thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-04--Car Sends 2 Seattle Protesters Into The Air After Barreling Through Blockade

Two women were hospitalized early Saturday in Seattle after a car swerved into a closed section of highway and sped into a group of civil rights demonstrators , police said .
The car drove around a blockade vehicles around 1:40 a.m. before hitting the crowd in an incident caught on disturbing and graphic video .
The video shows two figures being struck by a white Jaguar sedan and thrown into the air , landing hard on the pavement .
Summer Taylor , 24 , and Diaz Love , 32 , were brought to Harborview Medical Center ’ s intensive care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told HuffPost .
Love has since moved to serious condition .
She had been live-streaming the demonstration , which was billed as “ Black Femme March Takes I-5 , ” on her Facebook page when the car struck , ending her stream abruptly .
In the moments before , people can be heard yelling “ car ” in increasingly panicked tones .
Sections of the highway have been frequently closed off because of protests , according to a local ABC affiliate .
Trooper Rick Johnson , a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which showed damage to its front grille and windshield .
Here are two pictures of the suspect vehicle that struck two protesters on I-5 this morning .
Investigation into motive and point of entry in to I-5 are still under investigation .
pic.twitter.com/gU1QH6TFTu — Trooper Rick Johnson ( @ wspd2pio ) July 4 , 2020 The suspect was identified as Seattle resident Dawit Kelete , according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press .
He was taken into custody and faces multiple charges .
“ At the very least , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , felony hit-and-run , but those could be upgraded depending on the progress of the investigation , ” Washington State Patrol Capt .
Ron Mead said in an early morning news conference .
“ We don ’ t know if it ’ s a targeted attack , but that remains the focus of our investigation , ” Mead added .
Mead urged protesters to reconsider gathering on the highway , saying it is difficult to guarantee their safety .
The brutal incident comes two days after authorities shut down an area of Seattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a police-free encampment dubbed the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone .
The zone lasted nearly a month until a series of violent attacks ramped up pressure to dissolve it .

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One person is dead and a second remains hospitalized after a car drove onto a closed section of highway and sped into a group of people protesting against police brutality in Seattle early on Saturday.
Summer Taylor, 24, of Seattle was pronounced dead at Harborview Medical Center while Diaz Love, a 32-year-old from Portland, Oregon, was hospitalized in critical condition following the incident, according to a police spokesperson.
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Love’s condition was later changed to serious, a hospital spokeswoman told HuffPost.
The @wastatepatrol extends our condolences to the family and friends of Summer Taylor. @wspd2pio. — WA State Patrol (@wastatepatrol) July 5, 2020
The driver, 27-year-old Dawit Kelete of Seattle entered I-5 by swerving his car around vehicles that had been blocking the roadway around 1:40 a.m., according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press.
Graphic video of the incident shows two figures being struck by a white Jaguar sedan and thrown into the air, landing hard on the pavement.
After hitting the two people, Kelete fled the scene but was stopped by a protester who chased him down in their own vehicle, Trooper Chase Van Cleave told AP.
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Kelete was described as “reserved and sullen” in court documents. He did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his arrest and he inquired about the condition of the two victims, troopers said. He was booked into the King County Correctional Facility on two counts of vehicular assault and denied bail, online records show.
Love had been live-streaming the demonstration, which was billed as “Black Femme March Takes I-5,” when the car struck, ending their stream on Facebook abruptly. In the moments before, people can be heard yelling “car” in increasingly panicked tones.
Sections of the highway have been frequently closed off because of protests, according to a local ABC affiliate.
Trooper Rick Johnson, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol, tweeted two photos of the car, which showed damage to its front grille and windshield.
Here are two pictures of the suspect vehicle that struck two protesters on I-5 this morning. Investigation into motive and point of entry in to I-5 are still under investigation. pic.twitter.com/gU1QH6TFTu — Trooper Rick Johnson (@wspd2pio) July 4, 2020
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“We don’t know if it’s a targeted attack, but that remains the focus of our investigation,” Washington State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead said in an early morning news conference.
State highway officials later announced that protesters will no longer be allowed on the interstate and anyone seen walking on it will be arrested.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-04--Carl Reiner’s Daughter Tweets Final Dig At Donald Trump On Her Late Father’s Behalf

Annie Reiner , the daughter of the late comedy legend Carl Reiner , tweeted criticism of President Donald Trump on her late father ’ s behalf on Friday .
“ I will say one last thing for him , ” the playwright , poet and author wrote on her dad ’ s account .
“ I know he would be disappointed not to have lived to see Trump ’ s eviction from the White House , to make America safe again for honor and truth .
Please VOTE !
” As you may know , Carl passed away on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age of 98 .
We wanted to write a final tweet for him to let you know how much he appreciated your responses and support ... — carl reiner ( @ carlreiner ) July 3 , 2020 ...
I will say one last thing for him .
I know he would be disappointed not to have lived to see Trump 's eviction from the White House , to make America safe again for honor and truth .
Please VOTE !
Annie Reiner — carl reiner ( @ carlreiner ) July 3 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age of 98 on Monday , frequently took Trump to task on the platform .
Just hours before he died , the “ Dick Van Dyke Show ” creator lamented the result of the 2016 election , describing the president as “ a bankrupted and corrupt businessman.
” As I arose at 7:30 this morning , I was saddened to relive the day that led up to the election of a bankrupted and corrupt businessman who had no qualifications to be the leader of any country in the civilized world ... — carl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 ... At the same time , Hillary Clinton , who had all the needed qualifications to lead our beloved nation , had received 3 million more popular votes than our Russian-installed puppet president .
— carl reiner ( @ carlreiner ) June 29 , 2020 In 2018 , Reiner even said he hoped to live until November 2020 “ so I can vote for whoever runs against our fake President Trump.
” At 96 and 6 months I have an incentive to hang around untill I 'm 98 so I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump — carl reiner ( @ carlreiner ) October 17 , 2018 Annie Reiner on Friday also shared this photograph , taken of her father just two days before he died , wearing a top bearing the Black Lives Matter logo .
“ As you can see he was happy and vital up to the very end .
He will be sorely missed , ” she wrote : Carl had wanted to tweet this picture , taken last Saturday .
As you can see he was happy and vital up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missed .
pic.twitter.com/Q4sh0QK4Xz — carl reiner ( @ carlreiner ) July 3 , 2020 The actor had intended to tweet the image , his daughter revealed .
She later suggested people donate to the BLM movement in his memory :

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Annie Reiner, the daughter of the late comedy legend Carl Reiner, tweeted criticism of President Donald Trump on her late father’s behalf on Friday.
“I will say one last thing for him,” the playwright, poet and author wrote on her dad’s account. “I know he would be disappointed not to have lived to see Trump’s eviction from the White House, to make America safe again for honor and truth. Please VOTE!”
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As you may know, Carl passed away on Monday, June 29th at the good old age of 98. We wanted to write a final tweet for him to let you know how much he appreciated your responses and support... — carl reiner (@carlreiner) July 3, 2020
... I will say one last thing for him. I know he would be disappointed not to have lived to see Trump's eviction from the White House, to make America safe again for honor and truth. Please VOTE! Annie Reiner — carl reiner (@carlreiner) July 3, 2020
Carl Reiner, who died at the age of 98 on Monday, frequently took Trump to task on the platform.
Just hours before he died, the “Dick Van Dyke Show” creator lamented the result of the 2016 election, describing the president as “a bankrupted and corrupt businessman.”
As I arose at 7:30 this morning, I was saddened to relive the day that led up to the election of a bankrupted and corrupt businessman who had no qualifications to be the leader of any country in the civilized world... — carl reiner (@carlreiner) June 29, 2020
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... At the same time, Hillary Clinton, who had all the needed
qualifications to lead our beloved nation, had received 3 million more popular votes than our Russian-installed puppet president. — carl reiner (@carlreiner) June 29, 2020
In 2018, Reiner even said he hoped to live until November 2020 “so I can vote for whoever runs against our fake President Trump.”
At 96 and 6 months I have an incentive to hang around untill I'm 98 so I can vote for whoever runs against our fake President Trump — carl reiner (@carlreiner) October 17, 2018
Annie Reiner on Friday also shared this photograph, taken of her father just two days before he died, wearing a top bearing the Black Lives Matter logo.
“As you can see he was happy and vital up to the very end. He will be sorely missed,” she wrote:
Carl had wanted to tweet this picture, taken last Saturday. As you can see he was happy and vital up to the very end. He will be sorely missed. pic.twitter.com/Q4sh0QK4Xz — carl reiner (@carlreiner) July 3, 2020
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The actor had intended to tweet the image, his daughter revealed.
She later suggested people donate to the BLM movement in his memory:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--Scientist Behind Coronavirus Study Contradicts Trump Claim That He Saved 2 Million Lives

