thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--7 Red Flags Your Holiday Drinking Habits Are A Sign Of A Bigger Issue

For many people , the holidays typically signify a time of celebration .
For others , this time of year can exacerbate negative feelings .
And in 2020 , we ’ re all living on a spectrum of emotions .
Regardless of personal circumstances or the state of the world , the season is notorious for alcohol overindulgence .
Some may feel inclined or may be triggered to drink excessively .
“ During the pandemic , there is already a significant increase in alcohol use given the increased anxiety related to death , fear of contracting the virus , uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Ayana Jordan , an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine .
“ In the holiday season , we generally see an increase of alcohol and other substances for a variety of reasons ― from social gatherings to coping with loneliness.
” You do not feel like you can enjoy holiday events without alcohol .
“ There are certainly people who only struggle in certain environments and circumstances , ” said Stacy Cohen , a psychiatrist and founder of The Moment .
“ Some individuals may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a physical dependency to alcohol when it comes to the holiday season ― which still has negative consequences.
” You find yourself not being able to function without alcohol .
You feel like you need a drink to cope with the stressors of the pandemic .
You snag drinks before the drinking event .
You hide alcohol or drink secretly and deny drinking in the open .
You experience withdrawal symptoms when your drinking is paused .
You attempt to quit , but are unable to stop drinking .

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For many people, the holidays typically signify a time of celebration. For others, this time of year can exacerbate negative feelings. And in 2020, we’re all living on a spectrum of emotions. Regardless of personal circumstances or the state of the world, the season is notorious for alcohol overindulgence. Some may feel inclined or may be triggered to drink excessively.
“During the pandemic, there is already a significant increase in alcohol use given the increased anxiety related to death, fear of contracting the virus, uncertainty about the future, and financial instability,” said Ayana Jordan, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. “In the holiday season, we generally see an increase of alcohol and other substances for a variety of reasons ― from social gatherings to coping with loneliness.”
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Navigating drinking may be more difficult than ever during this time of year. It can be hard to tell if you are just overdoing it because of the holidays or misusing alcohol.
Here are some expert-approved indicators that your holiday drinking habits may be a bigger problem.
You do not feel like you can enjoy holiday events without alcohol.
If you feel like you can only get into the holiday spirit with a few rounds of drinks, chances are you may have a problem with alcohol.
“There are certainly people who only struggle in certain environments and circumstances,” said Stacy Cohen, a psychiatrist and founder of The Moment. “Some individuals may not be daily drinkers, but can have a physical dependency to alcohol when it comes to the holiday season ― which still has negative consequences.”
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You find yourself not being able to function without alcohol.
“Some alarming signs are impairment in functioning, like when you’re not able to perform the usual activities in life without alcohol,” Jordan said.
These red flags are usually apparent in your day to day, like if you need to have a drink with every meal or find yourself reaching for the bar cart multiple times while speaking to a friend.
You feel like you need a drink to cope with the stressors of the pandemic.
If you feel socially isolated this holiday season because of the pandemic, you’re not alone. However, leaning on alcohol to cope with your stress may result in short-term satisfaction, but not long-term fulfillment.
“There are more people than ever drinking in isolation as people are stressed due to the current state of the world,” Cohen said. “However, there are a lot of alcohol-free activities that can increase natural endorphins and get our feel-good hormones flowing, like a game night or walk outdoors.”
You snag drinks before the drinking event.
If you’re eagerly looking forward to drinking and even start “pre-gaming” before the holiday event, this is a sign that you have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
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“A red flag is always thinking about when to use alcohol, like a longing or craving for drinking,” Jordan said.
Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images
You hide alcohol or drink secretly and deny drinking in the open.
“An unhealthy attachment to the topic of alcohol, such as defensiveness when drinking is discussed or denying alcohol is definitely an issue,” Cohen said.
She adds that communication is key when treating alcohol use disorders, as it can open doors to new possibilities and insights.
If you tend to drink secretly or get concerned with how much others see you are drinking, this is an alarming sign that can definitely increase your risk of alcohol misuse.
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You experience withdrawal symptoms when your drinking is paused.
If you’re having withdrawal symptoms when you pause your drinking for some time, chances are your body has become used to that alcohol consumption.
“Withdrawal symptoms include feeling shaky without the alcohol, having headaches, sweating, heart beating fast and experiencing hallucinations,” Jordan said. She added that common hallucinations are feeling like things are crawling on you and seeing things that are not there.
You attempt to quit, but are unable to stop drinking.
If you cannot say “no” to a drink or continue to engage in excessive drinking, it’s probably a sign that you need to reevaluate your alcohol habits. That may include a vast overhaul to some areas of your life.
“Everyone’s recovery is different, but generally people in early sobriety are best off avoiding people, places and things that can remind them of drinking,” Cohen said.
If you feel that one or more of these indicators apply to you, chat with your health care provider or reach out to an alcohol specialist to get a better assessment of your situation. There are ways to feel in control of your mental and physical health when it comes to drinking.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--2020 Was The Deadliest Year In U.S. History

Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months .
But preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year , or at least 400,000 more than in 2019 .
U.S. deaths increase most years , so some annual rise in fatalities is expected .
But the 2020 numbers amount to a jump of about 15 % , and could go higher once all the deaths from this month are counted .
That would mark the largest single-year percentage leap since 1918 , when tens of thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I and hundreds of thousands of Americans died in a flu pandemic .
Deaths rose 46 % that year , compared with 1917 .
The nation ’ s overall mortality rate fell a bit in 2019 , due to reductions in heart disease and cancer deaths .
And life expectancy inched up — by several weeks — for the second straight year , according to death certificate data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The CDC counted 2,854,838 U.S. deaths last year , or nearly 16,000 more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news : Deaths usually rise by about 20,000 to 50,000 each year , mainly due to the nation ’ s aging , and growing , population .
The virus was first identified in China last year , and the first U.S. cases were reported this year .
But it has become the third leading cause of death , behind only heart disease and cancer .
For certain periods this year , COVID-19 was the No .
1 killer .
A burst of pneumonia cases early this year may have been COVID-19 deaths that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early in the epidemic .
But there also have been an unexpected number of deaths from certain types of heart and circulatory diseases , diabetes and dementia , Anderson said .
Many of those , too , may be related to COVID .
The virus could have weakened patients already struggling with those conditions , or could have diminished the care they were getting , he said .
Early in the epidemic , some were optimistic that car crash deaths would drop as people stopped commuting or driving to social events .
Data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but anecdotal reports suggest there was no such decline .
Data for all of 2020 is not yet available .
But last week the CDC reported more than 81,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in May , making it the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period .
Experts think the pandemic ’ s disruption to in-person treatment and recovery services may have been a factor .
People also are more likely to be taking drugs alone — without the benefit of a friend or family member who can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I don ’ t suspect there are a bunch of new people who suddenly started using drugs because of COVID .
If anything , I think the supply of people who are already using drugs is more contaminated , ” said Shannon Monnat , a Syracuse University researcher who studies drug overdose trends .

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NEW YORK (AP) — This is the deadliest year in U.S. history, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time — due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic.
Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months. But preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year, or at least 400,000 more than in 2019.
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U.S. deaths increase most years, so some annual rise in fatalities is expected. But the 2020 numbers amount to a jump of about 15%, and could go higher once all the deaths from this month are counted.
That would mark the largest single-year percentage leap since 1918, when tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers died in World War I and hundreds of thousands of Americans died in a flu pandemic. Deaths rose 46% that year, compared with 1917.
During New York's worst week of the coronavirus pandemic, the four female undertakers at the International Funeral & Cremation Service started turning bodies away. Andrew Kelly / Reuters
COVID-19 has killed more than 318,000 Americans and counting. Before it came along, there was reason to be hopeful about U.S. death trends.
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The nation’s overall mortality rate fell a bit in 2019, due to reductions in heart disease and cancer deaths. And life expectancy inched up — by several weeks — for the second straight year, according to death certificate data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But life expectancy for 2020 could end up dropping as much as three full years, said Robert Anderson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC counted 2,854,838 U.S. deaths last year, or nearly 16,000 more than 2018. That’s fairly good news: Deaths usually rise by about 20,000 to 50,000 each year, mainly due to the nation’s aging, and growing, population.
Indeed, the age-adjusted death rate dropped about 1% in 2019, and life expectancy rose by about six weeks to 78.8 years, the CDC reported.
“It was actually a pretty good year for mortality, as things go,” said Anderson, who oversees CDC death statistics.
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The U.S. coronavirus epidemic has been a big driver of deaths this year, both directly and indirectly.
The virus was first identified in China last year, and the first U.S. cases were reported this year. But it has become the third leading cause of death, behind only heart disease and cancer. For certain periods this year, COVID-19 was the No. 1 killer.
But some other types of deaths also have increased.
A burst of pneumonia cases early this year may have been COVID-19 deaths that simply weren’t recognized as such early in the epidemic. But there also have been an unexpected number of deaths from certain types of heart and circulatory diseases, diabetes and dementia, Anderson said.
Many of those, too, may be related to COVID. The virus could have weakened patients already struggling with those conditions, or could have diminished the care they were getting, he said.
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Early in the epidemic, some were optimistic that car crash deaths would drop as people stopped commuting or driving to social events. Data on that is not yet in, but anecdotal reports suggest there was no such decline.
Suicide deaths dropped in 2019 compared with 2018, but early information suggests they have not continued to drop this year, Anderson and others said.
Drug overdose deaths, meanwhile, got much worse.
Before the coronavirus even arrived, the U.S. was in the midst of the deadliest drug overdose epidemic in its history.
Data for all of 2020 is not yet available. But last week the CDC reported more than 81,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in May, making it the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period.
Experts think the pandemic’s disruption to in-person treatment and recovery services may have been a factor. People also are more likely to be taking drugs alone — without the benefit of a friend or family member who can call 911 or administer overdose-reversing medication.
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But perhaps a bigger factor are the drugs themselves: COVID-19 caused supply problems for dealers, so they are increasingly mixing cheap and deadly fentanyl into heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, experts said.
“I don’t suspect there are a bunch of new people who suddenly started using drugs because of COVID. If anything, I think the supply of people who are already using drugs is more contaminated,” said Shannon Monnat, a Syracuse University researcher who studies drug overdose trends.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-21--California Hospitals Discuss Rationing Care As Virus Surges

