RC1249451F10&share=true] Not good. *Key point: *If America can do it, China wants to do it too. Here's how Beijing is hoping to be as powerful and advanced as Washington. China is steaming ahead with plans to build four large, flat-deck carriers equipped with catapults, having already launched two lower-capacity carriers with curved ski-ramp decks. *This first appeared in 2019 and is being reposted due to reader interest.* Meanwhile, the PLA Naval Air Force is alr... more »

The Navy Wants to Transform Its P-8 Poseidon Patrol Planes Into Bombers

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Security, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2015%3Anewsml_GM1EB171HGJ01&share=true] About time? *Key point: *These patrol planes play a vital role in finding enemy forces. So why not allow them to attack as well? A January 28, 2020 solicitation by the Naval Air Systems Command indicating it may modify its P-8 Poseidon patrol planes to carry a wide range of long-range missiles, mines and bombs has brought about an epiphany of sorts in the defense analysis community: the sea-warfare service appeared to be gearing up to... more »

Sunk: How Russia's Mobile Anti-Ship Bastion-P Missiles Could Wreck Any Warship

Sebastien Roblin at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Sebastien Roblin* *Technology, Europe* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2008%3Anewsml_GM1E4AC1QGG01&share=true] Terrifying. *Key point:* This weapons system is both highly mobile and deadly. Launched from trucks, they can quickly attack and then redeploy. One of the ubiquitous buzzwords in national security circles the last few years is “Anti-Access/Area Denial,” or A2/AD. This term-of-art refers to the capability of long-range missile systems fielded by China and Russia that could theoretically threaten vast swathes of territory, in theory den... more »

Dish Network Looks More and More Like Dead Meat

Ethen Kim Lieser at The National Interest - 7 hours ago
*Ethen Kim Lieser* *Technology, * Much like DirecTV, DISH Network is also struggling to stay afloat in the modern age of Netflix and Amazon. Can it survive? Much like DirecTV, DISH Network is also struggling to stay afloat in the modern age of Netflix and Amazon. It’s no secret that the once-popular satellite cable provider has been bleeding subscribers for years now. In its most recent earnings call last month, the Colorado-based company said it had lost 194,000 net pay TV subscribers in the fourth quarter, which was a tad better than the period a year ago, during which it hem... more »

Australians stuck overseas after 24-hour window to leave ends

Rachel Riga at Just In - 7 hours ago
Gold Coast nurse Kate Kitto says she is stuck in a hotel room in Lima with no idea when she might be able to find a very expensive seat on a flight home to Australia.

Frustration and confusion as schools fail to enforce social distancing

Lexy Hamilton-Smith at Just In - 7 hours ago
Teachers say there is no way to effectively keep school students apart as state and federal authorities insist schools will remain open amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

'Sorry, are you recording that?': Leaked video shows Adani executive Lucas Dow talking up bigger coal mine

Josh Robertson at Just In - 7 hours ago
Leaked documents and video suggest Adani is planning a bigger mine and wants to combine with other miners to export up to 100 million tonnes (MT) of coal a year from Queensland's Galilee Basin.

Australian agricultural scientists' map pinpointing the global 'hotspots' of Roundup use

Jane McNaughton at Just In - 7 hours ago
Australian scientists find weedkiller chemical, glyphosate — the active ingredient in Roundup— has contaminated soil around the globe.

Live: Johnson shuts schools, Eurovision cancelled amid worsening coronavirus pandemic

Peter Marsh at Just In - 7 hours ago
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says all schools will close from Friday and Eurovision has been cancelled as Europe ramps up measures to deal with COVID-19. Follow live.

Gold discovery, potentially the largest ever, may herald new era in north-west WA

James Liveris at Just In - 7 hours ago
A WA gold mining company claims it has struck the potentially largest discovery ever in the state's iron ore-rich Pilbara region, but analysts are divided.

Live: NSW Now: Manhunt underway after attempted stabbing murder

Just In - 7 hours ago
*MORNING BRIEFING: *A Sydney man was stabbed several times in January then drove himself to hospital. NSW Police believe this man can tell them more.

Can we blame bats for coronavirus? What about pangolins?

Dannielle Maguire at Just In - 7 hours ago
We're all talking about the coronavirus, but what are we really talking about when we use the term COVID-19?

'People will die': Some countries have discussed just letting coronavirus run its course

Jack Hawke And Rebecca Armitage at Just In - 7 hours ago
Several countries in Europe have discussed the possibility of letting coronavirus spread among younger, healthier people to build up natural immunity. Virologists and medical ethicists say that's frightening and dangerous.

Vanuatu's Parliament is a boys club, but women are hoping to change that today

Jordan Fennell And Prianka Srinivasan at Just In - 7 hours ago
Vanuatu is one of only three countries around the world that have no women serving in their parliaments — but as the country heads to the polls today, female candidates are hoping to change that.

Fish fingers: 'missing link' for hands discovered in ancient fossil

Genelle Weule at Just In - 7 hours ago
A beautifully preserved fossil of an ancient fish shows the evolution of the bones in our hands started before animals emerged onto land.