That ’ s not true , the lead author of that report — epidemiologist Neil Ferguson — told HuffPost , adding that the number of American lives ultimately lost to the disease will depend on what states do from here on out .
“ Epidemics are not like hurricanes — you don ’ t hunker down for a few days ( or for epidemics , weeks ) and then they ’ re gone , ” Ferguson said in an email to HuffPost .
“ The final death toll from this pandemic will depend as much on what policymakers in different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months as what they did since March.
” Ferguson estimates that hundreds of thousands of lives were likely saved in the U.S. due to measures like stay-at-home orders , social distancing and quarantining of people who test positive .
But those measures were required by local authorities , not Trump .
The president , against health experts ’ advice , has held events with thousands of attendees , where few wear masks and there is no social distancing .
Such precautions are recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The policies adopted in the U.S. over the last months undoubtedly saved many hundreds of thousands of lives , ” Ferguson noted .
“ But unless transmission of this virus is kept under control , those gains risk being reversed.
” The study estimated that in the very worst case scenario as many as 2.2 million Americans could die of COVID-19 .
But that would occur only if government officials and individuals took absolutely no action to stem the spread of the disease or protect themselves — a scenario which would be highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The study also examined different strategies for saving lives , from a strict “ suppression ” ( or lockdown ) approach until a vaccine is developed , to a looser “ mitigation ” strategy that would isolate and require social distancing for the most vulnerable populations , and quarantine positive cases and contacts in the general population .
The mitigation strategy could ultimately cost as many as 1.1 million lives in the U.S. , according to the study .
Recommended strict control measures to save the maximum number of lives — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolating suspected cases , quarantining family members of those who test positive , and possible school closings — would suppress the outbreak , the researchers projected .
But many of those restrictions would likely have to remain in place until a vaccine is available , which likely won ’ t happen until well into 2021 .
The study ’ s demonstration of the effectiveness of social distancing was a catalyst for updated voluntary guidelines by the White House in March , coronavirus task force member Dr. Deborah Birx told The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home , and avoid unnecessary trips , crowds of more than 10 , and eating in restaurants .
By then a number of cities and states had already imposed stricter standards , including stay-at-home orders .
Ferguson said that if states “ put in place rigorous test and trace systems , and people continue to act in a way which reduces transmission risk , then I am hopeful that full-scale lockdowns may not need to be reimposed.
” Some have criticized death toll estimates Ferguson came up with for other diseases as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in May as COVID-19 adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s government for breaching lockdown rules .
“ I much prefer to be accused of overreacting than under-reacting , ” Ferguson said earlier this year regarding his research .
In April he told a meeting of the International Monetary Fund : “ We don ’ t have a crystal ball , ” but that researchers try to make their best estimates based on facts .
Trump ’ s own death toll prediction from COVID-19 in April was 60,000 .
In early May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final toll is “ still going to be , no matter how you look at it , at the very lower end , ” the president insisted then .

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That’s not true, the lead author of that report — epidemiologist Neil Ferguson — told HuffPost, adding that the number of American lives ultimately lost to the disease will depend on what states do from here on out.
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“Epidemics are not like hurricanes — you don’t hunker down for a few days (or for epidemics, weeks) and then they’re gone,” Ferguson said in an email to HuffPost. “The final death toll from this pandemic will depend as much on what policymakers in different U.S. states do in the next few months as what they did since March.”
Trump compared COVID-19 to a hurricane last month.
“We made every decision correctly,” he claimed. “This was a hurricane, and it’s going to get better fast.”
It’s not getting better. Cases are up in the U.S. and a number of states are smashing records for daily increases.
Ferguson estimates that hundreds of thousands of lives were likely saved in the U.S. due to measures like stay-at-home orders, social distancing and quarantining of people who test positive.
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But those measures were required by local authorities, not Trump. The president, against health experts’ advice, has held events with thousands of attendees, where few wear masks and there is no social distancing. Such precautions are recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to help stem the spread of COVID-19.
The president and many White House officials also do not wear masks, or maintaining 6 feet of social distance.
“The policies adopted in the U.S. over the last months undoubtedly saved many hundreds of thousands of lives,” Ferguson noted. “But unless transmission of this virus is kept under control, those gains risk being reversed.”
Ferguson was the lead author of a study at Britain’s Imperial College in March that was shared with the British government and the White House.
The study estimated that in the very worst case scenario as many as 2.2 million Americans could die of COVID-19. But that would occur only if government officials and individuals took absolutely no action to stem the spread of the disease or protect themselves — a scenario which would be highly “unlikely,” the study noted.
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The study also examined different strategies for saving lives, from a strict “suppression” (or lockdown) approach until a vaccine is developed, to a looser “mitigation” strategy that would isolate and require social distancing for the most vulnerable populations, and quarantine positive cases and contacts in the general population. The mitigation strategy could ultimately cost as many as 1.1 million lives in the U.S., according to the study.
Recommended strict control measures to save the maximum number of lives — including social distancing of the entire population, isolating suspected cases, quarantining family members of those who test positive, and possible school closings — would suppress the outbreak, the researchers projected. But many of those restrictions would likely have to remain in place until a vaccine is available, which likely won’t happen until well into 2021.
They also warned that the “social and economic effects” of such measures would be “profound.” Restrictions could be “relaxed temporarily in relative short time windows” when cases are down, but measures “will need to be reintroduced if or when case numbers rebound.”
The study’s demonstration of the effectiveness of social distancing was a catalyst for updated voluntary guidelines by the White House in March, coronavirus task force member Dr. Deborah Birx told The New York Times. Officials then recommended that Americans work from home, and avoid unnecessary trips, crowds of more than 10, and eating in restaurants. By then a number of cities and states had already imposed stricter standards, including stay-at-home orders.
There were no federal laws concerning lockdowns, masks and social distancing. Democrats have recently begun calling for a national mandate requiring masks.
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Ferguson said that if states “put in place rigorous test and trace systems, and people continue to act in a way which reduces transmission risk, then I am hopeful that full-scale lockdowns may not need to be reimposed.”
But, he warned, “until vaccines are available, it will not be possible to completely return to life as usual.”
Some have criticized death toll estimates Ferguson came up with for other diseases as inflated, and he left his job in May as COVID-19 adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government for breaching lockdown rules.
“I much prefer to be accused of overreacting than under-reacting,” Ferguson said earlier this year regarding his research. In April he told a meeting of the International Monetary Fund: “We don’t have a crystal ball,” but that researchers try to make their best estimates based on facts.
Trump’s own death toll prediction from COVID-19 in April was 60,000. In early May he raised that to 100,000. The final toll is “still going to be, no matter how you look at it, at the very lower end,” the president insisted then.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-04--Kanye West Announces 2020 Presidential Run On Twitter

Kanye West apparently wants to go West Wing , and on Saturday announced in a tweet that he ’ s running for president — maybe this year .
That left fans wondering if newly minted billionaire Kim Kardashian could be the next First Lady .
“ I am running for president of the United States , ” the rapper tweeted , followed by the hashtag “ 2020Vision.
” “ We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God , unifying our vision and building our future , ” West noted .
We must now realize the promise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vision and building our future .
I am running for president of the United States 🇺🇸 !
# 2020VISION — ye ( @ kanyewest ) July 5 , 2020 The New Yorker then tweeted a cover from 2015 featuring West as a presidential candidate — and holding up a newspaper front page proclaiming : “ Trump Defeats Kanye.
” That cover was prompted by West ’ s declaration at the 2015 Video Music Awards that he would launch a 2020 presidential run .
Some West followers suspected it was some kind of publicity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be called “ 2020Vision.
” He just released his first single of 2020 , “ Wash Us In The Blood.
” Though West has floated the idea of running a few times in the past , he is also a big supporter of the man who would be his rival , Donald Trump .
West triggered controversy when he visited the Oval Office in 2018 , sporting a “ Make America Great Again ” hat , and posed with Trump , saying : “ I love this guy right here.
” Kardashian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking Trump ’ s help in getting parole for imprisoned convicts .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear if West had filed any of the paperwork necessary to run .