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — California ’ s overwhelmed hospitals are setting up makeshift extra beds for coronavirus patients , and a handful of facilities in hard-hit Los Angeles County are drawing up emergency plans in case they have to limit how many people receive live-saving care .
The number of people hospitalized across California with confirmed COVID-19 infections is more than double the state ’ s previous peak , reached in July , and a state model forecasts the total could hit 75,000 patients by mid-January .
Plans for rationing care are not in place yet , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst is yet to come , ” said Los Angeles County ’ s health services director , Dr. Christina Ghaly .
While shipments of the vaccine are rolling out to many health care workers and nursing homes across the country , it could be months before the shots are available to the general public .
Until then , four hospitals run by Los Angeles County are weighing what to do if they can not treat everyone because of a shortage of beds or staffers .
A document recently circulated among doctors at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to save every life , their goal could shift to saving as many patients as possible — meaning those less likely to survive would not get the same kind of care .
“ Some compromise of standard of care is unavoidable ; it is not that an entity , system or locale chooses to limit resources , it is that the resources are clearly not available to provide care in a regular manner , ” said the document obtained by the Los Angeles Times .
Overall , the state ’ s ICU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some hospitals have canceled non-essential elective surgeries , such as hip replacements , that might take up beds that could soon be needed for COVID-19 patients .
Nurses say the crush of cases means they have less time to spend with patients , many of whom are sicker than they have ever been .
“ The more patients we have , the more there ’ s a risk of making a mistake , especially if we ’ re rushing , ” said Wendy Macedo .
a nurse at UCLA Health Santa Monica @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re trying to avoid that , but we ’ re only human.
” California was experiencing “ some of the darkest days of our COVID-19 surge , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said , but there was some light Sunday as a group of scientists and experts endorsed a vaccine developed by Moderna .
The step clears the way for the drug to be distributed throughout California and other Western states that reviewed it separately from the Food and Drug Administration .
CVS and rival Walgreens started providing shots last week at some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and both companies said they would expand their programs in 12 states starting this week .
Those states include Florida , Kentucky , Maine , Maryland , Nevada , New Hampshire , New York , Oklahoma , Oregon and Vermont , CVS Health said Monday .
CVS plans to make three visits to each site to give residents and staff their initial shot and then a booster .
It expects to complete the program in about three months .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has asked airlines flying into his state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passengers take a coronavirus test before they get on board .
At least one airline , British Airways , has agreed , the Democrat said .
Cuomo wants the U.S. government to temporarily halt flights from the U.K. because of the emergence of a new strain of the virus in that country .
Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee on Sunday announced new social gathering restrictions while still refusing to implement a mask mandate despite pleas from front-line health care workers .
Tennessee , one of a dozen states without a mask mandate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capita in the country .

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — California’s overwhelmed hospitals are setting up makeshift extra beds for coronavirus patients, and a handful of facilities in hard-hit Los Angeles County are drawing up emergency plans in case they have to limit how many people receive live-saving care.
The number of people hospitalized across California with confirmed COVID-19 infections is more than double the state’s previous peak, reached in July, and a state model forecasts the total could hit 75,000 patients by mid-January.
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Plans for rationing care are not in place yet, but they need to be established because “the worst is yet to come,” said Los Angeles County’s health services director, Dr. Christina Ghaly.
While shipments of the vaccine are rolling out to many health care workers and nursing homes across the country, it could be months before the shots are available to the general public. Until then, four hospitals run by Los Angeles County are weighing what to do if they cannot treat everyone because of a shortage of beds or staffers.
A document recently circulated among doctors at the four hospitals proposed that instead of trying to save every life, their goal could shift to saving as many patients as possible — meaning those less likely to survive would not get the same kind of care.
“Some compromise of standard of care is unavoidable; it is not that an entity, system or locale chooses to limit resources, it is that the resources are clearly not available to provide care in a regular manner,” said the document obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
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Many hospitals in California already have implemented emergency procedures to stretch staff and space.
Corona Regional Medical Center southeast of Los Angeles has converted an old emergency room to handle nearly double the usual number of ICU patients. It’s also using two disaster tents to triage ER patients.
Overall, the state’s ICU capacity was just 2.1% on Sunday. Some hospitals have canceled non-essential elective surgeries, such as hip replacements, that might take up beds that could soon be needed for COVID-19 patients.
Nurses say the crush of cases means they have less time to spend with patients, many of whom are sicker than they have ever been.
“The more patients we have, the more there’s a risk of making a mistake, especially if we’re rushing,” said Wendy Macedo. a nurse at UCLA Health Santa Monica Medical Center. ”Obviously we’re trying to avoid that, but we’re only human.”
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California was experiencing “some of the darkest days of our COVID-19 surge,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said, but there was some light Sunday as a group of scientists and experts endorsed a vaccine developed by Moderna. The step clears the way for the drug to be distributed throughout California and other Western states that reviewed it separately from the Food and Drug Administration.
CVS and rival Walgreens started providing shots last week at some long-term care locations in Connecticut and Ohio, and both companies said they would expand their programs in 12 states starting this week. Those states include Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon and Vermont, CVS Health said Monday.
CVS plans to make three visits to each site to give residents and staff their initial shot and then a booster. It expects to complete the program in about three months.
But with vaccinations in limited supply until spring or summer, political leaders are calling on people to stay at home and wear masks.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has asked airlines flying into his state from the United Kingdom to make all passengers take a coronavirus test before they get on board. At least one airline, British Airways, has agreed, the Democrat said.
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Cuomo wants the U.S. government to temporarily halt flights from the U.K. because of the emergence of a new strain of the virus in that country.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Sunday announced new social gathering restrictions while still refusing to implement a mask mandate despite pleas from front-line health care workers. Tennessee, one of a dozen states without a mask mandate, is experiencing the highest new cases per capita in the country.
Instead of a mask mandate, the Republican signed an executive order limiting public gatherings to 10 people. However, places of worship, weddings and funerals are exempt.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Fox News' Geraldo Rivera Lets Loose On White House's 'Bogus' Election Claims

Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera again argued against his old friend Donald Trump on the air Monday , urging the president to accept reality and stop sowing doubt about his loss to President-elect Joe Biden .
Geraldo : The President is wrong .
There is no avenue left .
There ’ s no legislative avenue .
There ‘ a no constitutional avenue .
There ’ s no judicial avenue .
It is over ... pic.twitter.com/3miffQgf90 — Acyn Torabi ( @ Acyn ) December 22 , 2020 Trump declared victory to attendees at a Monday afternoon event for the pro-Trump youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charlie Kirk appeared on Fox News alongside Rivera .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows also tweeted that Trump and “ several members of Congress ” had just met to prepare to “ fight back against mounting evidence of voter fraud.
” “ That ’ s bogus !
There ’ s no way to turn it around !
” Rivera said .
“ It hurts to say that , but it is true.
” Co-host Brian Kilmeade pushed back , arguing that Meadows ’ tweet wasn ’ t reckless and that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud and such claims have been knocked back in dozens of failed court cases by Republican election officials , Trump-appointed judges and the Supreme Court .
Rivera , who has routinely defended Trump in the past and praised his response to the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 300,000 people in the U.S. , has become increasingly vocal in urging Trump to accept his election loss .
Earlier this month , Rivera said Trump had stopped taking his calls because of his position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rivera has spoken out on several occasions , urging Trump and his Republican allies to move on for the good of the country .