This is the self-isolation survival kit introverts have sworn by for years

Just In - 7 hours ago
As the world worries about the least-infectious way to do anything except lock down in a bunker sheathed in protective toilet paper, there's one group of social-distancing experts governments have yet to consult: introverts, writes Emma Jane.

How will businesses survive COVID-19? These guys have some ideas

Jessica Longbottom at Just In - 7 hours ago
Businesses are being forced to think outside the square in order to stay afloat, with bookshops delivering on bikes and short-term rentals offering fully-catered self-isolation accommodation.

Reserve Bank expected to cut interest rates ahead of more economic stimulus

Gareth Hutchens at Just In - 7 hours ago
Interest rates could sink to 0.25 per cent today in an emergency move by the RBA as it unleashes quantitative easing on the financial system amid the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus update: No new cases were recorded yesterday in Wuhan, where it all began

Just In - 7 hours ago
Wall Street plunges as recession fears rise, the Reserve Bank holds an emergency meeting, and no new cases are recorded in Wuhan for the first time since the outbreak began.

The GOP Has An Official Beverage Now: Corona Beer

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 8 hours ago
Early in February, I wrote about why I had decided to cancel a trip to the beautiful Dordogne region of France. Yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron locked down the country "for 15 days" (it will likely me much longer). Even the Islamic State has issued a travel ban now! Yesterday, Bob Costa reported for the *Washington Post* that GOP nut case Devin Nunes said on Fox that "it’s a great time to just go out, go to a local restaurant." Many Trump enablers and allies see the coronavirus as hyped up bullshit "being created to destabilize the country and destroy" Trump, in the wor... more »

Open thread

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 8 hours ago
No-one knows how long this situation will last, but underneath the BBC’s negativity, I sense a spirit of togetherness. It seems unhelpful to focus on finding fault with the government’s handling of the emergency. We need reassurance and encouragement. Walking in the lovely chilly sunshine while it’s still allowed. This wonderful place is called Upton Towans. Not many people around and plenty of space to social-distance. Stay well.

The Doctor

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 8 hours ago
When I heard Dr Rosena Allin-Khan complaining ‘Asa-NHS-Doctor’ about shortages of equipment, then saw her reciting the same script at PMQs I couldn’t help thinking that five minutes ago she was campaigning for Jeremy Corbyn to be our PM. Does she think he’d have handled the situation any better? “I’m deeply worried. I’m hearing from so many colleagues they’re not being tested for symptoms” Labour MP and A&E doctor @DrRosena says many medical professionals fear they could be spreading coronavirus to patientshttps://t.co/pKKxvfOs0N pic.twitter.com/RtT5lJ8L0g — Victoria Derbyshire (@V... more »

US imposes sanctions against Iran after offering to help with coronavirus outbreak

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 8 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:45 P.M.) – The U.S. has imposed new sanctions against Iran, despite a previous offer to help the Islamic Republic during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement on Tuesday, vowing to continue Washington’s campaign of maximum pressure against the Iranian government. Pompeo announced that the Trump […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Russian military sends reinforcements to northern Syria amid tensions with US forces

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 8 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:20 P.M.) – The Russian military sent reinforcements to the northern and northeastern regions of Syria on Tuesday and Wednesday, as they strengthen their presence in both Al-Hasakah and Al-Raqqa. According to a field report from the Al-Hasakah Governorate, the Russian military sent to convoys of reinforcements: one group to the Tal Tamr […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Ansarallah forces bomb several Saudi oil facilities

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 8 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:10 P.M.) – The Ansarallah forces announced on Wednesday that their air force heavily targeted several Saudi economic facilities, including oil and gas fields. The spokesman for the Ansarallah-aligned Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier Yahya Sare’a, stated at a press conference broadcast: “The Saudi enemy received painful strikes in response to its escalation on […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syrian Army reinforcements pour into southern and eastern Idlib

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 8 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:10 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has sent reinforcements to the Idlib countryside this week amid concerns over the jihadist refusal to withdraw from the M-4 Highway (Aleppo-Latakia Highway). Reinforcements from the neighboring Hama, Latakia, and Aleppo governorates reportedly poured into the eastern and southern countrysides of Idlib on Tuesday and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Ansarallah forces reach gates of Marib city amid large-scale advance

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 8 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (4:45 P.M.) – The Ansarallah forces announced on Wednesday that they have seized several areas in Marib and that its forces are standing at the gates of the administrative capital as they await instructions to storm the city. According to reports, the Ansarallah forces reached the western gates of Marib after seizing the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

"Crisis acts as a distillery. Whatever ideas people held before, they now promote in a more pure form." #QotD

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 8 hours ago
*"Crisis acts as a distillery. Whatever ideas people held before, they now promote in a more pure form.* - *subsidies to favourite industries* - *government takeover of unfavoured industries* - *restrictions on people moving where they want* - *reduced imports of goods* - *shutting down sin businesses * - *fear of the Other* - *money printing* *These rotten ideas have been around. But now the people cry out for them."* ~ Keith Weiner. Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Permission to republish is granted, with link and attribution.