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Kanye West apparently wants to go West Wing, and on Saturday announced in a tweet that he’s running for president — maybe this year. That left fans wondering if newly minted billionaire Kim Kardashian could be the next First Lady.
“I am running for president of the United States,” the rapper tweeted, followed by the hashtag “2020Vision.”
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“We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future,” West noted.
We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States 🇺🇸! #2020VISION — ye (@kanyewest) July 5, 2020
The New Yorker then tweeted a cover from 2015 featuring West as a presidential candidate — and holding up a newspaper front page proclaiming: “Trump Defeats Kanye.”
“2020 Vision,” a 2015 cover by Barry Blitt. https://t.co/GyHypLLNZr pic.twitter.com/E4ervERwLG — The New Yorker (@NewYorker) July 5, 2020
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That cover was prompted by West’s declaration at the 2015 Video Music Awards that he would launch a 2020 presidential run.
On Saturday, SpaceX founder and West pal Elon Musk tweeted his “full support.”
You have my full support! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2020
Some West followers suspected it was some kind of publicity trick ... including that his next album might be called “2020Vision.” He just released his first single of 2020, “Wash Us In The Blood.”
Though West has floated the idea of running a few times in the past, he is also a big supporter of the man who would be his rival, Donald Trump.
West triggered controversy when he visited the Oval Office in 2018, sporting a “Make America Great Again” hat, and posed with Trump, saying: “I love this guy right here.” Kardashian has also visited the Oval Office, seeking Trump’s help in getting parole for imprisoned convicts.
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She also tweeted her husband’s statement Saturday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-04--Critics Mock Trump For Choking On 'Totalitarianism' In Mount Rushmore Diatribe

Of all the words President Donald Trump could have flubbed in his harangue railing against “ far-left fascism ” at Mount Rushmore , “ totalitarianism ” was the perfect stumble , critics jabbed on Twitter Saturday .
Trump , as he does when he ’ s muddled about pronunciation , seemed to fade out mid-word in his speech Friday evening , but appeared to say something like “ toe-tally-tario-tism.
” ( He also mispronounced “ Ulysses S. Grant ” as “ Ulysse-us.
” ) Trump slashed anti-racism protests across the nation , characterizing activists as a “ violent ” mob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful demonstrations ― and vowing to take action against them , In the process he echoed words used by totalitarian regimes against protesters , making it all-the-more rich that he mispronounced totalitarianism .
The Lincoln Project , created by never-Trump Republicans who have emerged as among his wittiest and sharp-edged critics , played a clip of the president mangling the word — then followed up with a photo of him saluting a military official of North Korea .
Michael McFaul , a former U.S. ambassador to Russia , also noted the word stumble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is that “ Trump has no idea what words like fascism and totalitarianism mean.
” He called Trump ’ s address “ perhaps the most un-American speech ever delivered by an American president & on the July 4th weekend no less.
” McFaul said his “ only solace ” is that the “ degree of craziness ” of the speech is “ probably best explained by Trump ’ s current level of desperation.
” Trump has no idea what words like fascism and totalitarianism mean .
To those who wrote this speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this speech , shame on you .
Perhaps the most un-American speech ever delivered by an American president & on the July 4th weekend no less .
https : //t.co/7N6x4lYi0O — Michael McFaul ( @ McFaul ) July 4 , 2020 It was off to the races for the rest of critics on Twitter .
He basically called everyone that doesn ’ t support him unAmerican and traitorous .
He used OUR Independence Day to tell a majority of our country that we are not welcome here in America .
If we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t love our country in his mind “ L ’ Etats , c ’ est moi.
” — MΞGAN KΞLLΞY HALL ( @ MeganKelleyHall ) July 4 , 2020 Why do we hear the loudest yelps of `` totalitarianism '' from the people who ordered cops & military to shoot peaceful protesters with tear gas & rubber bullets for a photo op ?
You know what 's totalitarianism ?
Cops with armored personnel carriers shooting protesters .
pic.twitter.com/O3IpQRLc60 — Diogenes of Baizuo ( @ DiogenesLamp0 ) July 3 , 2020 Trump just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mt Rushmore , while standing in front of Mt Rushmore .
I think you see the problem there .
— Tom Nichols ( @ RadioFreeTom ) July 4 , 2020 Some also took note that Trump — who is fond of dictating what people do during the national anthem — should not have saluted because he is not a military veteran .
He obtained five draft deferments , including one for bone spurs , during the Vietnam War .
Members of the military and veterans salute ; the proper etiquette for civilians is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart during the anthem .
For those of you who are finding this a difficult concept , see 36 USC § 301 .
The president is a civilian and is not a veteran .
Non-veteran civilians ( such as Donald Trump ) are supposed to place the right hand over the heart during the national anthem .
https : //t.co/vEmn1tyNTG — Andrew Feinberg ( @ AndrewFeinberg ) July 4 , 2020 For something completely different , former California Gov .
Arnold Schwarzenegger , a Republican , issued his own message for July Fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day to make sure ” that the American Dream is “ as true for a Black child born in Minneapolis as it was for a white bodybuilder born in Austria.
” Happy birthday , America .
Thank you for letting me live the American Dream .
We must fight every day to make sure that dream is as true for a Black child born in Minneapolis as it was for a white bodybuilder born in Austria .
via @ attn pic.twitter.com/rM95vb3twC — Arnold ( @ Schwarzenegger ) July 4 , 2020

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Of all the words President Donald Trump could have flubbed in his harangue railing against “far-left fascism” at Mount Rushmore, “totalitarianism” was the perfect stumble, critics jabbed on Twitter Saturday.
Trump, as he does when he’s muddled about pronunciation, seemed to fade out mid-word in his speech Friday evening, but appeared to say something like “toe-tally-tario-tism.” (He also mispronounced “Ulysses S. Grant” as “Ulysse-us.”)
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Trump slashed anti-racism protests across the nation, characterizing activists as a “violent” mob ― an inaccurate characterization of the mostly peaceful demonstrations ― and vowing to take action against them, In the process he echoed words used by totalitarian regimes against protesters, making it all-the-more rich that he mispronounced totalitarianism.
The Lincoln Project, created by never-Trump Republicans who have emerged as among his wittiest and sharp-edged critics, played a clip of the president mangling the word — then followed up with a photo of him saluting a military official of North Korea.
We must stop the spread of pic.twitter.com/iy2XDqVw35 — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 4, 2020
Remember when Donald Trump saluted a member of an enemy, totalitarian regime?
Happy 4th of July! pic.twitter.com/CyQJRo6Y94 — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 4, 2020
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Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, also noted the word stumble. Even more troubling, he emphasized, is that “Trump has no idea what words like fascism and totalitarianism mean.”
He called Trump’s address “perhaps the most un-American speech ever delivered by an American president & on the July 4th weekend no less.” McFaul said his “only solace” is that the “degree of craziness” of the speech is “probably best explained by Trump’s current level of desperation.”
Trump has no idea what words like fascism and totalitarianism mean. To those who wrote this speech & those senior WH officials who approved this speech, shame on you. Perhaps the most un-American speech ever delivered by an American president & on the July 4th weekend no less. https://t.co/7N6x4lYi0O — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 4, 2020
It was off to the races for the rest of critics on Twitter.
He basically called everyone that doesn’t support him unAmerican and traitorous. He used OUR Independence Day to tell a majority of our country that we are not welcome here in America. If we don’t love him, we don’t love our country in his mind “L’Etats, c’est moi.” — MΞGAN KΞLLΞY HALL (@MeganKelleyHall) July 4, 2020
Why do we hear the loudest yelps of "totalitarianism" from the people who ordered cops & military to shoot peaceful protesters with tear gas & rubber bullets for a photo op?
You know what's totalitarianism? Cops with armored personnel carriers shooting protesters. pic.twitter.com/O3IpQRLc60 — Diogenes of Baizuo (@DiogenesLamp0) July 3, 2020
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Preshident Trup ish non compish mental. — Rob Reiner (@robreiner) July 4, 2020
Totalitarianism is a big word - for a small person.... pic.twitter.com/X5qHrTVvc5 — Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) July 4, 2020
Remember when Donald Trump bowed down before the leader of an enemy, totalitarian regime - in front of the whole world?
Happy 4th of July! pic.twitter.com/AKDBiqZL1F — Operative_X (@OperativeXRay) July 4, 2020
Trump just promised that no one will ever desecrate Mt Rushmore, while standing in front of Mt Rushmore.
I think you see the problem there. — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 4, 2020
Trump just tried to say “totalitarianism.” It didn’t go well. — Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) July 4, 2020
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Some also took note that Trump — who is fond of dictating what people do during the national anthem — should not have saluted because he is not a military veteran. He obtained five draft deferments, including one for bone spurs, during the Vietnam War. Members of the military and veterans salute; the proper etiquette for civilians is to hold their right hand over their heart during the anthem.
Can someone explain to @realDonaldTrump that as a civilian, non-veteran, he should have his hand over his heart during the national anthem? pic.twitter.com/2NkzCdqUxn — Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 4, 2020
For those of you who are finding this a difficult concept, see 36 USC § 301.
The president is a civilian and is not a veteran.
Non-veteran civilians (such as Donald Trump) are supposed to place the right hand over the heart during the national anthem. https://t.co/vEmn1tyNTG — Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 4, 2020
This is what you do when you don't have a heart — Jackie (@JackieJoyxoxo) July 4, 2020
For something completely different, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, issued his own message for July Fourth, urging everyone to “fight every day to make sure” that the American Dream is “as true for a Black child born in Minneapolis as it was for a white bodybuilder born in Austria.”
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It was retweeted by The Lincoln Project.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-04--Montana Gubernatorial Candidate Isolates After Wife Is Exposed To Kimberly Guilfoyle

