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The Trump Organization has been forced to layoff around 1,500 employees as it struggles to deal with COVID-19-related closures of its properties around the United States. Like other groups in the hotels and hospitality field facing state-mandated shutdowns, the Trump Organization has responded by cost-cutting, trimming staff from hotels and clubs in New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Vancouver and Honolulu, the Washington Post reported, citing public filings.

Democrats on Friday reacted furiously to President Trump’s decision to fire the intelligence community inspector general who informed Congress about the Ukraine whistleblower complaint.

“In just ten days, we discovered that neither the tampon issue, nor the participation of transsexuals in the Olympic Games, nor the climate emergency were real problems, nor emergencies, nor anything of the sort. They were just fictitious problems, the pastimes of a generation that hadn’t known tragedy.” – Itxu Diaz, National ReviewHow many times are we supposed to have died? Net Neutrality, Budget cuts, Donald Trump’s very existence were supposed to have killed us all already. How many failed predictions of global warming / climate change / ManBearPig destroying us in 10 years have we seen blow by us...

Four small retail businesses have been hit with criminal charges for staying open during the city’s shutdown orders for non-essential businesses. Prosecutor Mike Feuer’s office charged Business Discount Electronics, 556 S. Broadway; Hot Box Smoke Shop, 9115 S. Western Ave.; DTLA Smoke Shop, 223 1/2 W. 6th St.; and Brother Shoes, 818 W. Slauson Ave., Unit B. The Safer At Home orders are in effect until April 19. Violations of either the city or county order can be enforced as a misdemeanor and punishable by fines and imprisonment. In addition, the Dept. of Water and Power will cut off service...

A versatile ham radio antenna demonstration by SurvivalComms

In the face of today’s global health pandemic, we are experiencing a time of tremendous uncertainty. As the former CEO of a molecular diagnostic laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I believe advanced diagnostic technologies are ready to address the challenges we face. Today, Germany is testing between 360,000 to 500,000 citizens for viral infection weekly — tracking the spread of the coronavirus early. This enables self-quarantine for those who test positive and allows healthy individuals to move back to society. The German Health Ministry is investing 500 million euros to create a database to link hospitals with labs to provide information....

Leaders are dealing with the crisis on a largely national basis, but the virus’s society-dissolving effects do not recognize borders. While the assault on human health will—hopefully—be temporary, the political and economic upheaval it has unleashed could last for generations. No country, not even the U.S., can in a purely national effort overcome the virus. Addressing the necessities of the moment must ultimately be coupled with a global collaborative vision and program. If we cannot do both in tandem, we will face the worst of each.

Could Joe Biden benefit from a little Cuomentum? People close to Gov. Andrew Cuomo certainly think so and are engaging in a furious behind-the-scenes campaign to tout his leadership during the COVID-19 outbreak and appeal to Team Biden, insiders say. “Biden bundlers have told me that they are feeling pressure from Cuomo’s orbit to, at the very least, have the vice president bring him up in complimentary ways regarding his handling of the crisis,” said one New York Democratic operative regularly in touch with big Biden donors. They seek to “keep the dust up” and “generate a positive whisper campaign”...

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you're safe and sound at home. As we all navigate the global COVID-19 crisis, it's important that we're still nourishing ourselves - not just our stomachs, but also our minds, our hearts, and our communities. As my colleague Brinda's grandmother texted her today from Singapore, "Don't get depressed. Sing, play on the piano, read novels, learn knitting and sewing, meditate - all these help." I don't know if I believe that the simple comforts of cooking will indelibly cure the ailments of today and tomorrow, but I do know that walking into...

A Massachusetts man convicted of repeatedly raping a 12-year-old boy was ordered released from jail Friday — because he suffers from health conditions that can make him vulnerable to coronavirus, according to new reports. Glenn Christie, 54, who uses a wheelchair, was ordered released from the Massachusetts Treatment Center by Superior Court Judge Heidi Brieger, WBUR reported. One of the conditions is that Christie tests negative for COVID-19, the station reported.

CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta was widely blasted for interrupting Dr. Deborah Birx during Friday's coronavirus briefing to attack President Trump. Birx took a moment at the podium to address the "who knew what when" concerns and said all the countries affected by the pandemic can "look back" to develop a timeline but not while "in the middle" of the crisis. "We can talk about why didn't Italy do something or Spain do something or Germany do something, or we can really say right now -- we all can do something," Dr. Birx explained. "We can do the...

An American story posted in an effort to show how far the coronavirus insanity has traveled and how the character of our country is being reshaped .... Hoops Removed at Legendary NYC Basketball Courts as a Coronavirus Precaution by Angi Gonzalez Brooklyn (snip) -- "The basketball court at Rucker Park in Harlem is considered hallowed ground for some of the greatest players in the game. On Thursday, it was empty, which seemed surreal for people who live in the neighborhood. Earlier in the day, the hoops at the Rucker Park court and at 79 other basketball courts across the city...

(Sweden has twice the population) What is the situation in Sweden? On April 2nd, Sweden had 5,466 reported cases of Covid-19 patients, 559 people in intensive care and 282 deaths. As of now, on average, 53 out of every 10,000 people are infected. People showing symptoms are on average 61 years old. Over 60% of the deceased are older than 80 years old. By way of comparison, Denmark and Norway, two neighbouring countries and both in lockdown, recorded 3,672 and 5,253 reported cases of illness, and 123 and 54 deaths respectively. We are starting to see shifts in the dynamics...

Today's Quotefall Puzzle features a quote by Philip Dormer Stanhope. Click puzzle (or click here) for full size rendition, then use your browser's print command to print puzzle. Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, was a British statesman, diplomat, frequent letter writer, and an acclaimed wit of his time. All hints, along with the answer, are provided in the first reply comment below, using filtered font to prevent accidental spoilers. Please refrain from disclosing the full answer in comments to prevent spoilers.To solve the puzzle: Enter the letters in the top half (letter columns) of the puzzle into the white squares...

Burglaries of businesses have risen in New York City under emergency measures to fight the new coronavirus, according to new New York Police Department data, and some businesses are boarding up their storefronts. The NYPD has seen a 75% increase in reports of burglaries of commercial establishments from March 12, when New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency, to March 31, police officials said. The NYPD recorded 254 burglaries of businesses during that time period this year compared with 145 for the same period last year, the officials said. All boroughs of the city have...

Former Vice President Joe Biden reversed course, again, Friday afternoon. The presumptive Democratic nominee to face President Trump in November now says that he supports the president’s travel ban to and from China. This is a 180-degree spin from the former vice president. Just two months ago, Biden called a ban on travel to and from China, where the virus originated, was "xenophobic" and "racist:" "The national emergency and worldwide alerts. The American people need to have a president who they can trust what he says about it. That he is going to act rationally about it. In moments like...

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. ( Luke 21:34-36)The subject of the Rapture is really about escape. The Scripture polarizes humanity into two different groups, “Those who...

Maryland man kills wife and neighbor.

To manage this restriction, the associates at a store will mark a queue at a single-entry door (in most cases the Grocery entrance) and direct arriving customers there, where they will be admitted one-by-one and counted. Associates and signage will remind customers of the importance of social distancing while they’re waiting to enter a store – especially before it opens in the morning. Once a store reaches its capacity, customers will be admitted inside on a “1-out-1-in” basis. We’ll also institute one-way movement through our aisles next week in a number of our stores, using floor markers and direction from...

The liberal group Demand Justice is knocking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for discussing judicial nominations during the coronavirus pandemic, urging voters to tell him "no more distractions." The progressive outside group is going up with a digital ad, obtained by The Hill ahead of its release, that will run on both Facebook and Instagram, targeting Kentucky and national audiences. "The country needs emergency relief now, not more extremist judges who will vote to overturn the Affordable Care Act and take away health care from millions when they need it most. American lives are at stake. McConnell needs to...