thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--16 States Log Record-High Average COVID-19 Cases Since Thanksgiving

The coronavirus crisis continued to reach new heights over the Thanksgiving holiday as average daily caseloads showed no sign of declining across much of the country .
The average , taken over the previous seven days , says more about overall trends than do single-day numbers .
Single-day figures can reflect testing backlogs that recently cleared , making it appear as if there were a bigger spike in cases on any given day than actually occurred .
New Jersey , for example , logged a seven-day average of more than 3,500 cases per day in its first coronavirus wave in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be reaching a second peak , logging a seven-day average of more than 4,000 cases per day ― an average of 4,221 on Friday , to be exact .
Testing has yet to capture the full effect of Thanksgiving travel and gatherings .
More than 3 million Americans traveled by plane during the holiday week .
About 50 million are estimated to have traveled by car over the holiday .
It usually takes a few days —up to two weeks — for coronavirus symptoms to appear and prompt infected people to seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday travel will not become apparent until next week .
Daily death totals are climbing along with new cases , even though doctors now have better ways to treat the virus ’ s symptoms .
Nine states hit a particularly grim milestone : More than 1 in every 1,000 residents have died of COVID-19 in Connecticut , Louisiana , Massachusetts , Mississippi , New Jersey , New York , Rhode Island and North and South Dakota , according to The Washington Post .
Health care systems are being stretched thin in nearly all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available beds or staff — or both .
Such shortages mean that patients may not receive the care they need in a timely manner , whether they come in with symptoms of COVID-19 or a heart attack .
Officials in Travis County , Texas , which includes Austin , are reportedly “ very concerned ” about both hospital capacity and staffing shortages during the holiday season .
In Michigan , six hospitals are reportedly at full capacity , and another 18 are at 90 % capacity or more .
New Jersey Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue of health care staffing this week .
“ That is the one thing that I think keeps us up at night .
The staffing piece , ” he told NorthJersey.com .
When New Jersey battled its first wave of coronavirus infections along with New York — the country ’ s coronavirus epicenter in the spring — it got help from doctors who were able to fly or drive in from states less affected by the virus at the time .
As the virus surges across the U.S. , New Jersey and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shore up hospital staff .
“ A sacrifice now could save lives and illness and make the future much brighter as we get through this , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top expert on infectious disease , told “ Good Morning America ” before the holiday .

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The coronavirus crisis continued to reach new heights over the Thanksgiving holiday as average daily caseloads showed no sign of declining across much of the country.
Sixteen states — including Arizona, California, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey and Ohio — saw their average daily case counts hit all-time highs Thursday and Friday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
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The average, taken over the previous seven days, says more about overall trends than do single-day numbers. Single-day figures can reflect testing backlogs that recently cleared, making it appear as if there were a bigger spike in cases on any given day than actually occurred.
New Jersey, for example, logged a seven-day average of more than 3,500 cases per day in its first coronavirus wave in early April. The state now appears to be reaching a second peak, logging a seven-day average of more than 4,000 cases per day ― an average of 4,221 on Friday, to be exact.
Testing has yet to capture the full effect of Thanksgiving travel and gatherings. More than 3 million Americans traveled by plane during the holiday week. About 50 million are estimated to have traveled by car over the holiday. It usually takes a few days —up to two weeks — for coronavirus symptoms to appear and prompt infected people to seek a test. The true effect of holiday travel will not become apparent until next week.
Daily death totals are climbing along with new cases, even though doctors now have better ways to treat the virus’s symptoms.
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Nine states hit a particularly grim milestone: More than 1 in every 1,000 residents have died of COVID-19 in Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and North and South Dakota, according to The Washington Post.
Health care systems are being stretched thin in nearly all states, which face a shortage of available beds or staff — or both.
Such shortages mean that patients may not receive the care they need in a timely manner, whether they come in with symptoms of COVID-19 or a heart attack.