Montana gubernatorial candidate Rep. Greg Gianforte ( R ) is self-quarantining after both his wife and running mate were exposed to President Donald Trump ’ s campaign official Kimberly Guilfoyle , who has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Guilfoyle , Donald Trump Jr. ’ s girlfriend , whose virus status was reported Friday , appeared to take no social distancing precautions and did not wear a face mask during a recent campaign appearance .
Susan Gianforte and Kristen Juras , who is running for lieutenant governor in Montana , attended an event with Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and for the health and safety of others , they will self-quarantine , be tested for COVID-19 , and suspend in-person campaign events pending test results , ” said a spokesperson for Greg Gianforte .
A Facebook post featured a photo of Susan Gianforte , Juras , Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. None wore a mask or maintained six feet of social distance , as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help stem the spread of COVID-19 .
Guilfoyle had been scheduled to attend the president ’ s event at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but did not make an appearance .
The previous day Guilfoyle was filmed at a campaign stop in South Dakota speaking to a group of people without a mask and in close proximity to others , including her boyfriend , who also wasn ’ t wearing a mask .
Here ’ s Kim Guilfoyle speaking at an indoor event in South Dakota , no masks in sight , that was also attended by Kristi Noem the day before it was announced Guilfoyle tested positive for Covid ( video from Facebook ) pic.twitter.com/UGafeRak2s — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 , 2020 The president ’ s son on Tuesday ridiculed the use of a bandana to protect against COVID-19 transmission .
In a study published in the journal Physics of Fluids on Tuesday , researchers at Florida Atlantic University found that bandanas helped protect against COVID-19 transmission by reducing the average distance that coughs traveled from 8 feet to 3.6 feet .
Commercial cone masks reduced the distance to 8 inches , and a stitched , two-layer mask to 2.5 inches .
A number of people close to the president have tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump ’ s personal valet and Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary both tested positive for the virus in May .

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Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.’s girlfriend, whose virus status was reported Friday, appeared to take no social distancing precautions and did not wear a face mask during a recent campaign appearance.
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Susan Gianforte and Kristen Juras, who is running for lieutenant governor in Montana, attended an event with Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. last week.
“Out of an abundance of caution and for the health and safety of others, they will self-quarantine, be tested for COVID-19, and suspend in-person campaign events pending test results,” said a spokesperson for Greg Gianforte.
A Facebook post featured a photo of Susan Gianforte, Juras, Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. None wore a mask or maintained six feet of social distance, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help stem the spread of COVID-19.
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Guilfoyle had been scheduled to attend the president’s event at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota Friday, but did not make an appearance.
The previous day Guilfoyle was filmed at a campaign stop in South Dakota speaking to a group of people without a mask and in close proximity to others, including her boyfriend, who also wasn’t wearing a mask.
Here’s Kim Guilfoyle speaking at an indoor event in South Dakota, no masks in sight, that was also attended by Kristi Noem the day before it was announced Guilfoyle tested positive for Covid (video from Facebook) pic.twitter.com/UGafeRak2s — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 4, 2020
The president’s son on Tuesday ridiculed the use of a bandana to protect against COVID-19 transmission.
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In a study published in the journal Physics of Fluids on Tuesday, researchers at Florida Atlantic University found that bandanas helped protect against COVID-19 transmission by reducing the average distance that coughs traveled from 8 feet to 3.6 feet. Commercial cone masks reduced the distance to 8 inches, and a stitched, two-layer mask to 2.5 inches.
A number of people close to the president have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent months. Trump’s personal valet and Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary both tested positive for the virus in May.
Last month, several staffers who worked on Trump’s Tulsa, Oklahoma, rally and Secret Service officers also tested positive for the virus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--Baltimore Protesters Tear Down Christopher Columbus Statue, Dump It In The Harbor

Protesters in Baltimore pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and dumped it into the harbor Saturday .
Video posted on Twitter showed a group using ropes to pull the statue from its pedestal in the city ’ s Little Italy neighborhood as others cheered .
It was then rolled to the city ’ s Inner Harbor and pushed into the water , The Baltimore Sun reported .
The removal and vandalism of statues of controversial figures , including Confederate generals and other leaders who owned slaves or who supported slavery or racist policies , is part of the fallout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
President Donald Trump has become particularly incensed by statue destruction .
He has compared the actions to the behavior of fascists , and has vowed to vowed to punish those responsible .
A spokesman for Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “ Jack ” Young told the Sun that the action was part of a “ reexamination taking place nationally and globally around some of these monuments and statues that may represent different things to different people.
” The Columbus statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1984 .
There are two other statues of Columbus in the city .

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Protesters in Baltimore pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and dumped it into the harbor Saturday.
Video posted on Twitter showed a group using ropes to pull the statue from its pedestal in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood as others cheered. It was then rolled to the city’s Inner Harbor and pushed into the water, The Baltimore Sun reported.
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Protesters just took down the Christopher Columbus statue in Baltimore’s Little Italy. pic.twitter.com/ViPk5eKOtz — Louis Krauss (@louiskraussnews) July 5, 2020
The removal and vandalism of statues of controversial figures, including Confederate generals and other leaders who owned slaves or who supported slavery or racist policies, is part of the fallout of anti-racism protests across the nation in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
President Donald Trump has become particularly incensed by statue destruction. He has compared the actions to the behavior of fascists, and has vowed to vowed to punish those responsible.
A spokesman for Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young told the Sun that the action was part of a “reexamination taking place nationally and globally around some of these monuments and statues that may represent different things to different people.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-04--1 Dead After Car Hits 2 Seattle Protesters On Closed Freeway

One woman has died and a second remains hospitalized after a car drove onto a closed section of highway and sped into a group of people protesting against police brutality in Seattle early on Saturday .
Summer Taylor , 24 , of Seattle was pronounced dead at Harborview Medical Center while Diaz Love , a 32-year-old from Portland , Oregon , was hospitalized in critical condition following the incident , according to a police spokesperson .
The driver , 27-year-old Dawit Kelete of Seattle entered I-5 by swerving his car around vehicles that had been blocking the roadway around 1:40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained by The Associated Press .
He was taken into custody and faces multiple charges .
Graphic video of the incident shows two figures being struck by a white Jaguar sedan and thrown into the air , landing hard on the pavement .
Love had been live-streaming the demonstration , which was billed as “ Black Femme March Takes I-5 , ” on her Facebook page when the car struck , ending her stream abruptly .
In the moments before , people can be heard yelling “ car ” in increasingly panicked tones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently closed off because of protests , according to a local ABC affiliate .
Trooper Rick Johnson , a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol , tweeted two photos of the car , which showed damage to its front grille and windshield .
Here are two pictures of the suspect vehicle that struck two protesters on I-5 this morning .
Investigation into motive and point of entry in to I-5 are still under investigation .
pic.twitter.com/gU1QH6TFTu — Trooper Rick Johnson ( @ wspd2pio ) July 4 , 2020 “ At the very least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle assault charges , felony hit-and-run , but those could be upgraded depending on the progress of the investigation , ” Washington State Patrol Capt .
Ron Mead said of the suspect in an early morning news conference .
“ We don ’ t know if it ’ s a targeted attack , but that remains the focus of our investigation , ” Mead added .
Mead urged protesters to reconsider gathering on the highway , saying it is difficult to guarantee their safety .
The brutal incident comes two days after authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been claimed by protesters as a police-free encampment dubbed the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone .
The zone lasted nearly a month until a series of violent attacks ramped up pressure to dissolve it .