President Trump Leads Daily Coronavirus Task Force Briefing – Video

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
President Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence lead the daily briefing of the coronavirus task force from the White House briefing room. [Video Below – Transcript Will Follow]

Mike Pence: “Now is the Time To Pull Together”…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
A message from Vice President Mike Pence… Mike Pence: In the fight against the coronavirus, the Trump administration is not just taking a whole of government approach, but a whole of America approach. We’ve worked seamlessly with state and local … Continue reading →

U.S. Auto Industry Shuts Down Amid Coronavirus Struggle…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
This is a big sector hit to the U.S. economy. All of the major U.S. auto manufacturers have agreed to shut down all production facilities, through March 30th, in the latest thunder-shock to the economy. DETROIT – Ford Motor Co., … Continue reading →

The Media Disconnect – White House Press Pool Focused on Political Correctness While Million of Americans Suffer Economic Impacts…

sundance at The Last Refuge - 8 hours ago
The entire nation is being impacted by a multitude of consequences from coronavirus; millions of Americans concerned about lost work, lost wages and possibly lost jobs; the largest economy in the world at a near standstill; trillions of wealth lost … Continue reading →

Coronavirus Panic Buying Shows Surveys Do Not Indicate Actual Behavior - Everyone Is Selfish

Hank Campbell at Science 2.0 blogs - 8 hours ago
How many people on a survey would respond positively that they'd hoard goods at the expense of others? Very few. On surveys, 78 percent of Americans disagree with even 'no victim' greed like being paid more than someone else to do the same job and yet if there is one thing that California's reaction to 335 cases of COVID-19 in a state of 40,000,000 has shown, it is that at the first sign of trouble it's all about greed. And it makes no difference if you are a CEO or an employee, a Democrat or, in California, even more of a Democrat. Nearly everyone is doing it. read more

Tomtom Go Mobile App Reviews Free

A Few Promising Apps Of 2011 Mobile may be the wave of the future, but the web still matters. There were some apps doing some of what we wanted to do-utilizing the camera, linking to social media sites, and using the touch screen or the accelerometer to throw. All you need is to establish the app in the market and then you can earn huge profits with the paid content as mobile has become the focal point among users. There are numerous choices out there for you to produce an android installs you want to make confident you pick out the one that matches what you have to have when it arri... more »

BBC slims down

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 8 hours ago
Beeb Slims Down for Coronavirus https://t.co/RSoeqsI1np — Media Guido (@MediaGuido) March 18, 2020

Big Pharma Prepares to Profit From the Coronavirus

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 8 hours ago
Amid the mayhem from the global pandemic, one industry is not only surviving, it is profiting handsomely—Big Pharma. The post Big Pharma Prepares to Profit From the Coronavirus appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Video: Trump Defends Calling Covid19 “The Chinese Virus”

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
Originally posted on Nwo Report: “I think saying that our military gave it to them creates a stigma.” Source: Steve Watson | Infowars.com UPDATE: They’re still at it… https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1240322030479818753 https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1240321129174249472 https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1240324972612108290 As more and more people succumb to the killer coronavirus all over the globe, and as governments begin to lockdown and restrict movement and…

Coronavirus Crisis Caused by Decisions of Chinese Government

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
By Jim Geraghty March 16, 2020 3:47 PM People wearing masks walk past a portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping on a street as the country is hit by an outbreak of coronavirus in Shanghai, China, February 10, 2020. (Aly Song/Reuters) As a country, we’ve got our hands full right now. But … Continue reading Coronavirus Crisis Caused by Decisions of Chinese Government →

Coronavirus: China’s War on the Truth

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
Av: Giulio Meotti 8. mars 2020 On current course, China is liable to do significant damage to the rest the world, by accident or intent,» wrote columnist Daniel Henninger in the Wall Street Journalon January 29. The Chinese Communist government increasingly poses an existential threat not just to its own 1.4 billion citizens but … Continue reading Coronavirus: China’s War on the Truth →

Thomas Gallatin: China’s Disinformation Campaign to Cover Up Coronavirus Failures

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
Beijing ridiculously blames the U.S. for the COVID-19 pandemic. Thomas Gallatin · Mar. 18, 2020 The coronavirus — Wuhan Flu, Chinese Virus, or COVID-19 as it is officially called — is known to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, located in the Hubei province, itself in the heart of mainland China. … Continue reading Thomas Gallatin: China’s Disinformation Campaign to Cover Up Coronavirus Failures →

Coronavirus – Who Benefits? A Draconian Tyrannical Movement Towards The Removal Of All Freedoms And Human Rights

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
Originally posted on Truth To Power: https://youtu.be/_KP8zQEgXMY

Our planet is on the lock-down

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
Originally posted on HEALYOURSELF: As the fear is rising, I have made a video that briefly explains what is going on. Do not be frightened. Instead, sing, dance and celebrate but do it at home. Do not congregate so that there is no opportunity for a terrorist attack. The military of the world is united…

Due to Coronavirus, Philly Cops Won’t Arrest Burglars or Car Thieves

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
March 17, 2020 Daniel Greenfield Go rob and steal all you want. The cops can’t stop you. Beginning Tuesday as an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, Philadelphia police will delay arrests in crimes ranging from narcotics to theft to prostitution, Commissioner Danielle Outlaw informed commanders Tuesday. Instead, suspects will be temporarily … Continue reading Due to Coronavirus, Philly Cops Won’t Arrest Burglars or Car Thieves →

