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At the age of 81 and having survived a bout with prostate cancer, marijuana icon Tommy Chong meets the definition of someone the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers "vulnerable" to the coronavirus. But when contacted by ABC News, Chong, who has been adhering to stay-at-home orders at his Southern California residence, said he doesn't plan to let the virus, also known as COVID-19, get in the way of celebrating one of the most synchronistic dates the pot world has ever anticipated: 4/20/2020. "I know everybody calls me because of my age, asking, ‘How are you feeling?''' Chong said...

Trump hammers snarky CNN Reporter Jeremy Diamond after he asked Trump why he played video of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying the Trump Administration has done a fantastic job during the Coronavirus Crisis. Bottom Line: They hate that Trump fights back against the unfair and untruthful attacks they (the Media) use against him every day! . . .

(20 ILCS 3305/7) (from Ch. 127, par. 1057) Sec. 7. Emergency Powers of the Governor. In the event of a disaster, as defined in Section 4, the Governor may, by proclamation declare that a disaster exists. Upon such proclamation, the Governor shall have and may exercise for a period not to exceed 30 days the following emergency powers; provided, however, that the lapse of the emergency powers shall not, as regards any act or acts occurring or committed within the 30-day period, deprive any person, firm, corporation, political subdivision, or body politic of any right or rights to compensation or...

It’s easy to farm organically in the wealthy EU and USA, where consumers can afford to demand much more expensive organic meats, eggs, fruits and vegetables. It’s much harder if you have to deal with the insects and crop diseases that plague African farmers on constant massive levels and locusts that bring true catastrophes every few decades – and then sell your meager crop yields to impoverished families. That modern pesticides might save billions of dollars of crops every year and stop locusts before they can swarm by the tens of billions – or that bioengineered crops might feed more...

Harvard University will receive nearly $9 million in aid from the federal government through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the Department of Education announced last week. The CARES Act — the largest economic stimulus package in American history — was signed into law on March 27. It allocates nearly $14 billion to support higher education institutions during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Of the $8,655,748 Harvard is slated to receive, the government has mandated that at least half — $4,327,874 — be reserved for emergency financial aid grants to students. The Department of Education will distribute the first...

Paris (AFP) - Police fought running battles overnight in Paris's low-income northern suburbs with residents alleging heavy-handedness by officers enforcing France's strict coronavirus lockdown. Residents burned trash and cars and shot fireworks at police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas in the suburbs of Villeneuve-la-Garenne and Aulnay-sous-Bois, witnesses and police said on Monday. The tensions were ignited in the early hours of Saturday when a motorcyclist was injured during a police check in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, prompting about 50 angry bystanders to gather. A police statement said the group targeted officers with "projectiles" in a near two-hour standoff. The motorcyclist,...

As Covid-19 takes hold across the globe, and global demand for air travel falls 80 percent, the aviation industry is in freefall. The International Air Transport Association predicts half of all airlines will be bankrupt by June if governments don't step in with loans and bailouts. Climate campaigners, however, believe the pause in flying is an opportunity to build a cleaner air transport system. Magdalena Heuwieser is a climate activist and co-founder of the Stay Grounded Network. The group's current campaign #SavePeopleNotPlanes asks that any financial aid come with conditions. Heuwieser told FRANCE 24: "Airlines must agree to finally pay...

As the ongoing Chinese coronavirus pandemic turns out to be far less deadly than previously feared, certain segments of the population are itching to get America’s economy rolling again. Except, although we were initially told to hunker down for a few weeks to “flatten the curve,” the goalposts were moved as soon as the original goal was met. Now, a significant chunk of people seemingly want the lockdowns to last forever or until a vaccine is developed, whichever comes sooner. Interestingly, the politics behind who wants to get back to work and who wants to keep their PJs on and...