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--FDA Head Refuses To Address Trump Claim That 99% Of COVID-19 Cases Are ‘Totally Harmless’

The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration repeatedly refused to comment on President Donald Trump ’ s recent claim that 99 % of coronavirus cases in the U.S. “ are totally harmless , ” despite data showing that the majority of people infected with the virus show symptoms of COVID-19 .
Trump , who has long attempted to downplay the seriousness of the virus , was speaking at the White House on Saturday when he made the claim without citing a source or any evidence .
“ We have tested almost 40 million people .
By so doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which are totally harmless — results that no other country can show because no other country has testing that we have , ” Trump said .
Dr. Stephen Hahn — the commissioner of food and drugs who is also a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force — was asked about Trump ’ s latest claim in two separate interviews Sunday but refused to address it when asked .
Dana Bash pressed Hahn on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” : “ If they hear the president saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re going to change their behavior , potentially get sick , infect other people.
” It ’ s not clear where Trump got the percentage or what his definition of “ totally harmless ” is .
Representatives for the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s requests for comment Sunday .
Hahn appeared with President Donald Trump at a White House news briefing in March .
On Sunday , he refused to dispute Trump 's claim that 99 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The CDC estimated that only 35 % of COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic , meaning that about two-thirds of the people who contract the virus show symptoms of it .
Whether people with the virus are asymptomatic or not , they are still capable of infecting others , which could be considered harmful in itself .
Of the roughly 36 million people who have been tested for the virus in the U.S. , nearly 3.3 million have tested positive , and nearly 130,000 have died , according to the CDC .
It also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate in the U.S. is 102.5 per 100,000 or about 0.1 % .
But the World Health Organization estimated that COVID-19 hospitalizations are a bit higher .
In most countries , about 20 % of all confirmed COVID-19 patients need supplemental oxygen or advanced hospital care , The New York Times reported , citing Dr. Janet Diaz , head of clinical care for the WHO ’ s emergencies program .

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The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration repeatedly refused to comment on President Donald Trump’s claim that 99% of coronavirus cases in the U.S. “are totally harmless,” despite data showing that the majority of people infected with the virus show symptoms of COVID-19.
Trump, who has long attempted to downplay the seriousness of the virus, was speaking at the White House on Saturday when he made the claim without citing a source or any evidence.
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“We have tested almost 40 million people. By so doing, we show cases — 99% of which are totally harmless — results that no other country can show because no other country has testing that we have,” Trump said.
Dr. Stephen Hahn — the commissioner of food and drugs who is also a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force — was asked about Trump’s latest claim in two separate interviews Sunday but refused to address it.
Dr. Stephen Hahn wears a face mask during a Senate hearing in Washington on June 30. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dana Bash pressed Hahn on CNN’s “State of the Union”: “If they hear the president saying 99% of people are fine, they’re going to change their behavior, potentially get sick, infect other people.”
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“I’m not going to get into who’s right and who’s wrong,” Hahn responded.
Hahn dodged the question again when asked by ABC’s “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz.
It’s not clear where Trump got the percentage or what his definition of “totally harmless” is.
Representatives for the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment Sunday.
Hahn appeared with President Donald Trump at a White House news briefing in March. On Sunday, he refused to dispute Trump's claim that 99% of COVID-19 cases are "totally harmless." ASSOCIATED PRESS
The CDC estimated that only 35% of COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic, meaning that about two-thirds of the people who contract the virus show symptoms of it. Whether people with the virus are asymptomatic or not, they are still capable of infecting others, which could be considered harmful in itself.
According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, of the more than 3 million people who have contracted the virus in the U.S., roughly 4.4% of them have died.
Overall, the cumulative COVID-19 hospitalization rate in the U.S. is still quite low, at 102.5 per 100,000, or about 0.1% of the entire population. Those aged 65 years and older make up the most hospitalizations, followed by those between 50 and 64 years of age.
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Globally, about 20% of all confirmed COVID-19 patients need supplemental oxygen or advanced hospital care, The New York Times reported, citing Dr. Janet Diaz, head of clinical care for the World Health Organization’s emergencies program.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--Trump Administration Says It's Too Soon To Say If Safe To Hold RNC In Florida

Stephen Hahn , the Food and Drug Administration commissioner , also refused to confirm President Donald Trump ’ s claim that 99 % of coronavirus cases were harmless and called the situation a “ serious problem.
” With record numbers of people testing positive for the virus in Jacksonville and across Florida , Hahn was asked if it would be safe to hold the typically large RNC gathering in just seven weeks .
“ I think it ’ s too early to tell , ” Hahn said on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” program .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfolds in Florida and elsewhere around the country.
” The Republican Party moved most of the convention activities to Jacksonville from Charlotte after a battle over coronavirus safety concerns with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper , a Democrat .
Jacksonville , led by Republican Mayor Lenny Curry , began requiring masks in public last week after cases continued to rise .
Trump thrives on large crowds at his campaign rallies and has not embraced masks or social distancing measures at campaign events he has held since the country began reopening from the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimize the jump in confirmed cases and claimed without evidence in a July Fourth speech that 99 % of cases in the United States were “ totally harmless.
” Hahn , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , was asked to comment on his boss ’ s statement .
“ So , I ’ m not going to get into who is right and who is wrong , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a serious problem that we have .
We have seen the surge in cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tide .
”

Stephen Hahn, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner, also refused to confirm President Donald Trump’s claim that 99% of coronavirus cases were harmless and called the situation a “serious problem.”
With record numbers of people testing positive for the virus in Jacksonville and across Florida, Hahn was asked if it would be safe to hold the typically large RNC gathering in just seven weeks.
“I think it’s too early to tell,” Hahn said on CNN’s “State of the Union” program. “We will have to see how this unfolds in Florida and elsewhere around the country.”
The Republican Party moved most of the convention activities to Jacksonville from Charlotte after a battle over coronavirus safety concerns with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat.
Jacksonville, led by Republican Mayor Lenny Curry, began requiring masks in public last week after cases continued to rise.
Trump thrives on large crowds at his campaign rallies and has not embraced masks or social distancing measures at campaign events he has held since the country began reopening from the coronavirus shutdown.
Trump has repeatedly sought to minimize the jump in confirmed cases and claimed without evidence in a July Fourth speech that 99% of cases in the United States were “totally harmless.”
Hahn, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, was asked to comment on his boss’s statement.
“So, I’m not going to get into who is right and who is wrong,” he said. “It’s a serious problem that we have. We have seen the surge in cases. We must do something to stem the tide.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--Mayors Of Cities With Spiking Coronavirus Rates Decry Trump Admin's Response

On Sunday , mayors from two large cities dealing with surges in new coronavirus cases and deaths decried President Donald Trump ’ s response to the pandemic .
With numbers continuing to rise , the U.S. has recorded more than 2.8 million cases and nearly 130,000 deaths due to coronavirus .
Trump , who last week said he thinks the virus will “ just disappear , ” has publicly undermined his own health officials fighting the virus .
Until this month , he rejected the use of masks ; in May , his administration shelved a report from the Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to reopen safely ; and in June , he told attendees at a rally that he asked officials in his administration to “ slow the testing down.
” During ABC ’ s “ This Week ” on Sunday , Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said her city , which is averaging the country ’ s highest number of new coronavirus cases per capita , is receiving no help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency , even after asking for assistance .
“ This is many months in , ” Gallego said of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FEMA if they could come and do community-based testing here .
We were told they ’ re moving away from that , which feels like they ’ re declaring victory while we ’ re still in crisis mode.
” President Donald Trump and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey disembark from Air Force One in June .
Ducey has joined in with Trump 's dismissive stance on the virus .
In South Phoenix , a majority Black and Latino community , people have reported waiting in miles-long lines to undergo drive-thru testing .
Arizona Governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governors who adopted Trump ’ s dismissive stance toward the virus .
Ducey has welcomed Trump for a walkthrough and photo op in a mask factory ; he suspended a partnership with local health experts after those experts produced a study depicting a rise in coronavirus cases across the state ; he instituted a stay-at-home order in Arizona weeks after other states had done so , and he ’ s had to order bars and gyms to close again after allowing them to reopen far earlier than many states .
Trump told attendees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus is “ totally harmless ” 99 % of the time .
Austin , Texas , Mayor Steve Adler said on CNN on Sunday that this sort of approach ” makes me angry , ” adding that “ it is dangerous not to be sending a clear message to Americans.
” “ When they start hearing that kind of ambiguous message coming out of Washington , there are more and more people that won ’ t wear masks , that won ’ t social distance ― that won ’ t do what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Adler said .
Texas Governor Greg Abbott delayed requiring Texans to stay home and nonessential businesses to close amid the pandemic .
Abbott ’ s stay-at-home guidance wasn ’ t instituted until April 3 , after dozens of other states had done so , and , despite pleas from Democratic legislators and health officials , he allowed nonessential businesses to reopen on May 1 , before Texas had satisfied CDC guidelines for relaxing social distancing measures .
On Sunday , Adler said Travis County , which includes much of Austin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our hospitals overrun ” and 10 days away from ICUs being overwhelmed , if the current rate of infection continues .
CORRECTION : This article originally misidentified Steve Adler and the county he represents .
Steve Adler is the mayor of Austin and represents much of Travis County .