Video: Homelessness – Welcome To The Hotel California

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
An ode to the Democrats – for what they’ve done to a great state. March 18, 2020 Frontpagemag.com Below is conservative comedian Shawn Kuchinsky’s music video, Hotel California: Parody and Social Message. It offers a profound insight into what happened to a great state in the hands of the Democrats. Don’t miss it! … Continue reading Video: Homelessness – Welcome To The Hotel California →

Soros-Funded Group to Spend Millions Attacking President Trump Over Coronavirus

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
March 17, 2020 Daniel Greenfield #Patriotism. Sure, that money could help actual affected people, but during an economic crisis and a pandemic, the Democrats will use big donor money to smear President Trump and undermine the administration. How patriotic of them. A Democratic super PAC said Tuesday it would spend $5 million on digital advertising … Continue reading Soros-Funded Group to Spend Millions Attacking President Trump Over Coronavirus →

Canada Quarantines Justice

j at Wake Up To The Truth - 8 hours ago
Murder charges against Habibullah Ahmadi could be tossed. March 18, 2020 Lloyd Billingsley “The Superior Court trial of Habibullah “Danny” Ahmadi, charged with second-degree murder in the death of Sara Anne Widholm, 76, is set to commence March 16, 2020, in Chatham.” Contrary to that November 25, 2019 Windsor Star report by Doug Schmidt, … Continue reading Canada Quarantines Justice →

Wednesday Afternoon Links

Unknown at Accidental Deliberations - 8 hours ago
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. - David Roberts points out that the coronavirus has rendered it imperative to provide supports for people faced with circumstances beyond their control. And Tess Kalinowski and Laurie Monsebraaten report on the community service providers trying to ensure people's basic needs are met in the midst of a pandemic. - Duncan Cameron discusses how COVID-19 is exposing fissures within Canada, while Doug Cuthand notes that First Nations will be particularly vulnerable to its effects. - Eric Klinenberg writes that our response to the corona... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 8 hours ago
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. Thanks for stopping by! Hello TJ!

"Finding Our Way Back..."

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 8 hours ago
“Biology says that we are who we are from birth. That our DNA is set in stone. Unchangeable. Our DNA doesn't account for all of us though, we're human. Life changes us. We develop new traits. Become less territorial. We start competing. We learn from our mistakes. We face our greatest fears. For better or worse, we find ways to become more than our biology. The risk of course is that we can change too much to the point where we don't recognize ourselves. Finding our way back can be difficult. There's no compass, no map. We just have to close our eyes, take a step, and hope to God w... more »

Public Debut Without the Public for Polar Bear Cubs at Dutch Zoo

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
The polar bear cubs and their mother explored their outdoor enclosure for the first time without throngs of people watching at Ouwehands Zoo in the Netherlands.

Coronavirus Origins: Genome Analysis Suggests Two Viruses May Have Combined

David Mikkelson at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
In which animal species did the virus occur? A bat, a pangolin or another wild species? Where does it come from? From a cave or a forest in the Chinese province of Hubei, or elsewhere?

US Struggles to Fill Requests for Protective Gear

AP News at Snopes.com - 8 hours ago
The Strategic National Stockpile was created in 1999 to respond to bombings and biological, chemical and nuclear attacks. It has never confronted anything on the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cannabis event MJBizCon nominated as a top 50 fastest-growing show

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 8 hours ago
MJBizCon, the trade show for cannabis professionals hosted by Marijuana Business Daily, has been nominated as one of the fastest-growing shows in the United States. MJBizCon was a nominee for Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50 for 2019 in all three categories: Net square footage. Exhibiting companies. Total attendance. The 2019 show, held in December in […] Cannabis event MJBizCon nominated as a top 50 fastest-growing show is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

There’s Nothing So Political as a Pandemic

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 9 hours ago
a line has been drawn around political process, cameras have been pointed at it, and we’ve been taught that it’s something for us to watch from afar, a hobby to buy into, or not.

The Coronavirus Distraction...And The Continuing War On Iran

Daniel McAdams at Peace and Prosperity - 9 hours ago
Neocons never like to allow a good crisis to go to waste. While Americans are increasingly threatened by authoritarian politicians if they dare leave their homes to protect against the spread of a virus that may end up being less deadly than the flu, the neocons are hard at work stirring up war on Iran. More sanctions, bombing "Iran-backed" militias in Iraq. And more. Panic is good for the war business. Don't miss today's Liberty Report:

Sea Ice Extent (Global Antarctic and Arctic) – Day 77 – 2020

Hifast at Climate Collections - 9 hours ago
Originally posted on sunshine hours: South / North

Extending the Hunt for Trans-Neptunian Objects

Paul Gilster at Centauri Dreams - 9 hours ago
316 Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) have turned up in a new analysis of data from the Dark Energy Survey, 139 of these being new objects that have not been previously published in the literature. With roughly 3,000 TNOs known, the catalog from this work represents a healthy 10 percent of the total, but more significantly, extends […]

Pregnant and homeless, this couple does not know how they will self-isolate if they need to

April McLennan at Just In - 9 hours ago
Homeless couple Jerry and Bonnie say they have funds for housing, but they're on the street struggling to keep a high level of hygiene during the coronavirus pandemic, with a baby on the way.

