https://politics.theonion.com/cbs-inks-deal-for-30-episode-bloomberg-ad-1841309602



NEW YORK—Citing its productive relationship with the multibillionaire in the two months since he announced his candidacy, CBS officials confirmed Tuesday that the network had inked a deal to air a 30-episode advertisement for Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign. “We’ve had a great run with Mayor Bloomberg’s shorter ads, so we’re thrilled to welcome him into our lineup with a full series of hour-long episodic commercials,” said a spokesperson for the television network, indicating the commercials will run immediately after NCIS on Tuesdays, though independent reports have confirmed they will also re-air throughout the week as often as the former New York mayor wants them to. “Mike is a relentless, self-made presidential candidate we think will really resonate with viewers when they are given this opportunity to see the full arc of his run for the White House. We have his campaign merchandise for sale in CBS’s online store, and with any luck, we’ll soon be in talks about a second 30-episode ad. Frankly, we’re willing to keep this running for as many seasons as the mayor would like.” CBS officials said the deal included a proposed crossover episode of Young Sheldon in which Bloomberg would guest star, warning the Cooper family about the dangers of consuming large, sugary drinks.

‘You’re A Piece Of Shit And I Hope Everyone Like You Dies,’ Says Biden To Democratic Voter In Stirring Call For Party Unity

https://politics.theonion.com/you-re-a-piece-of-shit-and-i-hope-everyone-like-you-di-1841363666



OTTUMWA, IA—As part of his effort to reinvigorate the coalition that once put Barack Obama in the White House, presidential candidate Joe Biden issued a moving plea for party unity when he told a Democratic voter “You’re a piece of shit and I hope everyone like you dies,” reports confirmed Thursday. “Look here, pal, fuck you and fuck anybody who thinks like you,” the former vice president said to a town hall participant in what political experts have hailed as a rousing call for Democrats, independents, and even moderate Republicans to join together in harmony and overcome the divisiveness and rancor that have characterized the Trump era. “If that’s what you believe, you’re clearly an idiot, and I don’t need your vote. Seriously, you and every single person in this fucking town deserves to die. Now back the hell up before I tear your throat out with my goddamn teeth.” After the event, a screaming, red-faced Biden reportedly continued to share his inspiring vision by informing a group of unwitting Iowans that he could beat their asses with one hand tied behind his back.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/01/29/experts-debunk-fringe-theory-linking-chinas-coronavirus-weapons-research/



As China attempts to contain the spread of a new coronavirus that has left more than 100 people dead, rumors and disinformation have spread amid the scramble for answers.

Some of the speculation has centered on a virology institute in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak began. One fringe theory holds that the disaster could be the accidental result of biological weapons research.

But in conversations with The Washington Post, experts rejected the idea that the virus could be man-made.

“Based on the virus genome and properties there is no indication whatsoever that it was an engineered virus,” said Richard Ebright, a professor of chemical biology at Rutgers University.

Tim Trevan, a biological safety expert based in Maryland, said most countries had largely abandoned their bioweapons research after years of work proved fruitless.

“The vast majority of new, nasty diseases are zygotic: They come from nature,” he said.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2020/01/27/tech-companies-file-350-million-lawsuit-over-h-1b-visa-fees/#4ac1d5972b8b



A new lawsuit alleges U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has unlawfully charged technology companies $350 million in H-1B visa fees. A victory in the case for the plaintiffs would give many technology companies a chance to recoup millions of dollars from the federal government.

“Defendant (“the Agency”) has unlawfully charged United States companies approximately $350 million dollars in visa fees (likely more) over the past six years,” according to a complaint filed on January 26, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. “Plaintiffs now seek a refund. For the reasons below, this Court must set aside visa denials based on the nonpayment of this unlawful fee, enjoin the Agency from continuing to charge this fee, and refund all payment of these fees for the past 6 years.”

The plaintiffs in the case, represented by Jonathan Wasden and Bradley Banias of Wasden Banias LLC, are ITServe Alliance, iTech US, SmartWorks and Saxon Global. The defendant is USCIS in the person of Ken Cuccinelli, senior official performing the duties of the director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The lawsuit will succeed if plaintiffs can convince the court that USCIS is unlawfully charging “50/50” companies [businesses with at least 50 employees and 50% of their workforce is in H-1B or L status] a $4,000 fee for H-1B visa holders who change status inside the United States – when, the plaintiffs argue, the fee should only be charged when an H-1B professional enters the United States.

In 2010, the House of Representatives passed a bill, which became law (PL 111-230), that included language identical to an amendment from Sen. Charles Schumer that passed the U.S. Senate.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-canada-social-media-misinformation-1.5440334

Experts say social media has increased the spread of misinformation during outbreaks

People collapsing in the streets of Wuhan, coverups of unreported deaths and travellers "escaping" quarantine in China at risk of spreading the coronavirus.

If you've been following the outbreak on social media, you may have seen some, or more, of these types of claims.

But the truth is, they're completely unverified – and in most cases, flat out untrue.

Social media has completely changed the way in which information about a disease outbreak travels around the world and experts say it's not for the better.

"When there's a lack of information and there's fear, rumours come in to fill that gap," said Alfred Hermida, professor and director of the journalism program at the University of British Columbia.

"The reason people are sharing this is because they're trying to make sense of what is a really complicated situation and also something that is potentially worrying. The danger is that it spins out of control, because fear then takes over."