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On Sunday, mayors from two large cities dealing with surges in new coronavirus cases and deaths decried President Donald Trump’s response to the pandemic. With numbers continuing to rise, the U.S. has recorded more than 2.8 million cases and nearly 130,000 deaths due to coronavirus.
Trump, who last week said he thinks the virus will “just disappear,” has publicly undermined his own health officials fighting the virus. Until this month, he rejected the use of masks; in May, his administration shelved a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advising states how to reopen safely; and in June, he told attendees at a rally that he asked officials in his administration to “slow the testing down.”
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During ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said her city, which is averaging the country’s highest number of new coronavirus cases per capita, is receiving no help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, even after asking for assistance.
“This is many months in,” Gallego said of the crisis. “We’ve asked FEMA if they could come and do community-based testing here. We were told they’re moving away from that, which feels like they’re declaring victory while we’re still in crisis mode.”
President Donald Trump and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey disembark from Air Force One in June. Ducey has joined in with Trump's dismissive stance on the virus. SAUL LOEB via Getty Images
In South Phoenix, a majority Black and Latino community, people have reported waiting in miles-long lines to undergo drive-thru testing. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey is one of several GOP governors who adopted Trump’s dismissive stance toward the virus. Ducey has welcomed Trump for a walkthrough and photo op in a mask factory; he suspended a partnership with local health experts after those experts produced a study depicting a rise in coronavirus cases across the state; he instituted a stay-at-home order in Arizona weeks after other states had done so, and he’s had to order bars and gyms to close again after allowing them to reopen far earlier than many states.
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Trump told attendees at a Fourth of July rally that the virus is “totally harmless” 99% of the time. Austin, Texas, Mayor Steve Adler said on CNN on Sunday that this sort of approach ”makes me angry,” adding that “it is dangerous not to be sending a clear message to Americans.”
“When they start hearing that kind of ambiguous message coming out of Washington, there are more and more people that won’t wear masks, that won’t social distance ― that won’t do what it takes to keep a community safe,” Adler said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Trump. Abbot has similarly followed Trump's lead in largely ignoring the coronavirus until this month. Pool via Getty Images
Texas Governor Greg Abbott delayed requiring Texans to stay home and nonessential businesses to close amid the pandemic. Abbott’s stay-at-home guidance wasn’t instituted until April 3, after dozens of other states had done so, and, despite pleas from Democratic legislators and health officials, he allowed nonessential businesses to reopen on May 1, before Texas had satisfied CDC guidelines for relaxing social distancing measures.
On Sunday, Adler said Travis County, which includes much of Austin, is “within two weeks of having our hospitals overrun” and 10 days away from ICUs being overwhelmed, if the current rate of infection continues.
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On July 2, Abbott issued a statewide order requiring masks be worn in public spaces.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--Energy Companies Cancel $8 Billion Appalachian Trail Pipeline Project

Duke Energy Corp. and Dominion Energy Inc. , the companies behind the Atlantic Coast Pipeline , announced Sunday that they were shutting down the project “ due to ongoing delays and increasing cost uncertainty which threaten the economic viability of the project.
” The pipeline was set to be built under the Appalachian Trail , through West Virginia , Virginia and North Carolina .
For years , environmentalists fought back against its construction over the potential threats to endangered species in the area and the destruction of nature .
In June , the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on regulations that blocked project from moving forward .
Duke Energy said in a statement that the Supreme Court ruling “ vindicated the project and decisions made by permitting agencies , ” but added that “ recent developments have created an unacceptable layer of uncertainty and anticipated delays for ACP.
” The Virginia League of Conservation Voters , which fought to conserve the land where the pipeline was planned , celebrated the cancellation of the project as a victory .
“ Its effective defeat today is a huge victory for Virginia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a testament to the power of grassroots action , the hundreds of driven , determined , frontline advocates who never stopped fighting this misguided project , ” the league ’ s executive director Michael Town said in a statement .
In their own statement , Greenpeace , another conservation organization , praised the activists who opposed the project .
“ Duke and Dominion had hoped to carve up beautiful mountains , ignore catastrophic climate change , and delay a just transition to renewable energy to build this pipeline , but , thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them , they have failed , ” the organization said Sunday .
Breaking : Dominion Energy today announced the cancelation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline .
Thank you to all the advocates who voiced your opposition to this pipeline .
Together , we can build a greener and safer Virginia !
More here : https : //t.co/CUmWAzy74R — Delegate Suhas Subramanyam ( @ SuhasforVA ) July 5 , 2020 “ I ’ m disappointed to learn plans to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline have been cancelled , ” Manchin said in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pipeline project took meaningful steps to ensure the pipeline was safely constructed and the Appalachian Trail and surrounding areas were protected.
” Virginia ’ s Chamber of Commerce also decried the project ’ s cancellation , noting that it would have created an estimated 17,000 jobs in the state .
“ Unfortunately , today ’ s announcement detrimentally impacts the Commonwealth ’ s access to affordable , reliable energy , ” the chamber said in a statement .
“ It also demonstrates the significant regulatory burdens businesses must deal with in order to @ @ @

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An $8 billion project to run a 600-mile-long natural gas pipeline under the Appalachian Trail has been canceled.
Duke Energy Corp. and Dominion Energy Inc., the companies behind the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, announced Sunday that they were shutting down the project “due to ongoing delays and increasing cost uncertainty which threaten the economic viability of the project.”
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The pipeline was set to be built under the Appalachian Trail, through West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. For years, environmentalists fought back against its construction over the potential threats to endangered species in the area and the destruction of nature.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in a case that focused on regulations that blocked project from moving forward.
Duke Energy said in a statement that the Supreme Court ruling “vindicated the project and decisions made by permitting agencies,” but added that “recent developments have created an unacceptable layer of uncertainty and anticipated delays for ACP.”
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters, which fought to conserve the land where the pipeline was planned, celebrated the cancellation of the project as a victory.
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“Its effective defeat today is a huge victory for Virginia’s environment, for environmental justice, and a testament to the power of grassroots action, the hundreds of driven, determined, frontline advocates who never stopped fighting this misguided project,” the league’s executive director Michael Town said in a statement.
In their own statement, Greenpeace, another conservation organization, praised the activists who opposed the project.
“Duke and Dominion had hoped to carve up beautiful mountains, ignore catastrophic climate change, and delay a just transition to renewable energy to build this pipeline, but, thanks to the courageous activists who stood up to them, they have failed,” the organization said Sunday.
Breaking: Dominion Energy today announced the cancelation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Thank you to all the advocates who voiced your opposition to this pipeline. Together, we can build a greener and safer Virginia! More here: https://t.co/CUmWAzy74R — Delegate Suhas Subramanyam (@SuhasforVA) July 5, 2020
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) reacted negatively to the pipeline’s cancellation on Sunday.
“I’m disappointed to learn plans to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline have been cancelled,” Manchin said in his own statement. “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline project took meaningful steps to ensure the pipeline was safely constructed and the Appalachian Trail and surrounding areas were protected.”
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Virginia’s Chamber of Commerce also decried the project’s cancellation, noting that it would have created an estimated 17,000 jobs in the state.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-05--2 Dead, 8 Injured After Shooting At South Carolina Nightclub