Sydney cafe owner sacks workforce amid coronavirus downturn as landlords refuse to budge on rents

Paige Cockburn at Just In - 9 hours ago
A Sydney cafe owner says he can't sleep after he was forced to sack half his workforce go as customers stay away because of coronavirus and his landlord refuses to budge on rent.

Wall Street slumps as Trump's stimulus bump fades fast amid coronavirus chaos

Just In - 9 hours ago
Measures by the Trump administration to bolster the economy have worn off before they even arrive, with Wall Street giving up Tuesday's brief boost.

“There Is No Reality Anymore…”

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago
*“There Is No Reality Anymore…”* by Thad Beversdorf "I 'd love to change the world, but I don 't know what to do, so I'll leave it up to you..." * "What a great lyric that is from the late 60's, early 70's English band "10 Years After." I believe this describes that uneasy feeling of discontent that sits deep in the stomach, beneath the day to day exteriors, of so many people today. The world is like a black hole in that it seems to be getting smaller and smaller as the years go by but also heavier and heavier with each passing day. When I was a teenager and my friends and I were ... more »

Here are the difficult choices confronting our public health officials 

Joan Baxter at Halifax Examiner - 9 hours ago
In a scientific paper published this week by the Imperial College Covid-19 Response Team, 31 researchers from an impressive list of collaborating groups, including the World Health Organization Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling, came up with some stark findings that lay out the extremely difficult choices facing public health officials when it comes to dealing […]

China’s Damning US Human Rights Report May Be Propaganda, but It’s Not Wrong

Alan Macleod at MintPress News - 9 hours ago
China just released a 13,000-word report on the state of human rights in the United States. While the report clearly has an agenda, it’s not inaccurate. The post China’s Damning US Human Rights Report May Be Propaganda, but It’s Not Wrong appeared first on MintPress News.

Biden Victories Yesterday Suggests It’s Time for Sanders To Quit

R. Cort Kirkwood at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: biden-victories-yesterday-suggests-it-s-time-for-sanders-to-quit] If Democrats ever did Feel the Bern, they aren’t feeling it now. With three convincing victories in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona yesterday, Joe Biden has all but sealed his bid for the Democratic nomination for president.

Will April Showers Bring May Flowers, and an End to the Coronavirus?

Bob Adelmann at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: will-april-showers-bring-may-flowers-and-an-end-to-the-coronavirus] Evidence is mounting that with warmer temps and higher humidity, the COVID 19/coronavirus will fade into an historical footnote.

Oklahoma Senate Passes Bill Barring Abortions if Brainwaves, Heartbeat Detected

Raven Clabough at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: oklahoma-senate-passes-bill-barring-abortions-if-brainwaves-heartbeat-detected] The Oklahoma Senate passed a bill that would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat or fetal brainwaves are detected.

Philadelphia Releasing Burglars & “Non-violent” Perps To Stop COVID-19

Luis Miguel at rss - 9 hours ago
[image: philadelphia-releasing-burglars-non-violent-perps-to-stop-covid-19] The Philadelphia Police Department is rolling out a new policy of quickly releasing criminals deemed “non-violent” as part of the city’s effort to combat coronavirus.

Union Auto Worker Replies to Biden

Hardnox at 'Nox & Friends - 9 hours ago
The Michigan autoworker who was told he’s “full of shit” by Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden during a viral exchange Tuesday said in a new interview that the former vice president “went off the deep end.” Jerry Wayne, who works at the Fiat-Chrysler auto plant in Detroit, appeared on “Fox & Friends” a week ago morning to discuss the tense confrontation in which Mr. Biden called him a “horse’s ass” and threatened to fight him after he challenged the former vice president’s position on guns. “I don’t think he was ready for my question,” Mr. Wayne said. “It was a little bit... more »

Coronavirus quarantines and your legal rights: 4 questions answered

Latisha Nixon-Jones, Visiting Legal Research and Writing Professor, University of Oregon at Politics + Society – The Conversation - 9 hours ago
An expert explains how your individual rights could be affected during the coronavirus crisis.

T4 Capacity Auction For 2023/24

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 9 hours ago
By Paul Homewood https://www.emrdeliverybody.com/CM/Auction-Results-1.aspx The results of the latest Capacity Market auction have been announced, this covering winter 2023/24. Capacity amounting to 43.7 GW has been bought at a price of £15.97, a cost of £700 million pa. A further 1.6 GW has been bought in previous auctions on 15-year contracts. It […]

Washington Pushes IMF to Reject Venezuela Plea for $5 billion Coronavirus Aid

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 9 hours ago
*21WIRE + AFP* | It should come as little surprise that this vindictive administration in Washington is behind this reckless IMF decision.

How Government Failure Gave Birth to the Coronavirus Crisis

Paul R. Pillar at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Paul R. Pillar* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] The trust deficit in the United States will become an even bigger factor in the weeks ahead if, in an effort to stem the epidemic, the government must appeal to its citizens to reconfigure their lives even more than they have already. The several ways in which President Donald Trump’s methods of operation—including his lies, refusal to accept responsibility, and downplaying problems to protect his personal image and political standing—have spelled a failure of leadership in the current coronavirus crisis have already become ... more »

Colt Python: Is This the Most Powerful Gun on the Planet?