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Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera again argued against his old friend Donald Trump on the air Monday, urging the president to accept reality and stop sowing doubt about his loss to President-elect Joe Biden.
Geraldo: The President is wrong. There is no avenue left. There’s no legislative avenue. There‘a no constitutional avenue. There’s no judicial avenue. It is over... pic.twitter.com/3miffQgf90 — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) December 22, 2020
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Trump declared victory to attendees at a Monday afternoon event for the pro-Trump youth organization Turning Point USA. Its founder Charlie Kirk appeared on Fox News alongside Rivera.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows also tweeted that Trump and “several members of Congress” had just met to prepare to “fight back against mounting evidence of voter fraud.”
“That’s bogus! There’s no way to turn it around!” Rivera said. “It hurts to say that, but it is true.”
Co-host Brian Kilmeade pushed back, arguing that Meadows’ tweet wasn’t reckless and that he was stating that the meeting took place.
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“And ‘mounting evidence’?” Rivera asked. “Come on, Brian. There’s not mounting evidence.”
There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud and such claims have been knocked back in dozens of failed court cases by Republican election officials, Trump-appointed judges and the Supreme Court.
Rivera, who has routinely defended Trump in the past and praised his response to the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 300,000 people in the U.S., has become increasingly vocal in urging Trump to accept his election loss.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Conservative Columnist: Donald Trump Will Cause More Damage Before He's Done

Conservative columnist Max Boot in his new column for The Washington Post reeled off a long list of President Donald Trump ’ s misdeeds since his election defeat and warned things will get even worse in the final days of his presidency .
Since losing the election , Boot noted in his weekend op-ed , the outgoing president has ignored his duties involving the coronavirus pandemic , contradicted intelligence about a massive Russian cyberattack on government and private networks , reportedly discussed declaring martial law to redo the election in swing states , purged the Pentagon of senior leaders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for not doing more to politicize his department.
” “ There is certainly worse to come — including a pardon-palooza that would put Trump cronies and family members beyond the reach of the law , ” wrote Boot .
“ If future generations are tempted to romanticize the Trump presidency , all they will have to do is look at his final days to see why historians are likely to regard him as the worst president in U.S. history , ” concluded Boot , who has long been critical of Trump ’ s @ @

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Conservative columnist Max Boot in his new column for The Washington Post reeled off a long list of President Donald Trump’s misdeeds since his election defeat and warned things will get even worse in the final days of his presidency.
Since losing the election, Boot noted in his weekend op-ed, the outgoing president has ignored his duties involving the coronavirus pandemic, contradicted intelligence about a massive Russian cyberattack on government and private networks, reportedly discussed declaring martial law to redo the election in swing states, purged the Pentagon of senior leaders and slammed departing Attorney General Bill Barr “for not doing more to politicize his department.”
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“There is certainly worse to come — including a pardon-palooza that would put Trump cronies and family members beyond the reach of the law,” wrote Boot.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--CNN's John Berman Slams Donald Trump's Dictator-Like Talk: 'This Is Not A Drill'

“ Let ’ s not mince words here , ” said Berman .
“ This is not a drill .
The president of the United States is weighing the kind of action you see in dictatorships.
” Berman noted Trump ’ s reported discussion of implementing martial law and having the military redo the election in swing states .
The CNN anchor admitted it would be “ tempting to dismiss ” the cast of characters assisting the president in his futile bid to steal the election — including Trump ’ s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani , his “ fired national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Flynn and conspiracy theorist lawyer Sidney Powell — as “ some kind of pathetic clown show.
” But Berman warned it is actually “ scary ” that Trump is so “ obsessed ” with overturning the result and even considering naming Powell as “ some kind of election special counsel ” to investigate his bogus claims of election fraud .
“ Remember , we ’ re talking about the same Sidney Powell that the president and his election legal team wanted nothing to do with just a few weeks ago because she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Berman .
“ Now , in the president ’ s eyes , she ’ s special counsel material .
”

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CNN’s John Berman on Monday sounded the alarm on President Donald Trump’s dictator-like talk.
“Let’s not mince words here,” said Berman. “This is not a drill. The president of the United States is weighing the kind of action you see in dictatorships.”
Berman noted Trump’s reported discussion of implementing martial law and having the military redo the election in swing states.
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The CNN anchor admitted it would be “tempting to dismiss” the cast of characters assisting the president in his futile bid to steal the election — including Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, his “fired national security adviser and pardoned admitted felon” Michael Flynn and conspiracy theorist lawyer Sidney Powell — as “some kind of pathetic clown show.”
But Berman warned it is actually “scary” that Trump is so “obsessed” with overturning the result and even considering naming Powell as “some kind of election special counsel” to investigate his bogus claims of election fraud.
“Remember, we’re talking about the same Sidney Powell that the president and his election legal team wanted nothing to do with just a few weeks ago because she was seen as too extreme,” said Berman. “Now, in the president’s eyes, she’s special counsel material.”
Check out Berman’s monologue here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Trump, House Lawmakers Plot Futile Effort To Block Biden Win

The meeting underscored Trump ’ s refusal to accept the reality of his loss and his willingness to entertain undemocratic efforts to overturn the will of the majority of American voters .
Biden will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20 .
With no credible legal options remaining and the Electoral College having confirmed Biden ’ s victory earlier this month , Trump is turning his attention to Jan. 6 .
That ’ s when Congress participates in a count of the electoral votes , which Biden won 306-232 .
With Democrats holding the House majority and several Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , any effort to block congressional approval of the election appears sure to fail .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has warned his members against taking such a step .
“ I mean , in the Senate , it would go down like a shot dog , ” Thune told CNN .
“ I just don ’ t think that it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is gon na be.
” Brooks said Monday ’ s White House meeting was originally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lasted for three hours , with Trump participating for much of it .
Other attendees including Trump ’ s personal lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , who has spent the weeks since the election promoting false claims of voter fraud .
Brooks said he also met with Vice President Mike Pence .
As president of the Senate , Pence is to preside over the Jan. 6 session and declare the winner .
Brooks said the group is making plans to challenge the election results from Michigan , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , Georgia and Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooks in particular has raised questions about the way state elections were conducted this year , with some having made changes to ballots and procedures during the pandemic .
While the new procedures may have led to confusion in some states , state and federal officials have said there was no credible evidence of widespread fraud .
A range of nonpartisan election officials and Republicans have confirmed that there was no fraud in the November contest that would change the results of the election .
That includes Attorney General William Barr , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to appoint a special counsel to look into the president ’ s claims about the 2020 election .
Trump has discussed doing so with some of his advisers .
Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results , and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped .
He ’ s also lost twice at the U.S. Supreme Court .
On Jan. 6 , a lawmaker can object to a state ’ s votes on any grounds .
The objection will not be heard unless it is in writing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House and a member of the Senate .
If there is such a joint request , then the joint session suspends and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it .
For the objection to be sustained , both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote .
If they disagree , the original electoral votes are counted .
The last time such an objection was considered was 2005 , when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California , both Democrats , objected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming there were voting irregularities .
Both chambers debated the objection and rejected it .
It was only the second time such a vote had occurred .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump hosted several House Republican lawmakers at the White House on Monday to discuss an ultimately futile effort to block Congress from affirming President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November election.
The meeting underscored Trump’s refusal to accept the reality of his loss and his willingness to entertain undemocratic efforts to overturn the will of the majority of American voters. Biden will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20.
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With no credible legal options remaining and the Electoral College having confirmed Biden’s victory earlier this month, Trump is turning his attention to Jan. 6. That’s when Congress participates in a count of the electoral votes, which Biden won 306-232.
The count, required by the Constitution, is generally a formality. But members can use the event to object to a state’s votes.
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., said he organized Monday’s session with about a dozen House Republicans who are willing to challenge the results.
“President Trump is very supportive of our effort,” Brooks said in an interview late Monday.
With Democrats holding the House majority and several Republican senators now acknowledging Biden’s victory, any effort to block congressional approval of the election appears sure to fail. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has warned his members against taking such a step.
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Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican, urged lawmakers to remember that an effort to block the election results in Congress was “just not going anywhere.”
“I mean, in the Senate, it would go down like a shot dog,” Thune told CNN. “I just don’t think that it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is gonna be.”
Still, Trump has continued to dangle the possibility of congressional intervention.
Brooks said Monday’s White House meeting was originally scheduled for about an hour, but lasted for three hours, with Trump participating for much of it. Other attendees including Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who has spent the weeks since the election promoting false claims of voter fraud.
Brooks said he also met with Vice President Mike Pence. As president of the Senate, Pence is to preside over the Jan. 6 session and declare the winner.
Brooks said the group is making plans to challenge the election results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada, all battleground states Biden carried. Brooks in particular has raised questions about the way state elections were conducted this year, with some having made changes to ballots and procedures during the pandemic. While the new procedures may have led to confusion in some states, state and federal officials have said there was no credible evidence of widespread fraud.
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Still, Trump’s top aides, including chief of staff Mark Meadows, continued on Monday to push false claims of election malfeasance, without providing any evidence.
A range of nonpartisan election officials and Republicans have confirmed that there was no fraud in the November contest that would change the results of the election. That includes Attorney General William Barr, who on Monday said he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel to look into the president’s claims about the 2020 election. Trump has discussed doing so with some of his advisers.
Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all have been dismissed or dropped. He’s also lost twice at the U.S. Supreme Court.
With no further tenable legal recourse, Trump has been fuming and peppering allies for options as he refuses to accept his loss.
On Jan. 6, a lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. The objection will not be heard unless it is in writing and signed by both a member of the House and a member of the Senate.
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If there is such a joint request, then the joint session suspends and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it. For the objection to be sustained, both chambers must agree to it by a simple majority vote. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted.
The last time such an objection was considered was 2005, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, objected to Ohio’s electoral votes by claiming there were voting irregularities. Both chambers debated the objection and rejected it. It was only the second time such a vote had occurred.
McConnell has told Senate Republicans that a dispute over the results in January would yield a “terrible vote” for Republicans. They would have to choose whether to back Trump or publicly buck him.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Congress Approves $892 Billion COVID-19 Relief Package; Sends To Trump