Officials in Travis County, Texas, which includes Austin, are reportedly “very concerned” about both hospital capacity and staffing shortages during the holiday season. In Michigan, six hospitals are reportedly at full capacity, and another 18 are at 90% capacity or more.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy voiced deep concern about the issue of health care staffing this week. “That is the one thing that I think keeps us up at night. The staffing piece,” he told NorthJersey.com.
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When New Jersey battled its first wave of coronavirus infections along with New York — the country’s coronavirus epicenter in the spring — it got help from doctors who were able to fly or drive in from states less affected by the virus at the time. As the virus surges across the U.S., New Jersey and other states cannot count on out-of-state volunteers to shore up hospital staff.
Health officials pleaded with Americans to stay home for Thanksgiving and to shop online rather than in person on Black Friday.
“A sacrifice now could save lives and illness and make the future much brighter as we get through this,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top expert on infectious disease, told “Good Morning America” before the holiday.
That message is not likely to change for the Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s holidays ahead.
All 16 of the states are: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington and West Virginia.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Why I Lie About Being Disabled

Why I Lie About Being Disabled

Courtesy of Kara Garbe Balcerzak The author enjoying her favorite activity in 2014 , one year before her accident .
I smiled and tried to pretend that , yes , I was having a lovely staycation while scrolling through indeed.com and attending networking happy hours , or whatever people did who lost their jobs but had hope of finding another one .
Hope I didn ’ t have .
It had been more than two years since I ’ d been biking home from work through downtown Minneapolis and someone had opened a car door into the bike line , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without his superpowers ) 10 feet through the air to land helmet-first on the asphalt .
It had caused a concussion that never healed , leading to chronic migraines , exhaustion , and difficulty concentrating .
After that , I worked part-time at my full-time job administering government grants to build volunteer programs and fight poverty .
I could manage only 20 hours a week , and even that was possible only because of long stretches I ’ d taken off work entirely — once for five weeks , and then later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for three months .
Both times I ’ d hoped I would return to work healed .
But I didn ’ t .
I squinted at the computer screen through intense head and eye pain , having trouble concentrating on the grant reports and pages of government regulations I was required to make sense of .
After four hours of work , I ’ d go home and take a three-hour nap .
It is true , sort of .
I take occasional grant writing gigs , limiting myself to 10 hours a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought this work requires makes even that minimal schedule too much .
It exacerbates my headaches .
It makes me collapse in bed all afternoon .
It leads me to apologize to Eric over and over as he works an eight-hour day , then cooks meals and mows the lawn and weeds the flower beds at our new house , and I stay inside , watching “ Queer Eye ” or listening to audiobooks while I knit .
So I ’ ll work 10 hours a week for a month or two , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before I look for another project .
In those months I get to use my energy on other things , like cooking , or remodeling the bathroom , or sitting quietly on the couch .
Given all that , the fact that I ’ m disabled seems like a truer statement of my work ( or lack thereof ) than is my claim to be a grant writer .
But I still don ’ t say it .
Because I ’ m scared of people ’ s reactions when they hear I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a type of brain injury .
Shortly after my doctors told me I ’ d exhausted all treatments and my condition was likely permanent , an old friend texted to check in .
When I told him I was grappling with the possibility I might never recover , he responded : “ Well ... your base intelligence is twice that of a normal person , so it sounds to me that what you are processing is the fact that you may no longer be a superhero.
” It turns out there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you start looking for brain injury references in American culture , you ’ ll notice negative portrayals everywhere .
In the last week alone , I ’ ve encountered two references to concussions that cast us survivors in a bad light .
In an episode of the Netflix sitcom “ BlackAF , ” a college football player is criticized as “ probably too concussed to even know what his major is.
” And in the romantic comedy “ Long Shot , ” a politician asks her staff to rewrite a speech because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a head injury.
” I don ’ t know if I ’ ve lost intelligence because of my concussion .
What I do know is there ’ s a lot more to a person ’ s character and worth than how well they perform on a test , or how smart they sound when giving a speech , or what job they hold .
Things like compassion , kindness , and generosity of spirit , to name a few .