Google A shooting at Lavish Lounge in Greenville , South Carolina , left two people dead and eight others injured .
Two people are dead and eight others are injured following a shooting inside of a crowded South Carolina nightclub in the early hours of Sunday , authorities said .
A deputy and a trainee were passing Greenville ’ s Lavish Lounge just before 2 a.m. , following an unrelated call in the area , when a commotion and the sound of gunshots caught their attention , Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at an early morning press conference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ backup before entering the club to locate the shooter .
Inside , authorities found “ a lot of shell casings ” and blood , Lewis said .
At least two suspects remained wanted as of late Sunday morning , Lt. Jimmy Bolt with the Greenville County Sheriff ’ s Office told HuffPost .
“ We do have some suspect information but it ’ s not a lot at this time , ” Lewis said at the earlier press conference , later adding that police suspect that the incident was gang related .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot but later corrected that number to 10 .
Of those gunshot victims , eight suffered injuries ranging from non-life-threatening to critical , said Bolt .
It ’ s not clear how many people were inside of the club at the time of the shooting , though authorities said the venue appeared to have been packed with people .
“ I know that there was a very , very , very large crowd , ” Lewis said .
“ I promise you they weren ’ t 6 feet apart.
” The incident came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Greenville County has the highest number of suspected COVID-19 cases in the state , and the number of cases there has been rising over the past two weeks , according to the state ’ s Department of Health and Environmental Control .
Gov .
Henry McMaster ( R ) has reopened most of the state ’ s “ non-essential ” businesses that were ordered closed in late March .
Businesses are still being asked to promote social distancing and to limit capacity .

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Two people are dead and eight others are injured following a shooting inside of a crowded South Carolina nightclub in the early hours of Sunday, authorities said.
A deputy and a trainee were passing Greenville’s Lavish Lounge just before 2 a.m., following an unrelated call in the area, when a commotion and the sound of gunshots caught their attention, Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at an early morning press conference.
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They heard more gunshots and called for backup before entering the club to locate the shooter. Inside, authorities found “a lot of shell casings” and blood, Lewis said.
At least two suspects remained wanted as of late Sunday morning, Lt. Jimmy Bolt with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office told HuffPost.
“We do have some suspect information but it’s not a lot at this time,” Lewis said at the earlier press conference, later adding that police suspect that the incident was gang-related.
A shooting at Lavish Lounge in Greenville, South Carolina, left two people dead and eight others injured. Google
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Police initially reported that 12 people had been shot but later corrected that number to 10. Of those gunshot victims, eight suffered injuries ranging from non-life-threatening to critical, said Bolt.
It’s not clear how many people were inside of the club at the time of the shooting, though authorities said the venue appeared to have been packed with people.
“I know that there was a very, very, very large crowd,” Lewis said. “I promise you they weren’t 6 feet apart.”
The incident came as the country continues to battle the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Greenville County has the highest number of suspected COVID-19 cases in the state, and the number of cases there has been rising over the past two weeks, according to the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Gov. Henry McMaster (R) has reopened most of the state’s “non-essential” businesses that were ordered closed in late March. Businesses are still being asked to promote social distancing and to limit capacity.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--I've Seen Over 50 Doctors And No One Knows What's Wrong With Me

Courtesy of Caroline Shifke `` Like most things in life , illness doesn ’ t exist in black and white , but in the million shades between . ''
If you ask the chief of neurology at Lenox Hill , I have autoimmune limbic encephalitis .
If you ask the experts at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota , I have central sensitization syndrome , possibly triggered by Lyme disease .
If you ask my internist , an infectious disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian , I have an autoimmune condition that is outside the current realm of medical knowledge .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have an amalgamation of all the above — and that the name honestly doesn ’ t really matter to me anymore .
If you tell someone you ’ re sick , they want to know what you ’ re sick with .
The diagnosis informs their behavior .
Should they be worried ?
If so , how worried ?
Are you contagious ?
Is it fatal ?
Is it something that could happen to them too ?
And people are naturally curious .
Few things pique our interest more than guarded , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I have a cold , ” we say , “ Oh that ’ s too bad .
Drink lots of fluids and feel better soon !
” and then we move on .
But if someone tells us , “ I ’ m going through some health issues at the moment , ” we have a million follow-up questions — though , we ’ ve been trained not to ask these questions as we ’ ve relegated health to the realm of the private , not to be inquired into without enormous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no easy answer to the question “ What ’ s wrong ?
” If I said something vague but accurate , like , “ I have a strange neurological illness , ” then I would seem intentionally coy .
If I listed all my symptoms , it would seem like I was complaining .
If I boiled it down to one symptom , like migraines or fatigue , I would be underselling the severity and setting false expectations about how well I was .
Without a diagnosis , I was a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the beach and proudly unfurls sticky fingers to reveal pebbles , broken shells , a crab ’ s leg , dried seaweed pods and sea glass .
What are you supposed to do with that strange , incoherent display except smile limply ?
Without a diagnosis , I had no story to tell to others , or to myself .
It was lonely , confusing and scary .
I felt like I was walking down a pitch-black street alone at night , with nothing but the glow of my cellphone to light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the darkness with monsters .
Each negative test that ruled out a horrible disease added some light , but that brightness only served to make the darkness beyond even thicker , more impenetrable .
Searching for an answer consumed my parents and me until , eventually , I ended up at the Mayo Clinic ’ s Pain Rehabilitation Center .
The driving theory of the program is that the most important thing about a chronic illness is not its name but rather its management .
The quest for a diagnosis became secondary to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good life that accommodates , but doesn ’ t focus on , my illness .
Ultimately , it didn ’ t matter what we called my disease .
What mattered was learning to live with it .
Therein lies the difference between something acute and something chronic .
If you have an acute illness , the most important thing is to figure out how to make it go away .
If you have a chronic illness , the most important thing is to figure out how to live every day in the vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But people usually want to know what ’ s wrong , and how can you fix it , and are you better now ?
The narrative of illness that we embrace in our culture leaves little room for chronicity .
We think of illness as a battle to be won or lost , with disease something you fight until you achieve victory , or die trying .
We treat illness like war , and naming the disease is the equivalent of meeting the maxim : “ Know thy enemy as you know thyself.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a secondary consequence .
It suggests that illness is transient , that it is a major event that one can either heroically overcome or die fighting .
No battle lasts forever without a winner or a loser .
It follows that no illness lasts forever .
The language of war doesn ’ t do justice to the daily slog of chronicity .
I understand the desire to put illness in terms of winning and losing battles .
It ’ s comforting to think that with enough grit , enough firepower and medication and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will , we can overcome anything that dares try to stop us .
But the problem with this myth is the implication that those who continue to struggle daily , those who do not “ win , ” are simply not strong enough .
We are not trying hard enough .
And it allows the world to take another half-step away , siphoning off a little extra empathy to hand to those who will not squander it .
We struggle to embrace chronic narratives because they ’ re scary and uncomfortable .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notion that , even with all the best doctors , even if you do everything right , even if you exercise and eat organic and take your vitamins , even then , pain and illness could still be your daily companion .
It ’ s uncomfortable to sit with the knowledge of unending suffering .
It ’ s part of the reason why our news cycle is so short and getting shorter — we are good at feeling energetic bursts of sympathy , but we don ’ t often practice the prolonged empathy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it illness , structural racism , hunger , poverty or war .
But , like most things in life , illness doesn ’ t exist in black and white , but in the million shades between .
There are many stories of people who become sick , find a diagnosis , undergo treatment and recover .
And there are just as many stories of people who , like me , don ’ t have a precise diagnosis , a real prognosis , or an ultimate cure .
I wish I could tell you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But , even more than that , I wish that having a name and a clear-cut answer wasn ’ t held at such a premium in our discussions about and understanding of health .
If we change the language we use to discuss illness , it might become easier for us to embrace new narratives , like that of the journey from sickness not to health , but to acceptance .