Kyle Mizokami at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * In many ways, it is natural for the perfect revolver to come from Colt. *Key point: *The Colt Python was retired by Colt in 2005. The real reason why Colt gave up on such a desirable money maker is unknown In the world of firearms, which gun is truly the best is difficult to quantify. The sheer amount of innovation and the multitude of designs over nearly two hundred years of handgun development makes for a crowded field. However, in the world of revolvers, there is one that is clearly head and shoulders above the competition: The Colt Python. It is a... more »

The Next Coronavirus Nightmare: There's a Drug Shortage on the Horizon

Jacob Heilbrunn at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Jacob Heilbrunn* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, weighs in on how to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and what the future holds for those Americans who haven't been infected by the virus. *Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He is a contributor to CNBC and serves on the board of a number of health technology and biotech companies.* *Heilbrunn*: Are there any existing drugs that you think cou... more »

Heinrich Himmler Wanted To Remake Nazi Germany, But Ended Up In An Unmarked Grave

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *History, * What secrets about the Hitler regime did he reveal before the end? *Key point: *Himmler refused to believe that the West would not see in him the logical leader of the new Fourth Reich that would be a bulwark against the advance of Bolshevism—Germany’s and the West’s common enemy. He was now in for a rude awakening On the evening of May 23, 1945, in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, five men in a British Army jeep were driving down a dark road. Four were guards and the fifth was one of the most important Nazi prisoners of war ... more »

Don't Lecture People About the Coronavirus

Emma Frances Bloomfield at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Emma Frances Bloomfield* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] Instead of treating the conversation as a corrective lecture, treat the other person as an equal partner in the discussion. The medical evidence is clear: The coronavirus global health threat is not an elaborate hoax. Bill Gates did not create the coronavirus to sell more vaccines. Essential oils are not effective at protecting you from coronavirus. But those facts have not stopped contrary claims from spreading both on and offline. No matter the topic, people often hear conflicting information and must decide which ... more »

Compassion Requires Social Distancing in the Coronavirus Era

Françoise Baylis at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Françoise Baylis* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] The time is now for businesses and governments to step up and lend a helping hand by supporting Canadians in their efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. Canadians are well known for their reserved politeness. If someone accidentally steps on our toe or bumps into us, we apologize: “Sorry.” We are also widely known as a compassionate people — we value personal autonomy, but also embrace collective responsibility. In times of trouble, we can usually be counted on to reach out in an effort to help others at home and around th... more »

These are the Coronavirus Symptoms That Should Prompt You to Call the Doctor

William Petri at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*William Petri* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] Your doctor or health care provider would likely test for flu first because the country is in the middle of a flu epidemic. If the flu test is negative then you will be tested for COVID-19, especially if you have risk factors. *As the nation adjusts to the threat of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, it’s only natural to worry whether a cough or aches and pains could be signs you have become infected by the virus. Dr. William Petri, a professor of medicine and immunologist at the University of Virginia Medical Cen... more »

Coronavirus: The Perils of America's Poorly Planned Food System

Evan Fraser at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Evan Fraser* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] Our global food system depends on the tendrils of international trade to wrap the world in an ever more complex system of buyers, sellers, processors and retailers, all of whom are motivated to keep costs low and operations lean. Toilet paper shortages, profiteering from hand sanitizer and empty shelves in grocery stores. Thanks to COVID-19, governments in most industrialized nations are preparing for shortages of life’s necessities. If they fail, riots over food may be inevitable. Some wonder if we are responding appropriately... more »

STOP ELECTING REPUBLICAN SCIONS

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 9 hours ago
Greg Sargent interviews a man who literally wrote the book on presidents and pandemics. He has nothing good to say about President Trump. “He’s likely to be responsible for many deaths,” Max Skidmore, a political science professor and the author of a book on presidential responses to pandemics, told me. “We are weeks behind where we should have been if a competent administration had been handling the reaction," Skidmore continued. "The misinformation that he spread caused people to be cavalier.” And it's worse than that. Yet Skidmore told me that in one distressing sense, Trump’s h... more »

They Will Suffer: The Coronavirus Will Target Society's Most Vulnerable

David Evans, Mead Over at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*David Evans, Mead Over* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] The economic impacts have dramatic effects on the well-being of families and communities. For vulnerable families, lost income due to an outbreak can translate to spikes in poverty, missed meals for children, and reduced access to healthcare far beyond COVID-19. As travellers cancel flights, businesses ask workers to stay home, and stocks fall, a global health crisis becomes a global economic crisis. In any health crisis, our first concern is (and should be) with the health of those affected. More than 6,400 people have... more »