President Donald Trump is soon expected to sign the package into law .
After days of furious negotiation , both legislative chambers worked deep into the night to pass the massive bill , with the House of Representatives first approving it and the Senate following suit several hours later in bipartisan votes .
The virus relief bill includes $ 600 payments to most Americans as well as additional payments to the millions of people thrown out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic , just as a larger round of benefits is due to expire on Saturday .
House Speaker Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported the virus relief bill even though it did not include the direct aid for state and local governments that Democrats had sought .
She said they would try for it again next year after Democratic President-elect Joe Biden takes office .
The bill , she said , “ doesn ’ t go all the way but it takes us down the path.
” Republican Representative Hal Rogers , who also supported the package , said “ it reflects a fair compromise.
” At 5,593 pages , the wide-ranging bill that also spends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal programs through next September , is likely to be the final major piece of legislation for the 116th Congress that expires on Jan. 3 .
Congress included a measure continuing current levels of government spending for seven days , ensuring no interruption to federal operations .
It has a net cost of roughly $ 350 billion for coronavirus relief , Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said , adding that more than $ 500 billion in funding comes from unspent money Congress had authorized .
The stimulus package , the first congressionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic is accelerating in the United States , infecting more than 214,000 people every day and slowing the economic recovery .
More than 317,000 Americans have died .
The legislation also expands a small-business lending program by about $ 284 billion and steers money to schools , airlines , transit systems and vaccine distribution .
The small-business loan and grant program , known as the Paycheck Protection Program , would exclude publicly traded companies from eligibility .
Amid reports that the Trump Organization received past aid , the bill contains disclosure requirements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heads of Cabinet departments , lawmakers and spouses and prohibits those individuals from receiving loans in the future .
State and local governments , which are struggling to pay for the distribution of newly approved COVID-19 vaccines , would receive $ 8.75 billion from Washington , with $ 300 million of that targeted at vaccinations in minority and high-risk populations .
The deal , worked out in a rare weekend session of Congress , omits the thorniest sticking points , which included Republicans ’ desire for a liability shield to protect businesses from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for a large outlay of money for cash-strapped state and local governments .
McConnell , interviewed by Fox News , pledged to renew his drive for the protections against corporate lawsuits in whatever coronavirus aid bill the incoming Biden administration pursues in early 2021 .
The measure is far less than the $ 3 trillion called for in a bill that passed the Democratic-controlled House in May , which the Republican-controlled Senate ignored .
Biden has urged Congress to consider further stimulus for him to sign into law when he takes office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to everyone out there struggling right now , help is on the way , ” he said in a statement .
The bill would be the second-largest stimulus package in U.S. history , behind the roughly $ 2 trillion aid bill passed in March .
Experts said that money played a critical role as social-distancing measures shuttered wide swaths of the economy .
Reporting by Richard Cowan and Andy Sullivan in Washington ; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey and Lisa Lambert in Washington ; Writing by James Oliphant ; Editing by Scott Malone @ @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump is soon expected to sign the package into law.
After days of furious negotiation, both legislative chambers worked deep into the night to pass the massive bill, with the House of Representatives first approving it and the Senate following suit several hours later in bipartisan votes.
The virus relief bill includes $600 payments to most Americans as well as additional payments to the millions of people thrown out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic, just as a larger round of benefits is due to expire on Saturday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said she supported the virus relief bill even though it did not include the direct aid for state and local governments that Democrats had sought. She said they would try for it again next year after Democratic President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
The bill, she said, “doesn’t go all the way but it takes us down the path.”
Republican Representative Hal Rogers, who also supported the package, said “it reflects a fair compromise.”
At 5,593 pages, the wide-ranging bill that also spends $1.4 trillion on an array of federal programs through next September, is likely to be the final major piece of legislation for the 116th Congress that expires on Jan. 3. Congress included a measure continuing current levels of government spending for seven days, ensuring no interruption to federal operations.
It has a net cost of roughly $350 billion for coronavirus relief, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, adding that more than $500 billion in funding comes from unspent money Congress had authorized.
The stimulus package, the first congressionally approved aid since April, comes as the pandemic is accelerating in the United States, infecting more than 214,000 people every day and slowing the economic recovery. More than 317,000 Americans have died.
The legislation also expands a small-business lending program by about $284 billion and steers money to schools, airlines, transit systems and vaccine distribution.
The small-business loan and grant program, known as the Paycheck Protection Program, would exclude publicly traded companies from eligibility.
Amid reports that the Trump Organization received past aid, the bill contains disclosure requirements for the president, vice president, heads of Cabinet departments, lawmakers and spouses and prohibits those individuals from receiving loans in the future.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Too Big To Read: Giant Pandemic Relief Bill Is A Leap Of Faith For Congress

Delivering virus aid to the country required a leap of faith for lawmakers as they cast their votes , practically sight unseen , for a sprawling , 5,593-page bill that linked the pandemic aid with a $ 1.4 trillion annual spending bill to fund the government .
The Senate Historical Office says it ’ s the longest bill they could find record of passing Congress .
“ I think if we provide everyone a paper copy we would have to destroy an entire forest , ” joked House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern , responding to a Republican request for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
The bill was released at 2 p.m. , just hours before the House and Senate began voting on it .
Also in the bill : hundreds of unrelated legislative items negotiated by leadership to win support from various constituencies .
It includes extended tax breaks for the alcohol industry and motor speedways , comprehensive energy legislation , revised copyright rules , approval of two new Smithsonian museums and lessened penalties for the transportation of water hyacinths .
There ’ s also an entire section on Tibet , including a statement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s next spiritual leader , the Dalai Lama , and the decriminalization of the use of the Swiss coat of arms .
It was a dizzying if familiar finish in the Capitol , where lawmakers often procrastinate on passing bills — even those with broad support — until they are on the cusp of heading home for a holiday break .
It ’ s why such bills are often called “ Christmas trees , ” trimmed with legislative ornaments , and stand among the most glaring symptoms of a broken Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree until they absolutely have to .
Still , the package was an extraordinary response to the global pandemic — the second major bill this year — and was negotiated almost entirely behind closed doors by congressional leadership .
And because it includes long-awaited virus relief for businesses and individuals , all the additional items were catching a free ride to President Donald Trump ’ s desk .
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York echoed that thought : “ It ’ s not good enough to hear about what ’ s in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before it was released .
“ Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on .
I know it ’ s ‘ controversial ’ & I get in trouble for sharing things like this , but the people of this country deserve to know .
They deserve better.
” Rep. Mark Walker , R-N.C. , said : “ I can ’ t in good faith vote for legislation of this magnitude without first thoroughly examining its contents and how it affects North Carolinians and their futures.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for individuals suffering economically “ too little , too late.
” Some of the unrelated items weren ’ t controversial .
There ’ s relief for victims of steep surprise medical bills and the approval of the two museums that will honor American Latinos and women .
A Republican senator blocked the two museums earlier this month even though they have broad bipartisan support .
Other items in the package hadn ’ t passed on their own due to partisan bickering that stalled much of the Senate ’ s work .
They included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bipartisan compromise , and legislation renewing the nation ’ s intelligence programs .
The bill also overhauls the aircraft certification process in the wake of crashes of Boeing 737 MAX planes — legislation that the House Transportation Committee called “ one of the most significant overhauls to the FAA certification reform process in recent history.
” Several high-ticket items won inclusion , including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $ 10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control , environmental and coastal protection projects .
There was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadband , $ 4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people and $ 14 billion for cash-starved transit systems , Amtrak and airports .
And then there were the smaller items stowed away in the thousands of pages — important to some lawmakers , but unlikely to win coveted floor time in a freestanding bill .
One section repealed a variety of little-known criminal penalties for minor violations , including the transportation of the water hyacinths and the use of the Swiss coat of arms .
The section also decriminalizes the unauthorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the unauthorized use of the 4-H Club emblem , the “ Smokey Bear ” character , the “ Woodsy Owl ” character or “ The Golden Eagle Insignia.
” Though most of the items were listed in lengthy bill summaries , it was unlikely that most lawmakers would even know those things were there .
“ Here are the 5,593 pages of language which I ’ m now perusing and on which we ’ ll be voting in about six hours , ” tweeted Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips , a Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The $900 billion pandemic relief package that was rushed through Congress Monday created a familiar year-end conundrum for lawmakers: It was a bill too big to fail, and also too big to read.
Delivering virus aid to the country required a leap of faith for lawmakers as they cast their votes, practically sight unseen, for a sprawling, 5,593-page bill that linked the pandemic aid with a $1.4 trillion annual spending bill to fund the government. The Senate Historical Office says it’s the longest bill they could find record of passing Congress.
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“I think if we provide everyone a paper copy we would have to destroy an entire forest,” joked House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern, responding to a Republican request for a hard copy of the legislation Monday afternoon. The bill was released at 2 p.m., just hours before the House and Senate began voting on it.
Also in the bill: hundreds of unrelated legislative items negotiated by leadership to win support from various constituencies. It includes extended tax breaks for the alcohol industry and motor speedways, comprehensive energy legislation, revised copyright rules, approval of two new Smithsonian museums and lessened penalties for the transportation of water hyacinths. There’s also an entire section on Tibet, including a statement of U.S. policy on how to determine the country’s next spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and the decriminalization of the use of the Swiss coat of arms.
It was a dizzying if familiar finish in the Capitol, where lawmakers often procrastinate on passing bills — even those with broad support — until they are on the cusp of heading home for a holiday break. It’s why such bills are often called “Christmas trees,” trimmed with legislative ornaments, and stand among the most glaring symptoms of a broken Congress where the two parties can’t agree until they absolutely have to.
Still, the package was an extraordinary response to the global pandemic — the second major bill this year — and was negotiated almost entirely behind closed doors by congressional leadership. And because it includes long-awaited virus relief for businesses and individuals, all the additional items were catching a free ride to President Donald Trump’s desk.
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Though the legislation passed with large margins in both the House and Senate, members of both parties expressed frustration with the process.
“NOT ONE Member of Congress will have had time to read through it before voting later today,” tweeted Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. “This is awful governance, and a disservice to the American people.”
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York echoed that thought: “It’s not good enough to hear about what’s in the bill,” she tweeted just before it was released. “Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on. I know it’s ‘controversial’ & I get in trouble for sharing things like this, but the people of this country deserve to know. They deserve better.”
Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., said: “I can’t in good faith vote for legislation of this magnitude without first thoroughly examining its contents and how it affects North Carolinians and their futures.” He called a $600 check for individuals suffering economically “too little, too late.”
Some of the unrelated items weren’t controversial. There’s relief for victims of steep surprise medical bills and the approval of the two museums that will honor American Latinos and women. A Republican senator blocked the two museums earlier this month even though they have broad bipartisan support.
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Other items in the package hadn’t passed on their own due to partisan bickering that stalled much of the Senate’s work. They included clean energy provisions, the result of a bipartisan compromise, and legislation renewing the nation’s intelligence programs. The bill also overhauls the aircraft certification process in the wake of crashes of Boeing 737 MAX planes — legislation that the House Transportation Committee called “one of the most significant overhauls to the FAA certification reform process in recent history.”
Several high-ticket items won inclusion, including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects. There was also $7 billion to increase access to broadband, $4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people and $14 billion for cash-starved transit systems, Amtrak and airports.
And then there were the smaller items stowed away in the thousands of pages — important to some lawmakers, but unlikely to win coveted floor time in a freestanding bill.
One section repealed a variety of little-known criminal penalties for minor violations, including the transportation of the water hyacinths and the use of the Swiss coat of arms. The section also decriminalizes the unauthorized application of theft prevention decals or devices, and the unauthorized use of the 4-H Club emblem, the “Smokey Bear” character, the “Woodsy Owl” character or “The Golden Eagle Insignia.”
Though most of the items were listed in lengthy bill summaries, it was unlikely that most lawmakers would even know those things were there.
Advertisement
“Here are the 5,593 pages of language which I’m now perusing and on which we’ll be voting in about six hours,” tweeted Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, a Democrat who worked on the virus relief compromise.
Phillips asked where he could find Evelyn Wood, the late American educator who popularized speed reading.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--‘Art Of The Deal’ Co-Author Perfectly Predicted Trump’s Defeat Reaction In 2016