About nine months ago — in pre-pandemic times — I was at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one man mentioned he ’ d just left his job because of a disability .
I looked at him , a seemingly fit guy in his 30s , someone I ’ d sooner have guessed was a personal trainer than a person with a disability .
( And , for all I know , he may have been both . )
He mentioned his disability and kept on talking , as casually as I might say , “ I ate cereal for breakfast , and let me tell you about this great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else registered a reaction , either , although admittedly I may have missed it , because his words had sent me burrowing into a private place of shock and fear , as though the only other spy in the room had just blown his cover and maybe , by extension , mine .
But mostly I marveled he had the confidence to say it at all .

The author enjoying her favorite activity in 2014, one year before her accident. Courtesy of Kara Garbe Balcerzak
Almost as soon as I stopped working, I began lying about it.
It started a few days after my last day of work, back in December of 2017. My husband, Eric, and I were at our apartment building’s holiday party, sitting on retro furniture in the glass-walled lobby and nibbling finger food. Another couple approached us.
“What do you do?” the woman asked me.
I hesitated. I looked at Eric.
I thought, I’m disabled.
I said, “I’m between jobs.”
“Oh, funemployment!” she said. “I’ve done that. A break can be really nice.”
I smiled and tried to pretend that, yes, I was having a lovely staycation while scrolling through indeed.com and attending networking happy hours, or whatever people did who lost their jobs but had hope of finding another one. Hope I didn’t have.
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It had been more than two years since I’d been biking home from work through downtown Minneapolis and someone had opened a car door into the bike line, sending me flying like Superman (but without his superpowers) 10 feet through the air to land helmet-first on the asphalt. It had caused a concussion that never healed, leading to chronic migraines, exhaustion, and difficulty concentrating.
After that, I worked part-time at my full-time job administering government grants to build volunteer programs and fight poverty. I could manage only 20 hours a week, and even that was possible only because of long stretches I’d taken off work entirely — once for five weeks, and then later, through the Family Medical Leave Act, for three months.
Both times I’d hoped I would return to work healed. But I didn’t. I squinted at the computer screen through intense head and eye pain, having trouble concentrating on the grant reports and pages of government regulations I was required to make sense of. After four hours of work, I’d go home and take a three-hour nap.
Continuing to work in the career I loved wasn’t sustainable.
Eventually, doctors labeled me permanently disabled, and my employer, unable to let me work part-time indefinitely, “medically terminated” me.
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So the most honest thing to say when asked what I did for a living wasn’t that I was in between jobs. It was, “I’m disabled.”
But instead, I started saying, “I’m a freelance grant writer.”
It is true, sort of. I take occasional grant writing gigs, limiting myself to 10 hours a week. But the level of intense thought this work requires makes even that minimal schedule too much. It exacerbates my headaches. It makes me collapse in bed all afternoon. It leads me to apologize to Eric over and over as he works an eight-hour day, then cooks meals and mows the lawn and weeds the flower beds at our new house, and I stay inside, watching “Queer Eye” or listening to audiobooks while I knit.
So I’ll work 10 hours a week for a month or two, then take two or three months off before I look for another project. In those months I get to use my energy on other things, like cooking, or remodeling the bathroom, or sitting quietly on the couch.
Given all that, the fact that I’m disabled seems like a truer statement of my work (or lack thereof) than is my claim to be a grant writer. But I still don’t say it. Because I’m scared of people’s reactions when they hear I’m disabled from a concussion, which is a type of brain injury.
“If you start looking for brain injury references in American culture, you’ll notice negative portrayals everywhere.”
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Shortly after my doctors told me I’d exhausted all treatments and my condition was likely permanent, an old friend texted to check in. When I told him I was grappling with the possibility I might never recover, he responded: “Well... your base intelligence is twice that of a normal person, so it sounds to me that what you are processing is the fact that you may no longer be a superhero.”
I knew he meant well, but his text was disheartening. He assumed that having a concussion meant I was less intelligent than before. And I worried: Is that what everyone else thinks, too?