Russia's Kilo-Class Submarines: “Black Holes” No Navy Wants to Fight

Caleb Larson at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Caleb Larson* *Security, * Know colloquially as the “Black Holes” by the U.S. Navy, the Improved-Kilo-Class of submarines are quite deadly — and could turn the balance of power in the South China Sea in China’s favor. Know colloquially as the “Black Holes” by the U.S. Navy, the Improved-Kilo-class of submarines are quite deadly — and could turn the balance of power in the South China Sea in China’s favor. *“Stealthy” Subs* Small and compact, the Kilo- and Improved-Kilo-Class subs are meant for operations in shallower, coastal waters, and are tasked with anti-ship and anti-subm... more »

No Crowd Surfing for You: Coronavirus Will Lead to Event Cancellations

Christine Van Winkle at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Christine Van Winkle* *Health, Americas* [image: Reuters] Event organizers have had to make difficult decisions about how to proceed, and would-be attendees question whether they should plan to go. Around the world, festivals, sporting events, conferences and community celebrations are being cancelled or postponed due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. Event organizers have had to make difficult decisions about how to proceed, and would-be attendees question whether they should plan to go. In many communities, mass gatherings are banned as social distancing becomes the n... more »

T-90 Tank: The AK-47 of Russian Tanks

Caleb Larson at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Caleb Larson* *Security, Europe* Expert: Herein lies one of the strengths inherent to Russian arms exports: instead of focusing on selling the latest, greatest, and most technologically advanced equipment, the T-90 family focuses instead on tried-and-true technologies, incrementally improving them onto a compact, affordable platform. The T-90 and associated variants are one hell of a tank — may be the best in Russian inventories. Relatively modern, they sport many levels of armor and capabilities, are easily upgradeable, and continue to supply armies all over the world. *Vlad ... more »

Give Him a Chance: Iraq’s New Prime Minister-Designate Needs One to Succeed

Michael Rubin at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Michael Rubin* *Politics, Middle East* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2020%3Anewsml_RC2LDF9YVSVT&share=true] What can America do to help? Iraq is in an unprecedented crisis as serious as when, in 2014, the rise of the Islamic State put the country’s future in doubt. In many ways, it is generational. More than 40 percent of Iraqis were born after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and they are no longer willing to accept the corruption and mismanagement of the political oligarchy who have dominated Iraq since the 2004 restoration of sovereignty. Yes,... more »

Russia's Su-57 Stealth Fighter Has Problems: Engines, Oil, and Weak Adversaries

Caleb Larson at The National Interest - 9 hours ago
*Caleb Larson* *Security, Europe* All the cards are stacked against the Su-57 — the price of oil is low, it’s engines are no better than its predecessors, and the current airframes it would replace are doing just fine. All the cards are stacked against the Su-57 — the price of oil is low, it’s engines are no better than its predecessors, and the current airframes it would replace are doing just fine. *Less Money, More Problems* Russia depends on oil and gas for revenue. If these energy exports would slow to a trickle — or when the price for these exports is low, less money flow... more »

WA allows curbside medical marijuana sales during health crisis

John Rebchook at Marijuana Business Daily - 9 hours ago
Washington state is allowing licensed cannabis dispensaries with medically compliant products to provide curbside service to patients in order to “promote social distancing,” according to the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board. Dispensaries can temporarily sell to “qualified patients” outside of their businesses, but “within the licensed property line,” the LCB said. However, dispensaries may not operate […] WA allows curbside medical marijuana sales during health crisis is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Fascinating background information on the Bin Laden attack in 2011

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 9 hours ago
The "flight lead" of the helicopters on the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, recently retired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Douglas Englen, has provided more information about that mission, with encouragement from his superior officers. It was just 30 seconds into the mission to kill Osama bin Laden in May 2011 when special operations Chinook pilot Chief Warrant Officer 5 Douglas Englen heard the call of “Black Hawk down” come over his radio. Black Hawk 2′s pilot alerted Englen — the pilot in charge of the air operation that night — that Black Hawk-1 had just crashed inside the 9/11 mas... more »

NASA Believes Alien Life May Be Hiding in Caves on Mars

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Aaron Kesel* - Some scientists believe that flexible robots should be created to explore the cave systems on Mars.

Chef Andrés Turns Michelin-Starred Restaurants Into Community Soup Kitchens for the Needy

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Elias Marat* - Chef Andrés plans to ensure that people can continue to eat well despite the global pandemic.

Satellite Images Show Massive Decline in Pollution Over Italy Amid Outbreak and Quarantine

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*Elias Marat* - All residents of Italy have been under strict quarantine measures on a national level.

Water In Venice Canals Are Crystal Clear During Quarantine Shutdown

WTStaff at Waking Times - 9 hours ago
*John Vibes* - In the several weeks since the shut down of Wuhan, air pollution has greatly diminished in the surrounding region.

2:00PM Water Cooler 3/18/2020

Lambert Strether at naked capitalism - 9 hours ago
Today's Water Cooler:

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 18, 2020

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 9 hours ago
As of now, Lockheed Martin's production facility in Ft. Worth, Texas, has not been impacted by the new coronavirus. (Defense Contract Management Agency) *Defense News*: *We asked defense companies how they’re impacted by the coronavirus. Here’s what they said.* WASHINGTON — Like everyone else in America, the defense industry is still reeling from how quickly the new coronavirus, known as COVID-19, went from a potential issue to a city-shuttering pandemic. But as major economic hubs like San Francisco and New York City struggle with curfews and restrictions on public gatherings, co... more »

Banning plastic grocery bags spreads disease

CFACT at CFACT - 10 hours ago
Count on at least two results from the outlawing of plastic grocery bags: increased energy use and environmental cost to produce more paper grocery bags; and increased spreading of germs from reusable tote bags at grocery stores, which is especially worrisome with coronavirus spreading. The post Banning plastic grocery bags spreads disease appeared first on CFACT.