Tony Schwartz , the co-author of Donald Trump ’ s bestselling 1987 book “ The Art Of The Deal , ” predicted exactly how the president would respond to losing the election in a Q & A four years ago that is now going viral .
Following a speech at Oxford University in November 2016 , Schwartz warned of a “ tense time ” to come in the United States if Trump lost the vote to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton .
Schwartz , who has become a vocal critic of his former book partner , foresaw a furious Trump drumming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting inside his supporters in any way he can to provide evidence that he was wronged , the election was rigged and he didn ’ t really lose.
” “ Trust me when I say this , when Trump loses the election , he will never acknowledge , he will not concede the election and he will never acknowledge that he lost the election , ” Schwartz added .
“ Because to do that is to feel obliterated and he ’ s not going there .
So it ’ s going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the weeks after the election.
” Schwartz at the time was talking about how Trump would react to losing the election to Clinton ( which didn ’ t happen ) .
People on Twitter this week noted how his comments were eerily prescient of Trump ’ s response to his 2020 election defeat to President-elect Joe Biden .
Schwartz ’ s prediction has now been seen more than 1.6 million times on Twitter : .
@ tonyschwartz predicted what Trump was going to do when he loses the election perfectly ... .even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening right now word for word pic.twitter.com/FMbuT8Wr5C — Icculus The Brave ( @ FirenzeMike ) December 19 , 2020 Check out Schwartz ’ s full speech and Q & A at the Oxford Union here :

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Tony Schwartz, the co-author of Donald Trump’s bestselling 1987 book “The Art Of The Deal,” predicted exactly how the president would respond to losing the election in a Q&A four years ago that is now going viral.
Following a speech at Oxford University in November 2016, Schwartz warned of a “tense time” to come in the United States if Trump lost the vote to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
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Schwartz, who has become a vocal critic of his former book partner, foresaw a furious Trump drumming up “that anger that’s sitting inside his supporters in any way he can to provide evidence that he was wronged, the election was rigged and he didn’t really lose.”
“Trust me when I say this, when Trump loses the election, he will never acknowledge, he will not concede the election and he will never acknowledge that he lost the election,” Schwartz added. “Because to do that is to feel obliterated and he’s not going there. So it’s going to be a dangerous, tense time in America in the weeks after the election.”
Schwartz at the time was talking about how Trump would react to losing the election to Clinton (which didn’t happen).
People on Twitter this week noted how his comments were eerily prescient of Trump’s response to his 2020 election defeat to President-elect Joe Biden.
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Schwartz’s prediction has now been seen more than 1.6 million times on Twitter:
.@tonyschwartz predicted what Trump was going to do when he loses the election perfectly....even though he was talking about 2016 it is happening right now word for word pic.twitter.com/FMbuT8Wr5C — Icculus The Brave (@FirenzeMike) December 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Stephen Colbert Shares Outtakes Of Celebrities Messing Up On 'Late Show' Video Calls

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic , Stephen Colbert asked his celebrity guests on “ The Late Show ” to slate the @ @ @ @ @ at the start of their video call interviews .
And as a montage that the @ @ @ @ @ some fared decidedly better than others at identifying themselves , counting to three and then @ @ @ @ @ the audio and video .
Some famous faces accidentally said Colbert ’ s name instead @ @ @ @ @ anchor Anderson Cooper appeared not to know what was going during a joint chat with @ @ @ @ @ Breaking Bad ” star Bryan Cranston got it wrong like no other .
Check out @ @ @ @ @ conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Stephen Colbert asked his celebrity guests on “The Late Show” to slate the tape by announcing their name at the start of their video call interviews.
And as a montage that the show shared Monday shows, some fared decidedly better than others at identifying themselves, counting to three and then clapping in order to sync the audio and video.
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Some famous faces accidentally said Colbert’s name instead of their own.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper appeared not to know what was going during a joint chat with Andy Cohen.
And “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston got it wrong like no other.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Martin Shkreli's Journalist Girlfriend Ready To Date Again After His Brushoff

Christie Smythe , the reporter who ditched her Bloomberg News job and husband to pursue a romance with imprisoned “ pharma bro ” Martin Shkreli , said Monday she ’ s ready to date other people after Shkreli appeared to cool on their relationship .
“ I ’ m definitely open to it , ” Smythe told the New York Post .
“ I have been basically celibate for two years .
I ’ m not going to sit around and wait.
” Smythe and Shkreli ’ s romantic bond was the subject of a bombshell article Elle published on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 arrest for hedge-fund fraud , months after the notorious pharma exec received a public flogging for price-gouging on his company ’ s AIDS drug .
Their nonsexual affair bloomed when Shrkeli landed behind bars following his 2018 conviction , with the two exchanging “ I love you ’ s ” and Smythe quitting her job , leaving her husband and even freezing her eggs for Shrkeli ’ s release .
But Shrkeli doused her ardor by tersely wishing her “ the best of luck in her future endeavors ” in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was being dumped through his lawyers and called the development “ heartbreaking and sad.
” Still , she remained hopeful .
“ I love him , ” she told the Post .
“ I ’ d be interested in seeing if we can make some kind of future work , if that ’ s what he wants to do.
” Smythe , who sold the movie rights to a book proposal about Shkreli , defended herself and the reviled pharma bro on Twitter Monday .
She praised his COVID-19 drug research and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Shrkeli .
She added that she “ did not engage in romantic interactions with him of any sort while covering him as a journalist .
”

