March 30, 2021

We just got our first vaccine appointment!!!

I've been eligible for a couple weeks (over 50) & my wife just became eligible yesterday (over 40), & this morning the FL state vaccine folks called & we now have appointments for this Friday morning, 15 minutes apart!

We're in Brevard County, & it's the Moderna vaccine.

WOOOO-HOOOO!!!!!!

March 29, 2021

What's in a name? Derek Chauvin and Chauvinism

It's almost like he was named for it.

"Chauvinism is the irrational belief in the superiority or dominance of one's own group or people, who are seen as strong and virtuous, while others are considered weak or unworthy."

-Wikipedia

March 13, 2021

Democrats launch TV ads in Vegas to take credit for new stimulus package, vaccination effort

MESSAGING!!!

Democrats launch TV ads in Vegas to take credit for new stimulus package, vaccination effort

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is launching a new advertising campaign — including in Las Vegas — aimed at promoting President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill and slamming the Republican lawmakers who opposed the bill.

The ads begin running on Monday, the same day that Vice President Kamala Harris will be coming to Las Vegas — for her first trip to Nevada since taking office — to tout the stimulus bill.

The “Help is Here” campaign is centered around a 60-second television ad that will be run in battleground regions, such as Las Vegas, for a week. The ad features a speech from Biden focused on vaccine distribution and the $1,400 direct payments for Americans approved as part of a bill he signed last week.

-snip-

[link:https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/democrats-launch-tv-ads-in-vegas-to-take-credit-for-new-stimulus-package-vaccination-effort|]

March 10, 2021

Max Burns: COVID relief, the 2022 Senate, & messaging.

Interesting short Twitter thread. I'll post the first tweet for Twitter users, plus text of the thread:

[link:https://twitter.com/themaxburns/status/1369712902115049474?s=19|]

Man, the 2022 senate map would normally be a rough one for Democrats. AK, FL, ID, IN, KS, LA, ND, OK, SC, SD, UT, not exactly Democratic strongholds.

Far too soon to say what it looks like in 2022, but so much hinges on Biden continuing to deliver a #COVID19 recovery.

It's hard to argue against the effectiveness of the Biden stimulus for both red and blue states nationwide.

In 2021 alone, the Biden stimulus is expected to cut poverty among Black Americans by **42%** and lower the poverty rate overall by at least 5%.

https://t.co/cAh9wDhpsW

The economic benefits of Biden's stimlus plan will be immediate and widespread. It's not just that 42% poverty reduction among Black folks, but a nearly 40% drop among Hispanics and 34% for whites.

Nearly every single American will feel a boost because of this #COVID19 deal.

Now it's up to Democrats to effectively message that victory--and future victories--to red state audiences who will feel that improvement in their lives even as @GOP media outlets try to convince them Biden has made them poorer.

/End

Let me repeat that last bit:

Now it's up to Democrats to effectively message that victory--and future victories--to red state audiences who will feel that improvement in their lives even as @GOP media outlets try to convince them Biden has made them poorer.

March 8, 2021

Supreme Court rejects final Trump bid to nullify 2020 election results

The Supreme Court on Monday denied a bid by former President Trump to nullify his electoral loss in Wisconsin, rejecting the former president's final pending appeal over the results of the 2020 election.

In an unsigned order without noted dissent, the justices declined to take up Trump's lawsuit alleging Wisconsin election officials violated the Constitution by expanding absentee voting amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

[link:https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/542082-supreme-court-rejects-final-trump-bid-to-nullify-2020-election|]

March 5, 2021

Scotch whisky tariffs suspended in new US agreement

Not sure if anyone already posted this, but whisky fans on Twitter are celebrating the removal of a 25% tariff on Scotch whisky. Looks like our next bottle of Glenmorangie single malt should be a little less expensive.

Scotch whisky tariffs have been suspended after a agreement was reached with the United States.

The United States will now temporarily suspend all retaliatory tariffs on direct exports from the UK after a settlement agreement over the Airbus despite.

It means Scotch whisky will now see its tariffs go from 25 per cent to 0 per cent, as will textiles such as cashmere.

-snip-

Not sure what the "Airbus despite" is but that's what the article says.

The Scotsman:

[link:https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scotch-whisky-tariffs-suspended-in-new-us-agreement-3154414|]