The Federal Courts Begin to Adapt to COVID-19

rloeb at Lawfare - 10 hours ago
A photograph of the United States Supreme Court (Jonathan Satriale/WEBN-TV/https://flic.kr/p/pmWdJa/CC BY-ND 2.0/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/) In the United States, COVID-19 quickly transformed from a looming risk to a paralyzing pandemic. The Center for Disease Control has emphasized the need to engage in “social distancing” and avoid group settings in order to combat the spread of the virus. And every day, the announced restrictions imposed or suggested become more stringent. Our courts are institutions long set in their ways. They are used to setting the ... more »

AP Sources: Detroit Automakers to Shut Down Factories

AP News at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
The United Auto Workers union has been pushing for factories to close because workers are fearful of coming into contact with the coronavirus.

One day the populace will realise what a disaster net zero really means

Robert at Ice Age Now - 10 hours ago
There will be greatly reduced food production, storage capabilities, transport, clean water and sewage. – Rosco Mac ____________ One day the populace will realise what a disaster net zero really means Rosco Mac The empty shop shelves as a result of coronavirus panic show a glimpse of how serious the future will be in net ... Read more One day the populace will realise what a disaster net zero really means The post One day the populace will realise what a disaster net zero really means appeared first on Ice Age Now.

Blizzard Warnings for Nebraska and Wyoming

Robert at Ice Age Now - 10 hours ago
A swath of 4 to 6 inches of snow is expected to spread into the Central Plains by Thursday, with locally higher amounts, warns the National Weather Service. Temperatures far below normal. Wed 18 Mar 2020 – Snow expected for higher elevations of the Four Corners, spreading into the Plains and Upper Midwest. Snow levels are ... Read more Blizzard Warnings for Nebraska and Wyoming The post Blizzard Warnings for Nebraska and Wyoming appeared first on Ice Age Now.

BIW criticized for offering only unpaid leave to workers

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 10 hours ago
Maine Beacon Early Monday morning, Bath Iron Works, one of the state’s biggest employers, issued a statement informing their nearly 6,000 workers in Maine [living in 16 counties across the state] that they could begin to take unpaid leave without fear of losing their jobs. The announcement came on the heels of Governor Janet Mills signing a civil emergency proclamation on Sunday. “BIW will continue operations, however, we understand the challenges coronavirus creates,” the shipyard posted on its Twitter account Monday. “Any employee wishing to take unpaid leave for the next 2 ... more »

Okay, Peeps - it's time to laugh...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 10 hours ago
*because I can not be serious anymore.* Other than to say, "Thank God, Donald J. Trump is our president!" So my trucker friend, John (and friend of frequent commenter Cassandra Bird) posted this yesterday on Facecrap. His trucker friend Wayne actually did this. Between this and the Golden Corral coronavirus update I started to laugh. Not just a little chuckle, but tears running down my face laughter. (If you don't react the same way just keep in mind that I'm weird like that.) *And his traveling companions guarding his load. Gud doggies!* *And from frequent commenter and f... more »

How Victims of the US’ “Maximum Pressure” Campaign Are Coping with Coronavirus

Vanessa Beeley at MintPress News - 10 hours ago
Despite crippling sanctions, years of war, military intervention and a "maximum pressure "campaign that has only increased since the coronavirus began, victims of America's heavy-handed foreign policy are rising to the challenge. The post How Victims of the US’ “Maximum Pressure” Campaign Are Coping with Coronavirus appeared first on MintPress News.

The Coronavirus Primaries Were Illegitimate Elections. Here’s Why

Kevin Gosztola at MintPress News - 10 hours ago
Multiple states postponed their primaries due to the coronavirus risk. Rather than respect the fact that states were trying to protect the health of voters and poll workers, the DNC decided to threaten them instead. The post The Coronavirus Primaries Were Illegitimate Elections. Here’s Why appeared first on MintPress News.

Countries and U.S. States & Localities are Banning Plastics, but Plastic Products Help to Fight the Coronavirus

IER at IER - 10 hours ago
The Canadian government intends to designate plastics as toxic substances, which will allow them the authority to regulate and limit… The post Countries and U.S. States & Localities are Banning Plastics, but Plastic Products Help to Fight the Coronavirus appeared first on IER.

Trump Invokes Act to Marshal Private Sector Against Coronavirus

AP News at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
The Presidentsaid he would sign the Defense Production Act “in case we need it" as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus.

Liberal Globalized Order Is Collapsing Under Pressure from Coronavirus

InfoBrics at The Duran - 10 hours ago
Coronavirus Allows Trump to Further Push Isolationism More The post Liberal Globalized Order Is Collapsing Under Pressure from Coronavirus appeared first on The Duran.

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