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Christie Smythe, the reporter who ditched her Bloomberg News job and husband to pursue a romance with imprisoned “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli, said Monday she’s ready to date other people after Shkreli appeared to cool on their relationship.
“I’m definitely open to it,” Smythe told the New York Post. “I have been basically celibate for two years. I’m not going to sit around and wait.”
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Smythe and Shkreli’s romantic bond was the subject of a bombshell article Elle published on Sunday. Smythe covered Shkreli’s 2015 arrest for hedge-fund fraud, months after the notorious pharma exec received a public flogging for price-gouging on his company’s AIDS drug.
Their nonsexual affair bloomed when Shkreli landed behind bars following his 2018 conviction, with the two exchanging “I love you’s” and Smythe quitting her job, leaving her husband and even freezing her eggs for Shkreli’s release.
But Shkreli doused her ardor by tersely wishing her “the best of luck in her future endeavors” in a statement for the Elle article. She said she was being dumped through his lawyers and called the development “heartbreaking and sad.”
Still, she remained hopeful. “I love him,” she told the Post. “I’d be interested in seeing if we can make some kind of future work, if that’s what he wants to do.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--West Point Hit With Its Worst Cheating Scandal In Decades

More than 70 cadets training at the U.S. Military Academy to be Army officers have been accused of cheating on a math exam taken online when they were studying remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Lt. Col. Christopher Ophardt , spokesman for the academy at West Point , said Monday that 73 cadets were accused of cheating on the calculus exam in May after instructors noticed irregularities in answers .
All but one were freshmen , or plebes , in a class of 1,200 .
The other was a sophomore .
“ West Point honor code and character development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenges brought by the pandemic , ” Ophardt said .
“ Cadets are being held accountable for breaking the code.
” After an investigation by an honors committee made up of trained cadets , two cases were dropped for lack of evidence and four were dropped because the cadets resigned , Ophardt said .
Of the remaining 67 cases , 55 cadets have admitted cheating and have been enrolled in a six-month rehabilitation program focused on ethics .
They will be on probation for the rest of their time at the academy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t eligible for the rehabilitation program .
The remaining cadets accused of cheating face administrative hearings to determine if they ’ ve violated the honor code and recommend penalties , which could include expulsion .
The cheating scandal is the biggest at West Point since 1976 , when 153 cadets resigned or were expelled for cheating on an electrical engineering exam .
The 1976 case is considered more serious , Ophardt said , because it was upperclassmen who planned , collaborated and executed the cheating .
“ The whole system broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1976 cheating scandal , the secretary of the Army appointed a select commission headed by former astronaut Frank Borman to review the case and more than 90 of those caught cheating were reinstated and allowed to graduate , Ophardt said .

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More than 70 cadets training at the U.S. Military Academy to be Army officers have been accused of cheating on a math exam taken online when they were studying remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lt. Col. Christopher Ophardt, spokesman for the academy at West Point, said Monday that 73 cadets were accused of cheating on the calculus exam in May after instructors noticed irregularities in answers. All but one were freshmen, or plebes, in a class of 1,200. The other was a sophomore.
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“West Point honor code and character development program remains strong despite remote learning and the challenges brought by the pandemic,” Ophardt said. “Cadets are being held accountable for breaking the code.”
After an investigation by an honors committee made up of trained cadets, two cases were dropped for lack of evidence and four were dropped because the cadets resigned, Ophardt said. Of the remaining 67 cases, 55 cadets have admitted cheating and have been enrolled in a six-month rehabilitation program focused on ethics. They will be on probation for the rest of their time at the academy. Three more cadets admitted cheating but weren’t eligible for the rehabilitation program.
The remaining cadets accused of cheating face administrative hearings to determine if they’ve violated the honor code and recommend penalties, which could include expulsion.
The cheating scandal is the biggest at West Point since 1976, when 153 cadets resigned or were expelled for cheating on an electrical engineering exam. The 1976 case is considered more serious, Ophardt said, because it was upperclassmen who planned, collaborated and executed the cheating. “The whole system broke down,” Ophardt said.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Muslim Men Kicked Off Flight Over Arabic Text Messages

Abobakkr and Mohamed , two American citizens of Sudanese descent who are only being identified by their first names to protect their privacy , spoke at a virtual press conference on Monday and said their civil rights were violated when they were removed from a domestic flight .
The latest incident is yet another example of what many Muslim and Middle Eastern passengers have described as “ flying while Muslim , ” a disturbing pattern of discriminatory experiences faced by passengers at airports .
Since 9/11 , Muslim and Arab travelers said they ’ ve been pulled aside for secondary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal questions about their religious and political views , or even kicked off a plane , all due to unwarranted ethnic and religious bias .
“ ‘ Flying while Muslim ’ has now become a globally recognized phenomenon of suspicion and humiliation , and this phenomenon must come to a stop , ” said Imraan Siddiqi , executive director of the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations ( CAIR-WA . )
“ We call on Alaska Airlines to address the mistreatment of these men once and for all.
” CAIR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that February ’ s incident isn ’ t the first of its kind and that the group has received numerous similar complaints from Muslim travelers over the years .
Other civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and Muslim Advocates have also documented discriminatory profiling concerns involving several different airlines .
The CAIR-WA team said they hope to settle the matter with Alaska Airlines but are prepared to file a lawsuit if need be .
“ We ’ re sorry that two of our guests had such a distressing experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their flight after a fellow passenger became concerned about the text messages his seatmate was sharing .
Alaska Airlines strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination , and we take such complaints very seriously , ” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson told HuffPost in an emailed statement .
It is unclear how many Muslim and Middle Eastern passengers , as well as those who are perceived to be Muslim , are targeted each year , as there is no organization tracking such incidents .
However , many complaints and lawsuits have been filed .
In 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he couldn ’ t board his flight after another passenger complained about his beard and said he looked “ Arabic and scary.
” That same year , an Iraqi refugee was removed from a Southwest flight after another passenger overheard him speaking Arabic on his cellphone .
On Feb. 17 , 2020 , Abobakkr and Mohamed boarded an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to San Francisco for a business trip .
While waiting in their first-class seats for take-off , Abobakkr exchanged a few text messages in Arabic on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not speak Arabic , noticed and reported those text messages to a flight attendant as suspicious , according to CAIR .
The two friends were then asked to deboard the plane and questioned for approximately two hours , they said at Monday ’ s press conference .
Abobakkr said that he was directed to hand over his phone and that officials went through the text messages in question as well as other content on his phone , including his photos .
The text messages were translated by an Alaska Airlines representative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned by a Port of Seattle police officer , the TSA and the FBI .
Even though the text messages were deemed innocuous by police , the remaining passengers were also forced to deplane so that the airline could conduct a security sweep of the cargo with a K9 unit and “ even took the additional step of emptying first-class lavatory tanks , simply because one of the men had used the bathroom while waiting on the delayed flight , ” according to CAIR ’ s press release .
Even after the investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any threat , they said the Alaska Airlines representative prohibited them from reboarding their original flight and booked them onto later , separate flights , forcing them to miss their events in San Francisco .
The men said they didn ’ t speak up about the incident at the time because they were hopeful that Alaska Airlines would make amends and didn ’ t want to escalate the situation after the airline industry took a financial hit during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic .
Now with vaccines coming and more people traveling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their story .
Abobakkr and Mohamed said that it ’ s been difficult talking about their experience flying with Alaska Airlines and that they are likely to rethink how they go about future travels .
The two men are asking the airline for an apology , a refund of their tickets , and a review of policies and cultural competency training to better handle future similar events .

