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You could say that the U.S. is more than flirting with yet another Covid-19 surge. Chances are that a surge has already been occurring for at least a month—since early June. And the “FLiRT” variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been front-and-center of this surge. Now, the U.S. still doesn’t have a comprehensive surveillance system that can catch surges before they happen or soon after they start happening even though it’s been over four and a half years since the the SARS-CoV-2 first surged in the U.S. Plus, nowadays, you don’t see the public health...

New so-called "FLiRT" COVID-19 variants have quickly become the most dominant in the United States, and authorities are monitoring their rise as summer approaches. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the two members of the “FLiRT” group, KP.2, is now No. 1 among strains nationally, accounting for about 24.9 of all current infections. The JN.1 strain had been dominant in the US before the emergence of KP.2. Both variants are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron strain. The No. 4 variant in the US, KP.1.1, which makes up 7.5 percent...

Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner is actively looking into running for California governor in a recall election to replace Gov. Gavin Newson, according to several sources. The reality television star is in discussions with GOP political consultants on the matter, indicating the former Kardashian stepfather would run as a Republican. With Newsom likely facing a recall election later this year, a challenge from Jenner, a transgender Republican, could weaken the incumbent Democrat’s support among the powerful LGBTQ lobby in California, the most populous state. Jenner is being advised by Caroline Wren, a longtime GOP fundraiser, the news site Axios reported on...

(Reuters) - Hopes for overhauling the federal tax system are fading in Washington, but in some state capitals, tax reform experiments - some far-reaching - are fast taking shape. Across the South and Midwest, Republicans have consolidated control of state legislatures and governorships, giving them the power to test long-debated tax ideas. Louisiana Republican Governor Bobby Jindal, for instance, called on Thursday for ending the state's income tax and corporate taxes, with sales taxes compensating for lost revenue. A similar plan is being pushed by Republicans in North Carolina. Kansas, which cut its income tax significantly last year, may trim...

The ***OFFICIAL*** Weekend Singles Thread—July 14-16 This Week’s Exciting Topic: The ULTIMATE Chuck Norris Thread Chuck Norris or die. When Chuck Norris wants popcorn, he breathes on Nebraska. Chuck Norris has a vacation home on the sun. Chuck Norris uses red hot lava to moisturize his skin. Chuck Norris beat the sun in a staring contest. Chuck Norris can have his cake AND eat it too. Some people get lucky and kill two birds with one stone. Chuck Norris once killed four birds with half a stone. What's that? You say there's no such thing as half a stone? The...

The theme for this weekend is Air Shows and comparing them in the US and Britain. I have picked Biggin Hill Air Show which is an ex RAF Station which is now in private ownership but continues to have an annual Air Show. I last visited the airshow in 2000 but a friend of mine attended this year. The following are extracts from this year's program.

OK, GUYS, LET'S S ROLL!! I thought Maybe a good way to begin tonight's discussions would be for us to share about some of the best pranks and jokes that we either played on someone,(or someone played on us) when we were younger(or nowadays, for that matter) Also, we could share about some of the crazy things we used to do, when we were younger(or perhaps still do) that were seen as fun at the time, but look foolhardy to us today. I'll start things off, and share about one thing I did about 20 years or so ago,...

Find a partner or grab your favorite beverage & listen to some Irish tunes .A couple of wave files - full-length, lilting, Irish melodies - they are so beautiful! I hope you can open them, or "save target as" to your hard drive and listen to them later. "My Wild Irish Rose" ~ John Gary "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" ~ John Gary MIDIS "Irish Lullabye" "The Last Rose of Summer" "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" "Danny Boy" Why Saint Patrick's Day? Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything...

A German court has upheld the right of Wal-Mart staff in Germany to flirt at work, a spokesman said Thursday, showing that Germany's restrictive labor laws also have their permissive aspects. The court rejected parts of Wal-Mart's code of conduct relating to employees' love lives, alcohol and drug use and a requirement for staff to report code violations via a so-called ethics hotline, the spokesman said. He could not immediately confirm the grounds on which the Wuppertal employment court had ordered the clauses to be removed for German staff, saying the judge's opinion was still in the process of being...

You don't have to look like Jennifer Anniston or Brad Pitt to make the guys (or girls) go gaga. All you need is your fabulous smile and a few surefire flirting tips like the ones you'll find below to attract the opposite sex like paparazzi to a movie star. For women, the key is to look approachable enough for men to feel comfortable in taking a risk. For men, the secret is in showcasing your masculinity. (And no, that doesn't mean adjusting yourself or proving once and for all that you are the Belching King.) 1) Lock Eyes Lock eyes...

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Wireless Flash) -- American freeways may be better pick-up places than bars or weddings because 62 percent of drivers love to flirt while behind the wheel. That's according to a car survey by Yahoo!Autos, which also reveals that an additional 62 percent admit they find potential love partners more attractive if they drive a nice car. That's not all: 69 percent talk to their car and 52 percent have even given it a name. Finally, 49 percent believe their car is a woman; 29 percent say it's a man and 22 percent can't make up their minds