It turns out there’s reason to think so. If you start looking for brain injury references in American culture, you’ll notice negative portrayals everywhere. In the last week alone, I’ve encountered two references to concussions that cast us survivors in a bad light. In an episode of the Netflix sitcom “BlackAF,” a college football player is criticized as “probably too concussed to even know what his major is.” And in the romantic comedy “Long Shot,” a politician asks her staff to rewrite a speech because it makes her “sound like I have a head injury.”
I wanted to scream at the television. I wanted to tell these actors and writers and producers that having a head injury doesn’t necessarily take away a person’s intelligence.
And even if it does, so what? Why is being less intelligent synonymous with being undesirable?
Two years ago, I met someone else whose concussion had never healed, forcing him to drop out of college. He was living and volunteering full-time at a meditation center and teaching meditation in prisons.
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“I’ve lost 30% of my intelligence,” he told me, “but I don’t care. The concussion was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it led me here.”
I don’t know if I’ve lost intelligence because of my concussion. What I do know is there’s a lot more to a person’s character and worth than how well they perform on a test, or how smart they sound when giving a speech, or what job they hold. Things like compassion, kindness, and generosity of spirit, to name a few.
About nine months ago — in pre-pandemic times — I was at a gathering of maybe a dozen strangers, and one man mentioned he’d just left his job because of a disability. I looked at him, a seemingly fit guy in his 30s, someone I’d sooner have guessed was a personal trainer than a person with a disability. (And, for all I know, he may have been both.)
He mentioned his disability and kept on talking, as casually as I might say, “I ate cereal for breakfast, and let me tell you about this great book I’m reading.” Nobody else registered a reaction, either, although admittedly I may have missed it, because his words had sent me burrowing into a private place of shock and fear, as though the only other spy in the room had just blown his cover and maybe, by extension, mine. But mostly I marveled he had the confidence to say it at all.
I could discuss my disability that casually, I thought. That’s a choice I could make.
Now, hunkered down at home as COVID-19 rages on, I don’t have many opportunities to meet new people and be challenged by that inevitable question, “What do you do?” Instead, I’m remembering that guy with the confidence to own his invisible disability. And I’m hoping that whenever it’s safe to attend a dinner party again, I’ll have the courage to simply say it: I’m disabled.
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Kara Garbe Balcerzak is a writer living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. For more from her, visit her Facebook page.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Online Anti-Vax Communities Have Become A Pipeline For QAnon Radicalization

QAnon rhetoric has been seeping into anti-vax pages all over social media in recent months .
Devoted adherents of the conspiracy theory have weathered tech giants ’ sweeping crackdowns by infiltrating other communities that exist on the platforms , then poisoning them with disinformation .
This has transformed the large ecosystem of anti-vax communities online into radicalization pipelines for QAnon .
Over Cook ’ s right shoulder was an image of the American flag atop the QAnon slogan , # WWG1WGA .
Over his left was the letter Q , decorated in stars and stripes .
Comments poured in from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to the “ truth.
” Like Cook , other leaders of the anti-vaccine movement including Ty and Charlene Bollinger as well as David Wolfe have introduced their followings to QAnon via their various anti-vax social channels , where content is less likely to be moderated .
Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and YouTube fail to remove 95 % of the posts containing anti-vax misinformation that are flagged to them , according to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate .
Inside the sprawling network of anti-vaccination accounts on Instagram , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for such content , you ’ re now about as likely to see a post baselessly claiming that Democrats rigged the election against President Donald Trump , or that COVID-19 was a pre-planned disaster , or that President-elect Joe Biden is a pedophile , as you are to see one exclusively disputing vaccine science .
To members of anti-vax communities , which are often filled with new mothers seeking information about vaccines , the transition has been pretty smooth .
Unfounded vaccination fears have melded with QAnon propaganda to form a unified theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer simply a supposed health risk ( note : vaccines are safe and rigorously tested ) — they ’ re now part of a “ deep-state ” agenda to brainwash and control humanity .
“ The virus is engineered .
The pandemic is engineered .
The second wave is engineered .