"Like most things in life, illness doesn’t exist in black and white, but in the million shades between." Courtesy of Caroline Shifke
I wish I could tell you what’s wrong with me.
Since January 2014, I’ve seen over 50 doctors and undergone countless tests ranging from simple blood draws to spending five hours in a sweat chamber covered in purple powder. Based on hundreds of thousands of dollars of tests, appointments and treatments, I have received 26 potential diagnoses. All are partially true. None is entirely true.
If you ask the chief of neurology at Lenox Hill, I have autoimmune limbic encephalitis. If you ask the experts at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, I have central sensitization syndrome, possibly triggered by Lyme disease. If you ask my internist, an infectious disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian, I have an autoimmune condition that is outside the current realm of medical knowledge. If you ask me, I’d say I have an amalgamation of all the above — and that the name honestly doesn’t really matter to me anymore.
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For a long time, the search for a diagnosis was the most important part of my life. Having a diagnosis would have confined an amorphous array of unmanageable symptoms into a definable enemy that I could study, measure for size, and destroy.
It would also have made going to parties a lot easier.
“Having a diagnosis would have confined an amorphous array of unmanageable symptoms into a definable enemy that I could study, measure for size, and destroy.”
If you tell someone you’re sick, they want to know what you’re sick with. The diagnosis informs their behavior. Should they be worried? If so, how worried? Are you contagious? Is it fatal? Is it something that could happen to them too? And people are naturally curious. Few things pique our interest more than guarded, mysterious language. If someone says, “I have a cold,” we say, “Oh that’s too bad. Drink lots of fluids and feel better soon!” and then we move on. But if someone tells us, “I’m going through some health issues at the moment,” we have a million follow-up questions — though, we’ve been trained not to ask these questions as we’ve relegated health to the realm of the private, not to be inquired into without enormous caution.
Without a diagnosis, I had no easy answer to the question “What’s wrong?” If I said something vague but accurate, like, “I have a strange neurological illness,” then I would seem intentionally coy. If I listed all my symptoms, it would seem like I was complaining. If I boiled it down to one symptom, like migraines or fatigue, I would be underselling the severity and setting false expectations about how well I was. Without a diagnosis, I was a little kid who runs home after a day at the beach and proudly unfurls sticky fingers to reveal pebbles, broken shells, a crab’s leg, dried seaweed pods and sea glass. What are you supposed to do with that strange, incoherent display except smile limply?
Advertisement
Without a diagnosis, I had no story to tell to others, or to myself. It was lonely, confusing and scary. I felt like I was walking down a pitch-black street alone at night, with nothing but the glow of my cellphone to light my feet and an imagination to fill the darkness with monsters. Each negative test that ruled out a horrible disease added some light, but that brightness only served to make the darkness beyond even thicker, more impenetrable.
“If I listed all my symptoms, I would seem like I was complaining. If I boiled it down to one symptom, like migraines or fatigue, I would be underselling the severity and setting false expectations about how well I was.”
Searching for an answer consumed my parents and me until, eventually, I ended up at the Mayo Clinic’s Pain Rehabilitation Center. The driving theory of the program is that the most important thing about a chronic illness is not its name but rather its management. The quest for a diagnosis became secondary to a more important goal: living a good life that accommodates, but doesn’t focus on, my illness. Ultimately, it didn’t matter what we called my disease. What mattered was learning to live with it.
Therein lies the difference between something acute and something chronic. If you have an acute illness, the most important thing is to figure out how to make it go away. If you have a chronic illness, the most important thing is to figure out how to live every day in the vast gray expanse between sick and cured.
But people usually want to know what’s wrong, and how can you fix it, and are you better now? The narrative of illness that we embrace in our culture leaves little room for chronicity. We think of illness as a battle to be won or lost, with disease something you fight until you achieve victory, or die trying. We treat illness like war, and naming the disease is the equivalent of meeting the maxim: “Know thy enemy as you know thyself.”
Advertisement
For some, the language of battle might be important. When the stakes are life or death, the terminology of war empowers the survivor and absolves the dead.
But the metaphor of battle has a secondary consequence. It suggests that illness is transient, that it is a major event that one can either heroically overcome or die fighting. No battle lasts forever without a winner or a loser. It follows that no illness lasts forever. The language of war doesn’t do justice to the daily slog of chronicity.
“We struggle to embrace chronic narratives because they’re scary and uncomfortable.”
I understand the desire to put illness in terms of winning and losing battles. It’s comforting to think that with enough grit, enough firepower and medication and doctors and energy and sheer force of will, we can overcome anything that dares try to stop us. But the problem with this myth is the implication that those who continue to struggle daily, those who do not “win,” are simply not strong enough. We are not trying hard enough. And it allows the world to take another half-step away, siphoning off a little extra empathy to hand to those who will not squander it.
We struggle to embrace chronic narratives because they’re scary and uncomfortable. There’s something fundamentally disturbing about the notion that, even with all the best doctors, even if you do everything right, even if you exercise and eat organic and take your vitamins, even then, pain and illness could still be your daily companion. It’s uncomfortable to sit with the knowledge of unending suffering. It’s part of the reason why our news cycle is so short and getting shorter — we are good at feeling energetic bursts of sympathy, but we don’t often practice the prolonged empathy required of understanding something chronic, be it illness, structural racism, hunger, poverty or war.
Advertisement
But, like most things in life, illness doesn’t exist in black and white, but in the million shades between. There are many stories of people who become sick, find a diagnosis, undergo treatment and recover. And there are just as many stories of people who, like me, don’t have a precise diagnosis, a real prognosis, or an ultimate cure.
I wish I could tell you what’s wrong with me. But, even more than that, I wish that having a name and a clear-cut answer wasn’t held at such a premium in our discussions about and understanding of health. If we change the language we use to discuss illness, it might become easier for us to embrace new narratives, like that of the journey from sickness not to health, but to acceptance.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Scientists Demand Urgency On Airborne Spread Of Coronavirus

A group of scientists is urging the World Health Organization to take the threat of airborne transmission of the coronavirus @ @ @

Scientists Demand Urgency On Airborne Spread Of Coronavirus
A group of scientists is urging the World Health Organization to take the threat of airborne transmission of the coronavirus more seriously.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Houston Hospitals Getting Crushed By COVID-19 Explosion, Mayor Says

The Houston hospital system is at serious risk of being completely overwhelmed by a record spike in COVID-19 cases , Mayor Sylvester Turner said Sunday .
“ The number of people who are getting sick and going to the hospitals has exponentially increased , ” Turner , a Democrat , said on CBS ’ “ Face The Nation.
” “ The number of people in our ICU beds has exponentially increased .
...
If we don ’ t get our hands around this virus quickly , in about two weeks our hospital system could be in serious , serious trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turner , is health care workers .
“ We can always provide additional beds , but we need the people , the nurses ... the medical professionals to staff those beds .
That ’ s the critical point right now.
” An astonishing one in every four people in the city tested for COVID-19 is now testing positive for the disease , he said .
Just a month ago , that figure was one in every 10 people .
Forty states are experiencing increases in cases , but Texas , Florida and Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation in Texas is so dire that the state has frozen plans to reopen the economy and is reimposing restrictions on businesses in a bid to help stem the rapid spread of the disease .
Turner said the state tried to race back to normal activity far too soon .
“ We were opening too quickly , too fast , ” he said .
“ If you look at the second week in May going forward , the numbers started to increase .
When you layer that on top of everything else , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , and people starting to resocialize , then you started to refuel the virus.
” In mid-May Houston tallied an average of nearly 250 new cases daily .
By the last week of June , that number soared to 1,600 .
Both Florida and Texas reported their biggest daily increase in new cases over the past few days , with Florida tallying 11,443 new cases and Texas reporting a record 8,258 new cases .
There have been more than 2.8 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and 129,000 deaths .

The Houston hospital system is at serious risk of being completely overwhelmed by a record spike in COVID-19 cases, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Sunday.
“The number of people who are getting sick and going to the hospitals has exponentially increased,” Turner, a Democrat, said on CBS’ “Face The Nation.” “The number of people in our ICU beds has exponentially increased. ... If we don’t get our hands around this virus quickly, in about two weeks our hospital system could be in serious, serious trouble ... overwhelmed.”
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The issue, said Turner, is health care workers. “We can always provide additional beds, but we need the people, the nurses ... the medical professionals to staff those beds. That’s the critical point right now.”
An astonishing one in every four people in the city tested for COVID-19 is now testing positive for the disease, he said. Just a month ago, that figure was one in every 10 people.
Forty states are experiencing increases in cases, but Texas, Florida and Arizona have been particularly hard hit.
The situation in Texas is so dire that the state has frozen plans to reopen the economy and is reimposing restrictions on businesses in a bid to help stem the rapid spread of the disease.
Advertisement
Turner said the state tried to race back to normal activity far too soon.
“We were opening too quickly, too fast,” he said. “If you look at the second week in May going forward, the numbers started to increase. When you layer that on top of everything else, all the other activities that were taking place, and people starting to resocialize, then you started to refuel the virus.”
In mid-May Houston tallied an average of nearly 250 new cases daily. By the last week of June, that number soared to 1,600.
Both Florida and Texas reported their biggest daily increase in new cases over the past few days, with Florida tallying 11,443 new cases and Texas reporting a record 8,258 new cases.
There have been more than 2.8 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and 129,000 deaths.