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Two Muslim men said they were unfairly targeted by Alaska Airlines for texting in Arabic, which resulted in their removal from their flight in February 2020.
Abobakkr and Mohamed, two American citizens of Sudanese descent who are only being identified by their first names to protect their privacy, spoke at a virtual press conference on Monday and said their civil rights were violated when they were removed from a domestic flight.
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“When we traveled that day, we were not treated like the rest of the people. It made me feel little and unequal,” said Abobakkr.
The latest incident is yet another example of what many Muslim and Middle Eastern passengers have described as “flying while Muslim,” a disturbing pattern of discriminatory experiences faced by passengers at airports. Since 9/11, Muslim and Arab travelers said they’ve been pulled aside for secondary screening each time they travel, asked personal questions about their religious and political views, or even kicked off a plane, all due to unwarranted ethnic and religious bias.
“‘Flying while Muslim’ has now become a globally recognized phenomenon of suspicion and humiliation, and this phenomenon must come to a stop,” said Imraan Siddiqi, executive director of the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA.) “We call on Alaska Airlines to address the mistreatment of these men once and for all.”
CAIR, the national civil rights organization, said that February’s incident isn’t the first of its kind and that the group has received numerous similar complaints from Muslim travelers over the years. Other civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and Muslim Advocates have also documented discriminatory profiling concerns involving several different airlines. The CAIR-WA team said they hope to settle the matter with Alaska Airlines but are prepared to file a lawsuit if need be.
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“We’re sorry that two of our guests had such a distressing experience last February when they were removed from their flight after a fellow passenger became concerned about the text messages his seatmate was sharing. Alaska Airlines strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination, and we take such complaints very seriously,” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson told HuffPost in an emailed statement.
The spokesperson added that the airline has opened an internal investigation “to determine whether there were any missteps on our part.”
‘Flying While Muslim’
It is unclear how many Muslim and Middle Eastern passengers, as well as those who are perceived to be Muslim, are targeted each year, as there is no organization tracking such incidents. However, many complaints and lawsuits have been filed.
In 2009, Transportation Security Administration officials and JetBlue paid $240,000 to settle charges that they illegally discriminated against a U.S. resident based on his ethnicity after two TSA agents demanded the passenger remove his shirt, which had Arabic writing on it.
In 2012, Atlantic Southeast Airlines received a $25,000 civil penalty for unlawfully removing two imams from a flight and not allowing the religious leaders to reboard the aircraft after law enforcement officials determined they didn’t pose any threat.
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In 2015, four Muslims, two of whom were of Middle Eastern descent, were removed from their Baltimore flight after a passenger complained about “suspicious activity” ― which amounted to a Muslim passenger simply reading a news report on his phone.
In 2016, a traveler also on Alaska Airlines, said he couldn’t board his flight after another passenger complained about his beard and said he looked “Arabic and scary.” That same year, an Iraqi refugee was removed from a Southwest flight after another passenger overheard him speaking Arabic on his cellphone.
A Muslim couple from Ohio returning from a European trip to celebrate their wedding anniversary were removed from a Delta Air flight in July 2016 after a flight attendant complained to the pilot that the couple made her uncomfortable.
Deplaned Over A Text Message
On Feb. 17, 2020, Abobakkr and Mohamed boarded an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to San Francisco for a business trip. While waiting in their first-class seats for take-off, Abobakkr exchanged a few text messages in Arabic on his cellphone. A nearby passenger, who did not speak Arabic, noticed and reported those text messages to a flight attendant as suspicious, according to CAIR.
The two friends were then asked to deboard the plane and questioned for approximately two hours, they said at Monday’s press conference. Abobakkr said that he was directed to hand over his phone and that officials went through the text messages in question as well as other content on his phone, including his photos. The text messages were translated by an Alaska Airlines representative, the men said, and they were questioned by a Port of Seattle police officer, the TSA and the FBI.
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Even though the text messages were deemed innocuous by police, the remaining passengers were also forced to deplane so that the airline could conduct a security sweep of the cargo with a K9 unit and “even took the additional step of emptying first-class lavatory tanks, simply because one of the men had used the bathroom while waiting on the delayed flight,” according to CAIR’s press release.
“It was a miserable day altogether from beginning to end.” - Mohamed, an American kicked off an airplane in February
The pair said they felt particularly humiliated and distressed as the other deplaning passengers were led past the men as they were being questioned.
Even after the investigation concluded that the men did not pose any threat, they said the Alaska Airlines representative prohibited them from reboarding their original flight and booked them onto later, separate flights, forcing them to miss their events in San Francisco.
“It was a miserable day altogether from beginning to end,” said Mohamed, who added that he felt anger and judgment directed at him from other passengers.
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The men said they didn’t speak up about the incident at the time because they were hopeful that Alaska Airlines would make amends and didn’t want to escalate the situation after the airline industry took a financial hit during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Now with vaccines coming and more people traveling, the men decided to go public with their story.
Abobakkr and Mohamed said that it’s been difficult talking about their experience flying with Alaska Airlines and that they are likely to rethink how they go about future travels. The two men are asking the airline for an apology, a refund of their tickets, and a review of policies and cultural competency training to better handle future similar events.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--I Was Raised To Believe The Apocalypse Was Upon Us. 2020 Is The Year I Stopped Believing.

I was raised as one of Jehovah ’ s Witnesses to think Armageddon was something to look forward to .
God would destroy the wicked world as we know it , to be replaced with a theocracy in which people like my family could live in eternal peace .
We didn ’ t believe in heaven , but that the dead would be resurrected on a perfected Earth free of sickness and death .
If I was very good , and went door to door warning neighbors of their impending doom , I would survive even when the world I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a difficult year to stop believing in Armageddon .
But in truth , I ’ d gradually outgrown a faith built on the same sort of blind adherence that helped the outgoing president build a devoted and dogmatic base .
I had admitted it to myself , but not my family .
And so while many New Yorkers were fleeing the city to shelter with their families out of state , I was dodging my parents ’ phone calls .
To cheerfully anticipate the end of the world might have sounded ridiculous a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet that populates my feed is a link to another preposterous news story accompanied by an only half-sarcastic wish for the end of days .
And the headlines themselves are full of apocalyptic fervor : how to grocery shop for the apocalypse , what to wear for the apocalypse , how to job-search during the apocalypse .
My neighbor got sick first .
Ambulances were coming by daily , either to see one of the three men who lived in the garden apartment of my building , or to the nonprofit next-door , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in on them regularly .
Sometimes the ambulance arrived at night , the flashing lights bursting through my bedroom windows and waking me up .
I never saw anyone leave on a stretcher , but I had only seen two of my neighbors for weeks .
When I started to cough , I called a doctor who told me to stay home but not seek out testing , since I was so mildly ill and tests were hard to come by .
Staying home was exactly what had gotten me sick in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When I lost my sense of taste and smell , I started to panic and soothed myself by making dinners out of anything with a fun shape or texture to keep things interesting .
A particularly vivid piece about sudden cardiac arrest in patients set my own heart aflutter .
It wasn ’ t hard to convince me I was on the verge of a heart attack .
But who would find me and call 911 when I was locked up alone in my apartment on a Thursday afternoon ?
I threw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sweatpants and started circling the block so at least someone would find me when my heart gave out .
When I did speak to my parents , I tried to distract them with small talk about my probable COVID case , and my mom sympathized by telling me her dinner the previous night had tasted bland .
When they invited me to come stay with them , where a free room is always tied to mandatory service attendance , I demurred , blaming it on the virus .
When they invited me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t claim to be busy every weekend of the summer , I responded with a noncommittal thumbs-up emoji .
I ’ d like to say I decided to be honest with them because my deep conviction and righteous indignation moved me , but actually my aunt forced my hand when she found a picture of me and my nonbelieving boyfriend on Instagram — his beard was a dead giveaway that he ’ s not a member of Jehovah ’ s clean-shaven fold — and demanded I tell my dad .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I sent them an email .
Of course they were heartbroken , they said , and my father tried to convince me that an imperfect religion can still be the right one in the end .
After all , when everlasting life is at stake , to not believe is death .
And how would any parent react when a child ’ s life is in peril ?
It ’ s the reason most witnesses shun anyone who no longer believes , or believes but doesn ’ t follow the rules .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ love , that they would do anything to encourage a loved one to save themselves .
In November I got sick again — the flu this time .
The symptoms were familiar and I didn ’ t feel compelled to wander the streets looking for help , though I did need to call my boyfriend to carry my Blue Apron box up three flights of stairs while I was laid out on the couch .
I may have outwardly looked like death , but I knew the flu wouldn ’ t kill me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets when the election results were announced , I could only clap out my bedroom window , but things were looking ever so slightly up .
This year we ’ ve had more reason than ever to believe the world will unravel , and yet I ’ m only more convinced that any undoing will be the natural result of our own actions .
Maybe Armageddon will come .
If nothing else , a climate catastrophe is likely to destroy us .
Not divine retribution perhaps , but certainly the wages of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escape disaster again and the Earth will live on for millennia , even forever .
But I will not .
Believing the world can survive means accepting that I will die , which isn ’ t what you want to dwell on when there ’ s a deadly virus on your doorstep .
Life matters more when it ’ s not just an obstacle course between me and paradise — when I can do what makes me happy , not what I ’ m told will earn me a place in the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an imperfect life in an imperfect world , and for the first time , I don ’ t want it to end .