The need for a vaccine is engineered , ” Laura Muhl , one of Instagram ’ s most prominent anti-vax influencers and a mother of five , told her followers in a post earlier this year , between others floating similarly unsubstantiated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” products ) .
Vaccination paranoia fits into the QAnon conspiracy theory quite neatly : As QAnon adherents tell it , Trump has for years been battling a deep-state cabal of liberal pedophiles inside the government who are trying to take over the world .
As he grew more powerful , the cabal unleashed the coronavirus to exert control over the population by enforcing lockdowns and , eventually , by mandating a vaccine that will secretly be used to subdue people en masse .
The removal of social media pages such as Cook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s involvement in this scheme , just as the lack of news coverage is proof of the mainstream media ’ s complicity .
None of this is true , of course , but as these conspiracy theories compound and gain momentum , they ’ re still causing serious damage , and have the potential to cause much more as a COVID-19 vaccine appears to be on track for release next year .
For it to be maximally effective , it has to be widely administered .
But more than a third of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free , Food and Drug Administration-approved coronavirus vaccine if one were available , according to recent Gallup polling — even as the death toll in the U.S. soars past a quarter-million people , and as health care officials stress that a vaccine could save countless lives .
This mass reluctance is fueled at least in part by the pandemic ’ s parallel infodemic of false and groundless vaccine-related claims circulating online .
Conspiratorial narratives about the supposedly nefarious interests of key figures and institutions surrounding vaccines are now causing just as much vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a new report from First Draft , a global nonprofit that researches misinformation .
Similar QAnon conspiracy theories have emerged concerning the motivations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and leading infectious diseases specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci , at times with reinforcement from the president himself .
The news that vaccines from U.S. drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna may soon be authorized for widespread use — a landmark milestone that could mark the beginning of the end of the pandemic — has ignited even more unhinged speculation in this realm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ see a blunt divide between the QAnon and anti-vax crowds .
Trump is both a hero to QAnon believers and a major promoter of Operation Warp Speed , his administration ’ s program to rapidly develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccines .
But like members of so many other hyperpartisan communities , conspiratorial anti-vaxxers are quick to twist facts and bend reality to fit their worldview .
They believe Trump ’ s pro-vaccine talk is just a ruse to keep his critics at bay while he focuses on dismantling the deep state .
Or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s recent Instagram posts put it , he ’ s simply appeasing the “ sheep.
” Even before the pandemic , social media platforms were rife with anti-vax propaganda .
Most of it centered around strictly health-related concerns , such as the debunked myth that vaccines cause autism .
This kind of misinformation had already reached dangerous levels .
In early February , members of Cook ’ s Facebook group urged a mother not to give her ill , unvaccinated 4-year-old son his doctor-prescribed antiviral medication , suggesting that she try thyme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She followed their advice ; the boy died four days later .

A woman wearing a QAnon shirt attends an Aug. 30 anti-vaccination protest at the Massachusetts State House in Boston. JOSEPH PREZIOSO via Getty Images
Last week, Facebook axed the biggest anti-vaccine group on its platform. “Stop Mandatory Vaccination,” which at one point had more than 200,000 followers, was a cesspool of anti-vaccine propaganda, where members regularly peddled and profited off “natural remedies” while discouraging each other from seeking traditional medical care.
But the group hadn’t violated a policy against spreading dangerous health misinformation, or pushing vaccine falsehoods, or hawking unproven “cures” when it suddenly disappeared last Tuesday night — no such rules exist on Facebook. It was shut down for promoting QAnon.
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QAnon rhetoric has been seeping into anti-vax pages all over social media in recent months. Devoted adherents of the conspiracy theory have weathered tech giants’ sweeping crackdowns by infiltrating other communities that exist on the platforms, then poisoning them with disinformation. This has transformed the large ecosystem of anti-vax communities online into radicalization pipelines for QAnon.
“The purpose of vaccination is to literally slaughter the population and dumb everyone down and render them helpless,” Larry Cook, the creator of “Stop Mandatory Vaccination,” warned in his final Facebook Live video. “It is a global plan to literally enslave every human on the planet.”