Hermida began tracking the rate at which information about the coronavirus has been shared on Twitter since coverage of the outbreak began late last month.

https://www.axios.com/trump-att-outsourcing-h1b-visa-foreign-workers-1f26cd20-664a-4b5f-a2e3-361c8d2af502.html

Opponents of job outsourcing are making a holiday-season appeal to President Trump: Stop U.S. companies from forcing American workers to train the very same cheaper foreign laborers who will soon replace them.

Why it matters: Trump promised voters he'd end abuses of worker visa programs and save U.S. jobs — but as he campaigns for re-election, advocates say he hasn't done enough.

Driving the news: AT&T is poised to send thousands into the new year hunting for new jobs after assigning them to train their own foreign replacements, according to conversations with current and former workers and documents obtained by Axios.

Many have worked for the company for over a decade. They aren't being offered severance or early retirement, and may not easily find a comparable job elsewhere with similar pay.
What they're saying: Sara Blackwell, a Florida-based lawyer who represents Americans displaced by workers on visas or overseas, told Axios: "American workers are tired of waiting for President Trump to do something on this issue."

"They’ve gone from great hope in President Trump's administration, to great discouragement."
She sent letters to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas.), Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, as AT&T is headquartered in Dallas.
She also met this month to discuss the problem with White House officials.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2020-01-23/children-of-h-1b-visa-holders-in-new-jersey-will-qualify-for-in-state-college-tuition



New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation Tuesday allowing students who are children of H-1B visa holders to qualify for in-state tuition at the state's public colleges and universities.

"New Jerseyans deserve equal access to higher education, and today we are taking another step toward making that possible," Murphy said. "I'm proud to sign the legislation to help our students achieve their education goals, pursue a successful future, and live their dreams here in their home state."

Students qualify for in-state tuition if they have attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years and graduate.

"H-1B visas have one of the longest waitlists for citizenship and unfortunately, until now, if a student's parent has an H-1B visa they were ineligible for in-state tuition," said state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz, a Democrat and a primary sponsor of the legislation. "This law will make the dream of achieving a college degree a reality for many around the state by allowing them to access in-state tuition rates."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/business/papyrus-stationary-bankruptcy/index.html

New York (CNN Business)Papyrus, a mall staple that's best known for selling stationery and upscale greeting cards, is going out of business.

Schurman Fine Paper, which owns the brand, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Thursday in a Delaware court. The company is closing all 254 of its US and Canada stores. More than 1,000 employees will lose their jobs.

The company got its start in 1950 selling cards and imported stationery wholesale, before expanding into retail stores in 1973. The first Papyrus store opened in Berkeley, California, and eventually grew to 500 stores, including its American Greetings, Carlton Cards and Paper Destiny brands.

Papyrus blamed an overexpansion of stores, the downturn in brick-and-mortar shopping and its inability to fully recover from the 2008 financial crisis. Schurman tried rescuing the business by negotiating with landlords for more favorable rent and with its suppliers, but the company was unable to secure enough favorable deals to keep its stores open.

Shoppers are also increasingly sending emails or texts instead of buying cards. CVS (CVS) and Walmart (WMT) have reduced space for greeting cards in recent years.

https://dcist.com/story/20/01/21/republican-virginia-delegate-says-hed-support-giving-alexandria-and-arlington-to-d-c/



A Republican delegate in Virginia is apparently game to gift large, politically inconvenient swaths of his state to the District of Columbia.

Some jurisdictions in Virginia “are becoming more like California and New York,” Delegate Dave LaRock told a reporter for the Winchester Star last week. The delegate—who represents a district that encompasses parts of Frederick, Loudoun, and Clarke counties—went on to say that “he could get behind a move to have more liberal jurisdictions such as Arlington and Alexandria become part of Washington, D.C.,” per the Winchester Star.

“While we’re all Virginians, the values—the liberal values—that guide policy seem to be very different in these concentrated areas where Democrats dominate, and that’s most of Northern Virginia,” LaRock tells DCist.

A Facebook page associated with LaRock’s campaign for delegate vociferously supported the suggestion, which he offered up as an alternative to the idea that Frederick County should perhaps be subsumed into West Virginia, a state that aligns closer politically with constituents there. Last week, the West Virginia Senate adopted a resolution that recalled the state’s 158-year-old invitation to Frederick County to become a part of the state.

“As concentrations of Democrats near WDC NoVa, want to dictate how ROVA (rest-of-Virginia) lives, Frederick County Va. considers joining WV. Please, instead, just SQUARE THE BOX,” reads a post on the Facebook page, along with an image of a map filling in the missing part of D.C.’s diamond. “Give Arlington and Alexandria to the District of Columbia.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/va-mans-death-in-ballston-apartment-ruled-a-homicide/2020/01/21/ebc22804-3c93-11ea-b90d-5652806c3b3a_story.html

A man found dead in his apartment in Ballston last week was killed, police said Tuesday.

Scott Ratigan, 24, was from Gainesville but living in Arlington, according to public records. Police said they responded to a report of a cardiac arrest at an apartment on North Randolph Street near Wilson Boulevard, and found Ratigan at about 5:30 p.m. Friday. He was declared dead at the scene.

An autopsy subsequently revealed that he died after “trauma to his upper body,” according to a police news release.

While Arlington police named no suspect in the homicide and are offering $1,000 for information about Ratigan’s death, a spokeswoman said they do not think that there is “an immediate threat to the community.”