pamela_d_mcadams via Getty Images
When I was a child I was taught that I would never die. In April of this year, testing my sense of smell with a bottle of bleach to my nose while alone in my Brooklyn apartment, the constant peal of ambulances echoing in the streets below, I wished I still believed.
I was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to think Armageddon was something to look forward to. God would destroy the wicked world as we know it, to be replaced with a theocracy in which people like my family could live in eternal peace. We didn’t believe in heaven, but that the dead would be resurrected on a perfected Earth free of sickness and death. If I was very good, and went door to door warning neighbors of their impending doom, I would survive even when the world I knew was wiped away.
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Most of my peers avoided college because a degree would be useless in paradise. Some even put off marriage or children, waiting for a perfect world to make a perfect family.
This was a difficult year to stop believing in Armageddon. But in truth, I’d gradually outgrown a faith built on the same sort of blind adherence that helped the outgoing president build a devoted and dogmatic base. I had admitted it to myself, but not my family. And so while many New Yorkers were fleeing the city to shelter with their families out of state, I was dodging my parents’ phone calls.
To cheerfully anticipate the end of the world might have sounded ridiculous a year ago, but now every other tweet that populates my feed is a link to another preposterous news story accompanied by an only half-sarcastic wish for the end of days. And the headlines themselves are full of apocalyptic fervor: how to grocery shop for the apocalypse, what to wear for the apocalypse, how to job-search during the apocalypse.
I fell back on an old reflex to comfort myself — remembering a scripture about the Day of the Lord coming as a thief in the night, surprising us when we least expect it. Surely the end couldn’t arrive while Twitter was calling for it.
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“I couldn’t die now, with nothing to look forward to.”
My neighbor got sick first. Ambulances were coming by daily, either to see one of the three men who lived in the garden apartment of my building, or to the nonprofit next-door, which provided the social workers who checked in on them regularly. Sometimes the ambulance arrived at night, the flashing lights bursting through my bedroom windows and waking me up. I never saw anyone leave on a stretcher, but I had only seen two of my neighbors for weeks.
One day a cleaning crew in full hazmat gear arrived to disinfect the building. I watched them through my peephole while one of my neighbors loudly explained to the other from the front stoop: “The coronavirus is everywhere in there!”
When I started to cough, I called a doctor who told me to stay home but not seek out testing, since I was so mildly ill and tests were hard to come by. Staying home was exactly what had gotten me sick in this case, but of course I complied. When I lost my sense of taste and smell, I started to panic and soothed myself by making dinners out of anything with a fun shape or texture to keep things interesting.
Cacio e pepe with a hard-boiled egg? Sure, why not. One hundred saltines and some canned fish? Fine. My boyfriend left bags of cough syrup and Gatorade on my doorstep and waved to me from the sidewalk when I came downstairs to retrieve them.
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By the end of my 14-day confinement, during which my worst symptoms were a persistent cough and a raging case of health anxiety, I was frantically scanning articles about “COVID toes” and mild cases that took a sudden turn toward death.
A particularly vivid piece about sudden cardiac arrest in patients set my own heart aflutter. It wasn’t hard to convince me I was on the verge of a heart attack. But who would find me and call 911 when I was locked up alone in my apartment on a Thursday afternoon? I threw on a trenchcoat over my T-shirt and sweatpants and started circling the block so at least someone would find me when my heart gave out.
Death is nothing when you anticipate a resurrection — just blink your eyes and awake in perfection. But when you stop believing, the prospect is enough to have you pacing the sidewalk hoping someone will rescue you. I couldn’t die now, with nothing to look forward to.
When I did speak to my parents, I tried to distract them with small talk about my probable COVID case, and my mom sympathized by telling me her dinner the previous night had tasted bland. When they invited me to come stay with them, where a free room is always tied to mandatory service attendance, I demurred, blaming it on the virus. When they invited me to attend online services with them and I couldn’t claim to be busy every weekend of the summer, I responded with a noncommittal thumbs-up emoji.
“Believing the world can survive means accepting that I will die, which isn’t what you want to dwell on when there’s a deadly virus on your doorstep.”
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I’d like to say I decided to be honest with them because my deep conviction and righteous indignation moved me, but actually my aunt forced my hand when she found a picture of me and my nonbelieving boyfriend on Instagram — his beard was a dead giveaway that he’s not a member of Jehovah’s clean-shaven fold — and demanded I tell my dad. So I chose the coward’s medium: I sent them an email.
Of course they were heartbroken, they said, and my father tried to convince me that an imperfect religion can still be the right one in the end. After all, when everlasting life is at stake, to not believe is death. And how would any parent react when a child’s life is in peril? It’s the reason most witnesses shun anyone who no longer believes, or believes but doesn’t follow the rules. They say it is done out of love, that they would do anything to encourage a loved one to save themselves.
I’m lucky we trade sparse emails now, and I try to keep the topics light and secular, which in my family means complaining about your health.
In November I got sick again — the flu this time. The symptoms were familiar and I didn’t feel compelled to wander the streets looking for help, though I did need to call my boyfriend to carry my Blue Apron box up three flights of stairs while I was laid out on the couch. I may have outwardly looked like death, but I knew the flu wouldn’t kill me. While people were cheering in the streets when the election results were announced, I could only clap out my bedroom window, but things were looking ever so slightly up.
This year we’ve had more reason than ever to believe the world will unravel, and yet I’m only more convinced that any undoing will be the natural result of our own actions. Maybe Armageddon will come. If nothing else, a climate catastrophe is likely to destroy us. Not divine retribution perhaps, but certainly the wages of our sins. Or maybe we will just escape disaster again and the Earth will live on for millennia, even forever. But I will not.
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Believing the world can survive means accepting that I will die, which isn’t what you want to dwell on when there’s a deadly virus on your doorstep. Life matters more when it’s not just an obstacle course between me and paradise — when I can do what makes me happy, not what I’m told will earn me a place in the next, better world. I am living an imperfect life in an imperfect world, and for the first time, I don’t want it to end.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--Pfizer To Supply U.S. With Additional 100 Million Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Pfizer and BioNTech will supply the U.S. with an additional 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under a new agreement .
The drugmakers said Wednesday that they expect to deliver all the doses by July 31 in the nearly $ 2 billion deal .
Under the $ 2 billion deal announced Wednesday , the companies will deliver at least 70 million of the additional doses by June 30 , with the remaining 30 million doses to be delivered no later than July 31 .
The government also has the option to acquire up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s vaccine was the first to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration and initial shipments went to states last week .
It has now been joined by a vaccine from Moderna , which was developed in closer cooperation with scientists from the National Institutes of Health .
Moderna ’ s vaccine comes under the umbrella of the government ’ s own effort , which is called Operation Warp Speed .
That public-private endeavor was designed to have millions of vaccine doses ready and available to ship once a shot received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Korean War gives the government authority to direct private companies to produce critical goods in times of national emergency .
Called the Defense Production Act , it ’ s expected to be invoked to help Pfizer secure some raw materials needed for its vaccine .
Pfizer already had a contract to supply the government with 100 million doses of its vaccine under Operation Warp Speed , but government officials have said it ’ s more of an arms-length relationship with the company and they don ’ t have as much visibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services Secretary Alex Azar said last week that the government was negotiating with Pfizer for more doses , but details provided Tuesday about the company ’ s desire for better access to supplies are new .
“ With these 100 million additional doses , the United States will be able to protect more individuals and hopefully end this devastating pandemic more quickly , ” said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla .
“ We look forward to continuing our work with the U.S. government and healthcare providers around the country.
” The vaccine from Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of taming a pandemic that has killed nearly 320,000 people in the U.S. and hobbled much of the national economy .
Health care workers and nursing home residents topped the list as local TV stations across the country began broadcasting scenes of the first vaccinations .
Some polls show skepticism about getting vaccinated may be easing .
After early failures with testing , Trump administration officials are hoping to write a very different ending with vaccines .
Operation Warp Speed has financed the development , manufacture and distribution of millions of doses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine to any American who wants one .
Operation Warp Speed is on track to have about 40 million doses of vaccine by the end of this month , of which about 20 million would be allocated for first vaccinations .
Distribution of those doses would span into the first week of January .
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots to be fully effective .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer and BioNTech will supply the U.S. with an additional 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under a new agreement.
The drugmakers said Wednesday that they expect to deliver all the doses by July 31 in the nearly $2 billion deal.
Advertisement
Pfizer already has a contract to supply the government with 100 million doses of its vaccine.
Under the $2 billion deal announced Wednesday, the companies will deliver at least 70 million of the additional doses by June 30, with the remaining 30 million doses to be delivered no later than July 31. The government also has the option to acquire up to an additional 400 million doses.
Pfizer’s vaccine was the first to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration and initial shipments went to states last week. It has now been joined by a vaccine from Moderna, which was developed in closer cooperation with scientists from the National Institutes of Health.
Moderna’s vaccine comes under the umbrella of the government’s own effort, which is called Operation Warp Speed. That public-private endeavor was designed to have millions of vaccine doses ready and available to ship once a shot received FDA approval.
The deal with Pfizer moves the nation closer to the goal of vaccinating all Americans.
A law dating back to the Korean War gives the government authority to direct private companies to produce critical goods in times of national emergency. Called the Defense Production Act, it’s expected to be invoked to help Pfizer secure some raw materials needed for its vaccine.
Advertisement
Pfizer already had a contract to supply the government with 100 million doses of its vaccine under Operation Warp Speed, but government officials have said it’s more of an arms-length relationship with the company and they don’t have as much visibility into its operations.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said last week that the government was negotiating with Pfizer for more doses, but details provided Tuesday about the company’s desire for better access to supplies are new.
“With these 100 million additional doses, the United States will be able to protect more individuals and hopefully end this devastating pandemic more quickly,” said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. “We look forward to continuing our work with the U.S. government and healthcare providers around the country.”
The vaccine from Pfizer and German pharmaceutical BioNTech immediately raised hopes of taming a pandemic that has killed nearly 320,000 people in the U.S. and hobbled much of the national economy. Health care workers and nursing home residents topped the list as local TV stations across the country began broadcasting scenes of the first vaccinations. Some polls show skepticism about getting vaccinated may be easing.
After early failures with testing, Trump administration officials are hoping to write a very different ending with vaccines. Operation Warp Speed has financed the development, manufacture and distribution of millions of doses, with the goal of providing a free vaccine to any American who wants one.
Advertisement
Operation Warp Speed is on track to have about 40 million doses of vaccine by the end of this month, of which about 20 million would be allocated for first vaccinations. Distribution of those doses would span into the first week of January. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots to be fully effective.