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As the Chinese coronavirus shuts down our economy and locks us in our homes, we are discovering stock boys matter and Hollywood celebrities do not. Out there in the shit, out there in the danger, out there touching countless surfaces that could be infected, out there working punishing hours for low wages are the people we too often overlook and take for granted — even though they are the ones who keep our world turning. Away from their families, risking illness, America’s farm workers, truck drivers, grocery store workers, sanitation workers, and delivery people, are holding together the slender thread...

Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) said Sunday that he would begin the process of searching for a vice presidential candidate in a few weeks as he cements his lead as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary race for the White House. In comments to reporters during a phone call with members of the media and supporters, the former vice president said that he was looking at a minimum of "six or seven" possible candidates for the position. “I have to start that vetting process relatively soon, meaning in a matter of weeks," Biden said. "I think there will be...

“IT IS POSSIBLE TO STOP THE EPIDEMIC.” That’s the message splashed atop a website built by a University of Oxford team this week to share new research on the spread of the novel coronavirus. Below that hopeful statement comes a big caveat: To stop the virus’ spread, health officials need to find and isolate the contacts of infected people—lots of them—and fast. Such contact tracing is a mainstay of infectious disease control. But the Oxford team is one of several now advocating for a new approach: tapping into cellphone location data to track the spread of infection and warn people...

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney on Sunday issued a “stay at home” order, joining a growing number of jurisdictions across the country implementing more severe restrictions on social and commercial activity to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The new restrictions, which take effect 8 a.m. Monday, are the latest escalation in a series of directives by Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf ---SNIP--- The order states that “all public or private gatherings of any number of people outside of a single household or living unit are prohibited.” That means all sporting events, picnics, outdoor parties — even small social gatherings of...

While the media is concerned with President Trump’s optimism perhaps sending false hope to the American people, it seems the American people like positive information about the fight against COVID-19. Of course, all the haters piled on Trump for not being a doctor, even though they’re not doctors. Andrew Feinberg, who covers the White House and Capitol for something called Breakfast Media, blasted the president for posting “ignorant snake oil drivel.” But remember: Reporters don’t root for a side.

DALLAS, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — Due to the coronavirus spread, Judge Clay Jenkins ordered that Dallas County is to shelter-in-place starting Monday. The order, effective as of 11:59 p.m. Mar. 23, will prohibit residents from leaving their residence unless for an “essential activity.” It will continue until 11:59 p.m. Apr. 3. For the purposes of this order, residences include hotels, motels, shared rentals and similar facilities. Anyone who leaves their residence is to provide or perform essential governmental functions, or to operate essential businesses. All non-essential businesses operating within Dallas County are required to cease all activities at facilities located within...

New York State is about to begin testing drugs for treatment of coronavirus, Gov. Cuomo said Sunday. The feds have given the state 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of zithromax and 750,000 doses of chloroquine. Testing will kick off Tuesday, Cuomo said. “The president is optimistic about these drugs and we are all optimistic that it could work,” the governor said at a press conference. “I’ve spoken with a number of health officials and there is a good basis to believe that they could work.”

My first post here and vanity, I hope it's in the right place. Be gentile. I can't contain my frustration any longer. Rant on: The late, great George Carlin had a part in his skit where he said: "think about how dumb the average person is, half of those are dumber than that!" The quote is close enough for my illustration. Anyone remember the great American lock down of the 2009 Pig Flu pandemic? No? Me either. There wasn't one. Obama eventually called a state of emergency after he got off the golf course. There was not wide breathless-media panting...

the city council of Bellingham, Washington, will vote Monday on various “emergency” proposals that include a curfew; banning the possession, transfer, and carrying of firearms as well as banning alcohol sales; closing city streets, businesses, and community buildings to the public; and prohibiting the sale of fuel in any container other than a fuel tank properly affixed to a motor vehicle. . . . Most disturbing of all, the meeting notice declares, “There will be no public comment taken at City Council meetings until further notice.”

A man in Germany has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly loosening bolts on a high-speed railway track. The stretch of track affected was just before a bridge outside Frankfurt. A train driver noticed "something unusual" while crossing the bridge early on Friday. Several trains had already passed over the section before the issue was discovered. Rail operator Deutsche Bahn described the incident as "sabotage". . . . According to German news site Der Spiegel, the rails were five centimetres further apart than usual. This could have caused trains to derail and even send them plunging off...

Posted on March 21, 2020March 21, 2020 by Msgr. Charles Pope I Went, I Washed, And Now I See – A Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent In today’s Gospel, Jesus, the Light of the World, brings light to a man born blind. If you are prepared to accept it, you are the man born blind, for all of us were born blind and in darkness. It was our baptism and the faith it gave that rendered us able to see and to come gradually more fully into the light. The man in today’s Gospel shows forth the...

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Joe Biden slammed President Trump Saturday over his failure to contain the coronavirus crisis in a new digital ad. The Democratic presidential front-runner detailed Trump’s statements downplaying the severity of the crisis even as the pandemic spread across the globe. “Donald Trump has failed the American people,” Biden wrote on Twitter. Trump says he has done a “tremendous” job mobilizing the nation in the face of a crisis that no one could have seen coming. But Biden and a chorus of critics say he ignored warnings and stoked doubts about the severity of coronavirus until it was far too late.

COVID-19 can be especially dangerous to people who have a compromised immune system. People with diabetes can fall into that category. “They don't have any special risk of actually getting the virus,” explained Dr. Philip Jameson who is with the American Diabetes Association. “They have the same risk that everybody else does. But that because of diabetes, they have a higher risk of complications. Complications could mean, that besides having the lung infection, they could have effects on other organs, and that's just something that has been seen. Part of it is because people with diabetes often have related heart...

President Trump on Sunday said the National Guard had been activated in New York, California and Washington and that the federal government would provide additional resources to help those states combat the coronavirus. “We’re dealing also with other states. These states have been hit the hardest,” Trump said at a news briefing at the White House. Trump said the federal government would fund “100 percent” of the National Guard units carrying out approved missions in those states. The order will provide additional manpower and resources to the three states grappling with some of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the U.S....

Thanks to all of you numbskulls who bought a million rolls of toilet paper in the last few weeks, some California towns are experiencing sewer problems because people are using disinfectant wipes, paper towels, and even shredded T-shirts and then flushing them.

As the entire world has struggled to cope with the fallout from the CCP virus, all eyes have remained fixed on Italy, where the virus is reaping its most awful toll. Deaths in Italy from the virus have now surpassed the official count claimed by the Communist authorities of China. As of March 22, China has acknowledged a total of 3,261 deaths from the disease called COVID-19, while Italy’s toll has far surpassed that at 4,825 and is climbing rapidly. Another of the hardest-hit countries is Iran, which claims 1,685 dead, although as with China, there’s good reason to believe...

Former CNN reporter Jacki Schechner is comparing President Donald Trump to Nazi Germany’s sinister scientists after he announced he supported the government testing an anti-malarial drug as a potential treatment for coronavirus.

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You’ve also might have heard a lot of inaccurate statements, like the coronavirus came about because Chinese people eat food that Americans consider strange, like bats or civet cats. You’ve might have heard the coronavirus started in one of the so-called “wet markets” in China where live animals are kept in close proximity and sold outright or slaughtered on-site. You’ve could have heard Trump imposed a travel ban to China: foreign nationals who’ve been in China within the last 14 days won’t be allowed to enter the US. And you’ve heard jokes, seen memes, or made comments about the Chinese...