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Everyone is up in arms about the fact that the Navy brass fired Captain Brett Crozier, of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, after Crozier complained about people on his ship being infected with COVID-19. To many people, he was a lone man fighting a hardened bureaucracy on behalf of the men and women in his care. To others, though, he was a dangerous malcontent who placed his entire ship at risk by ignoring rules that exist for a reason. The report about Captain Brett Crozier, whose ship, the USS Roosevelt, was docked in Guam, broke like...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8gvk-nwzV8 Start at 9 minutes Dr. Fauci

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the...

In an announcement published just before 1:30 p.m. Friday, Evers said he “is urging the Legislature to take up legislation allowing an all-mail election, to send a ballot to every registered voter who has not already requested one by May 19, and to extend the time for those ballots to be received to May 26.”

Millions of college students will be closing out the semester from home, with online courses replacing in-person offerings. Due to the abrupt change, many schools are acknowledging the disruption, and associated changes in students’ circumstances, may lead to a decrease in academic performance unrelated to effort or intelligence, and are therefore instituting grading policies that provide appropriate understanding for the bizarre situation. Many universities, including Georgetown, Duke, University of Pennsylvania, have extended the deadline for taking a class pass/fail until either the last day of classes or even a week after report cards are released. However, many student groups are...

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, former Vice-President Joe Biden renewed his pledge "to have a woman be my running mate" and vowed he will "take a hands-on approach to vetting the field of contenders." One that has recently garnered Biden's attention is Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. "She looks like she has what it will take to serve under me when I'm president," he said. "That 180 degree turn she took on that malaria drug—first banning it in her state, then demanding the feds supply her with it—showed that she has moves. She also has some of the most alluring hair...

When will it be safe for sports to start back up again? That’s something many millions of fans want to know, and it will be addressed as part of President Trump’s agenda today. A call with the commissioners of the professional sports leagues has been scheduled for today. The noon entry on Saturday’s official White House schedule says, “The President participates in a phone call with Major League Commissioners.” The entry does not say which commissioners will be on the call, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would presumably take part. So far the NFL has been the least-affected of America’s...

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...