Over Cook’s right shoulder was an image of the American flag atop the QAnon slogan, #WWG1WGA. Over his left was the letter Q, decorated in stars and stripes. Comments poured in from viewers thanking him for “awakening” them to the “truth.”
Anti-vax influencer Larry Cook has become a major promoter of QAnon. Facebook
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Like Cook, other leaders of the anti-vaccine movement including Ty and Charlene Bollinger as well as David Wolfe have introduced their followings to QAnon via their various anti-vax social channels, where content is less likely to be moderated. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube fail to remove 95% of the posts containing anti-vax misinformation that are flagged to them, according to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
Inside the sprawling network of anti-vaccination accounts on Instagram, which is one of the worst platforms for such content, you’re now about as likely to see a post baselessly claiming that Democrats rigged the election against President Donald Trump, or that COVID-19 was a pre-planned disaster, or that President-elect Joe Biden is a pedophile, as you are to see one exclusively disputing vaccine science.
To members of anti-vax communities, which are often filled with new mothers seeking information about vaccines, the transition has been pretty smooth. Unfounded vaccination fears have melded with QAnon propaganda to form a unified theory of elite malevolence. Vaccines are no longer simply a supposed health risk (note: vaccines are safe and rigorously tested) — they’re now part of a “deep-state” agenda to brainwash and control humanity.
“The virus is engineered. The pandemic is engineered. The second wave is engineered. The need for a vaccine is engineered,” Laura Muhl, one of Instagram’s most prominent anti-vax influencers and a mother of five, told her followers in a post earlier this year, between others floating similarly unsubstantiated nonsense (and advertising various “wellness” products).
Instagram
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Vaccination paranoia fits into the QAnon conspiracy theory quite neatly: As QAnon adherents tell it, Trump has for years been battling a deep-state cabal of liberal pedophiles inside the government who are trying to take over the world. As he grew more powerful, the cabal unleashed the coronavirus to exert control over the population by enforcing lockdowns and, eventually, by mandating a vaccine that will secretly be used to subdue people en masse. The removal of social media pages such as Cook’s is evidence of Big Tech’s involvement in this scheme, just as the lack of news coverage is proof of the mainstream media’s complicity.
None of this is true, of course, but as these conspiracy theories compound and gain momentum, they’re still causing serious damage, and have the potential to cause much more as a COVID-19 vaccine appears to be on track for release next year. For it to be maximally effective, it has to be widely administered. But more than a third of Americans say they would not get a free, Food and Drug Administration-approved coronavirus vaccine if one were available, according to recent Gallup polling — even as the death toll in the U.S. soars past a quarter-million people, and as health care officials stress that a vaccine could save countless lives.
This mass reluctance is fueled at least in part by the pandemic’s parallel infodemic of false and groundless vaccine-related claims circulating online. Conspiratorial narratives about the supposedly nefarious interests of key figures and institutions surrounding vaccines are now causing just as much vaccine skepticism as safety concerns are, according to a new report from First Draft, a global nonprofit that researches misinformation.
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates became a coronavirus supervillain in anti-vax circles and beyond as a result of QAnon supporters’ viral, ludicrous claims that he will somehow use a COVID-19 vaccine to implant microchips into people’s brains to track their activities. A staggering 44% of Republicans believe this is true, a Yahoo News/YouGov poll found.
Similar QAnon conspiracy theories have emerged concerning the motivations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and leading infectious diseases specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, at times with reinforcement from the president himself. The news that vaccines from U.S. drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna may soon be authorized for widespread use — a landmark milestone that could mark the beginning of the end of the pandemic — has ignited even more unhinged speculation in this realm.