Virtually time travel back to 1918. Peering into this room in France is as if you are stepping into a time portal into the early 1900s. The bedroom, which belonged to a French soldier, hasn't been touched since 1918. If you drive three hours southwest of Paris, you'll find Belabre, a quaint French village with a population of fewer than 1,000. That is where you will discover the home of the parents of Hubert Guy Pierre Alphonse Rochereau. When World War I was ravaging Europe, a young Rochereau was deployed to the Belgian battlefield. Sadly, Dragoons' Second Lieutenant Hubert Rochereau...

During his press conference on Sunday, President Donald Trump was asked by one of the Democrat operatives posing as reporters if he was considering pardoning Roger Stone before he begins to serve the prison sentence handed to him by his kangaroo court trial a few months ago. In his answer, the President implied he considering a pardon not only for Stone, but for Paul Manafort and General Mike Flynn as well. Here is a clip, followed by a transcript, of the President’s remarks on the subject: Daily Caller ✔ @DailyCaller "The top of the FBI was scum ... human scum,"...

OTIS, Ore. – A woman in Otis, Oregon came across an interesting find while going through boxes in her late father's garage - a World War II-era hand grenade. She called the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office to report what she found, and deputies confirmed it was a real grenade. The Oregon State Police bomb squad was called to secure the device. They're looking into whether it's still live.

There’s a stark contrast in suffering between the private and public sectors in this era of unprecedented government intrusion into American life and business. Millions of mom-and-pop shops are shut and their income is decimated and large-company employees are furloughed. But we hear virtually nothing about government workers being laid off – or even taking a pay cut. Let that sink in: the folks whose work and taxes underwrite bureaucrat pay are cut off from livelihood while those they support in government are not only not hurting, but many are being given what are essentially paid vacations. And we’re hearing...

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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans to furlough thousands of city workers for 26 days out of the next fiscal year as one of several measures to help balance the budget amid the COVID-19 pandemic during his State of the City address on Sunday evening. The furloughs will affect all civilian employees and will be equivalent to a 10% reduction in pay and will take effect July 1, the mayor said. A hiring freeze already put in place will remain in effect, as well. “I do not take that step lightly. I know every day we’re down even one...

Its Swingin' Monday and we have the Hi-Flyers with Razz Ma Tazz Stomp (1938). THE WESTERNER https://thewesterner.blogspot.com/

Washington’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic is upending one of the most durable patterns of American politics. Throughout history, national emergencies have led to a more powerful and centralized federal government and to the transfer of federal power from Congress to the executive branch. This time, the federal response rests largely on state and local government and private enterprise, with a wave of deregulation clearing the way. ... Mr. Trump has received criticism from all sides for these measured responses. It is said, on the one hand, that he should aggressively commandeer state police powers and industrial resources to mount...

While coronavirus closures are coaxing wildlife into the abandoned streets of many a metropolis, in one Israeli city the four-legged interlopers are assertive and, well, quite boorish. Wild boars, some as bulky as Rottweilers and traveling in family packs, have been trotting through Haifa in increasing numbers. Their once-nocturnal visitations now take place throughout the day, as they root through refuse, spook domestic pets and even block roads. The visitation, since nationwide lockdowns came into effect this month, has revived debate among residents of the hilly port city as to policy regarding the pests.

Jamie Margolin had not expected to be sitting in her bedroom right now. The high school senior had prom and graduation coming up, but so much more: A multi-state bus campaign with fellow climate activists. A tour for her new book. Attendance at one of the massive marches that had been planned this week for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Then the pandemic arrived in Seattle, her hometown, and her plans went out the window. “But still so much to do,” Margolin said, perched in front of her computer for a video interview from that bedroom. Like many other...

Two Michigan business owners, who filed a lawsuit against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer after she imposed one of the strictest stay-at-home orders in the country amid the coronavirus outbreak, said on “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday that the order should exclude their businesses. “We are representing thousands of business owners like us in the state of Michigan,” Chris Welton, a co-owner of Welton Lawn Care, said. “It’s our peak season and it’s devastating to the entire industry.” “We have customers that want us to come. They don’t understand why we can’t,” she continued. “We have lost revenue, employees that are...