July 23, 2020

Texas sets single-day high for fatalities and California sees record 12,000 cases

The number of infections across the country was nearing a staggering four million cases on Thursday and more than 143,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19
In the past week, the average number of daily cases has reached 66,000 and, based on that trajectory, cases will increase by one million by the first week of August
Daily deaths surpassed 1,000 on Wednesday for the second time this week, while new cases reached 71,000
There has been an uptick in deaths, on average, across the US since the beginning of July after hotspot states including Florida, Texas and Arizona saw explosions in cases and hospitalizations
Texas on Wednesday set one-day records for increases in COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations in the state
Meanwhile, California surpassed New York on Wednesday to have the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8552655/US-track-1-MILLION-new-COVID-19-cases-two-weeks.html

July 23, 2020

"Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV." -- Trump pushes back on those who think he's not all there

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1286176726062632965

July 23, 2020

video of hockey stick and leaf blower used to send tear gas back

https://twitter.com/MrOlmos/status/1285110589606334465

July 22, 2020

President pressured Woody Johnson to ask UK government to bring event to Turnberry

NYT: Trump Made Big Ask of US Ambassador on British Open
Sources: President pressured Woody Johnson to ask UK government to bring event to Turnberry


(NEWSER) – Robert Wood Johnson IV, the New York Jets owner and Trump donor with no diplomatic experience before being tapped as the US ambassador to Britain, was apparently just the person the president thought could handle a big job: Ask the British government if it could help get the British Open golf tourney onto Trump's Turnberry resort in Scotland. That's what multiple sources tell the New York Times, which reports Johnson felt pressure to broach the subject with David Mundell, then Scotland's secretary of state. Lewis Lukens, Johnson's deputy, warned Johnson that making such an ask would be ethically unsavory, the sources say. A few months later, Johnson fired Lukens, after Lukens emailed State Department colleagues about the request. Mundell himself is staying tight-lipped, with a UK government statement noting Johnson "made no request of Mr. Mundell" on the Open.

Turnberry has long been losing money, despite the family pumping $150 million into it. The Times points out that although Trump as president isn't affected by a federal conflict-of-interest law, he has to adhere to the Constitution's emoluments ban on federal officials accepting gifts from foreign governments. Norm Eisen, who was President Obama's special counsel for ethics, says such a move by an ambassador would be "diplomatic malpractice." "Once you do that, you put yourself in a compromised position," he says. "No experienced diplomat would do that." The only word from the State Department comes via a statement: "We stand by Ambassador Johnson and look forward to him continuing to ensure our special relationship with the UK is strong." Meanwhile, the golf association that runs the British Open says it hasn't been approached by the UK or Scottish governments on this request.

https://www.newser.com/story/293944/nyt-trump-made-big-ask-of-us-ambassador-on-british-open.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=uol&utm_campaign=rss_top

July 22, 2020

Trump Ambassador to UK. Racist/sexist remarks / pushing Trump's businesses

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/politics/woody-johnson-oig-report/index.html

NFL owner and Trump ambassador to UK sparks watchdog inquiry over allegations of racist and sexist remarks and push to promote Trump business

Washington (CNN)The billionaire NFL owner who serves as President Donald Trump's ambassador to the United Kingdom was investigated by the State Department watchdog after allegations that he made racist and sexist comments to staff and sought to use his government position to benefit the President's personal business in the UK, multiple sources told CNN.

Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson, the top envoy since August 2017 to one of the United States' most important allies, made racist generalizations about Black men and questioned why the Black community celebrates Black History Month, according to exclusive new information shared with CNN by three sources and a diplomat familiar with the complaints to the State Department inspector general.
His comments about women's looks have been "cringeworthy," a source with knowledge of the situation said, and two sources said it was a struggle to get him on board for an event for International Women's Day.

"He's said some pretty sexist, racist," things, the diplomat with knowledge of the complaints made to the IG said of Johnson, an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune and one of the owners of the New York Jets.

Asked about the specific allegations reported by CNN, Johnson did not deny them. He called it an "honor of a lifetime" to serve as ambassador and "to lead the talented, diverse team of the U.S. Mission to the United Kingdom." Johnson called the team "the best in diplomacy" adding, "I greatly value the extraordinary work that each and every member of the team does to strengthen and deepen our vital alliance."

------------------

n 2018, ahead of an event for Black History Month -- commonly marked at US embassies around the world -- Johnson appeared agitated and asked if the audience would be "a whole bunch of Black people," according to one source.

Three sources said Johnson questioned why the Black community would want a separate month to celebrate Black history and argued that Black fathers didn't remain with their families and that was the "real challenge." One source said an official who heard the remarks was "stunned" and that the incident was documented and made known to both the OIG inspectors and a supervisor.

July 22, 2020

at yesterday's C19 briefing... Trump repeated the lie that he got the Vets choice health passed

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/politics/fact-check-trump-coronavirus-briefing-july-21/index.html

But Trump's new tone, like previous Trump new tones, did not last long.
He continued to boast that the US has done many more tests than other countries, ignoring the fact that many peer nations did so much better controlling the virus that they haven't needed to keep conducting so many tests.

He continued to say that the virus "will disappear," declining to acknowledge the inaccuracy of his previous suggestions that it would disappear without much harm to the American public -- or the possibility that it will take years for the virus to be eradicated, if it goes away at all.

And Trump repeated some of the specific false claims we and others fact checked repeatedly in earlier stages of the crisis: his claim that he inherited "empty cupboards" of supplies and ventilators, that he shut US borders to China and Europe, and that governors do not need anything from the federal government.

He also repeated one of his favorite non-pandemic-related lies: that he is the one who got the Obama-era Veterans Choice health program passed after others had tried and failed for decades.

July 22, 2020

As Bison Charged, Woman Tripped - Montana woman escapes 'without a scratch' after playing dead

July 22, 2020

99 days to reach 1M infections, 43 to reach 2M, 28 to reach 3M, 14 days to reach 4M

After 99 days, 1 million Americans became infected.

It took just 43 days after that to reach 2 million cases.


And 28 days later, on July 8, the US reached 3 million cases. Case number 4 million could be reported just two weeks after that.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 3.9 million people had been infected across the US, and more than 142,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

July 22, 2020

Experts say the virus is now running rampant within American communities

At least 1,000 American deaths linked to the coronavirus were reported Tuesday, and the spread shows no sign of slowing down.

The harrowing death toll comes as states across the country report record-breaking numbers of new cases. More governors are making masks a requirement as overwhelmed testing labs and hospitals are raising alarm. And officials are debating whether to send children back to school in person.

The only other time this month the country crossed the threshold of 1,000 reported deaths was July 7, with 1,195 reported fatalities. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, a quarter of all days this year have seen a US death toll exceeding 1,000.

Experts say the virus is now running rampant within American communities, and new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also show infections could be more than 10 times higher than the number of reported cases in some parts of the US. At least 27 states have hit the pause button on their reopening plans or set new restrictions to help curb the spread of the virus.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

July 22, 2020

Portland protest continues to grow in number - July 21st Video

https://twitter.com/ByMikeBaker/status/1285788849352798210