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Instagram
This is where one might expect to see a blunt divide between the QAnon and anti-vax crowds. Trump is both a hero to QAnon believers and a major promoter of Operation Warp Speed, his administration’s program to rapidly develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccines. But like members of so many other hyperpartisan communities, conspiratorial anti-vaxxers are quick to twist facts and bend reality to fit their worldview. They believe Trump’s pro-vaccine talk is just a ruse to keep his critics at bay while he focuses on dismantling the deep state. Or as a commenter on one of Cook’s recent Instagram posts put it, he’s simply appeasing the “sheep.”
Even before the pandemic, social media platforms were rife with anti-vax propaganda. Most of it centered around strictly health-related concerns, such as the debunked myth that vaccines cause autism. This kind of misinformation had already reached dangerous levels. In early February, members of Cook’s Facebook group urged a mother not to give her ill, unvaccinated 4-year-old son his doctor-prescribed antiviral medication, suggesting that she try thyme and elderberry instead, NBC News reported. She followed their advice; the boy died four days later.
Now, as QAnon’s COVID-19 conspiracy theories abound, the information ecosystem around vaccines is drastically worse. The constantly evolving nature of the crisis has produced “data deficits” in which the “demand for information about a topic is high, but the supply of credible information is low,” as First Draft noted in its report.
QAnon has eagerly swooped in to fill the void, pushing its far-right, fact-free narratives in front of anxious parents and other people desperately searching for answers about the virus and the nation’s efforts to contain it.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Experts Warn Of Erratic COVID-19 Testing Numbers After Thanksgiving

MILWAUKEE ( AP ) — The coronavirus testing numbers that have guided much of the nation ’ s response to the pandemic are likely to be erratic over the next week or so , experts said Friday , as fewer people get tested during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and testing sites observe shorter hours .
The result could be potential dips in reported infections that offer the illusion that the spread of the virus is easing when , in fact , the numbers say little about where the nation stands in fighting COVID-19 .
“ I just hope that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that there wasn ’ t a major surge as a result of Thanksgiving , and then end up making Christmas and Hanukkah and other travel plans , ” said Dr. Leana Wen , a professor at George Washington University and an emergency physician .
A similar pattern unfolds on many weekends .
Because some testing centers , labs and state offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays , COVID case numbers often drop each Sunday and Monday , only to peak on Tuesday .
Dr. Mark Rupp , professor and chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical Center in Omaha , said the effect of Thanksgiving is likely to be a magnified version of the weekend figures .
The Thursday holiday will exacerbate the record-keeping discrepancies over the long weekend , artificially depressing the reported numbers for four or five days before spiking as test results catch up .
Johns Hopkins University reported a high of more than 2 million tests a few days before Thanksgiving as people prepared to travel , but that number had dropped to less than 1.2 million tests on Thanksgiving Day .
The latter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers , which had dropped by about a third Friday , could be adjusted as more results are returned .
In several states and cities , officials reported sharp drops in testing Friday and reminded people not to read improvements into them .
Arkansas Gov .
Asa Hutchinson said the drop means that residents might not know for weeks how much their efforts to slow the spread affected the state ’ s rate of positive tests .
While testing was down Thursday and Friday , health officials said they anecdotally saw a jump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel or gather for Thanksgiving meals .
They warned that the tests are often a snapshot , not a complete assurance that someone has not been exposed to the virus .
“ I think it can be kind of a false sense of security for some people , ” Rupp said , predicting that the holiday will be followed within weeks by another surge “ because people have continued to travel , they ’ ve continued to have gatherings outside their immediate family.
” Experts worry how people might interpret the situation after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes a few weeks for Thanksgiving exposures to show up in testing data .
Cities and states generally use hospitalization and intensive care numbers , which lag behind virus case reporting , to determine when to increase or ease public health restrictions and recommendations .
But the public is more likely to look at testing numbers or case counts , which might be misleading , Wen said , and waiting until hospitals are overwhelmed is risky .
“ Where we are now is a completely unsustainable place .
I think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care to see our calls are not being heeded , ” Wen said .
“ And the level of alarm that we have is not reflected in individuals ’ behavior .
”

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — The coronavirus testing numbers that have guided much of the nation’s response to the pandemic are likely to be erratic over the next week or so, experts said Friday, as fewer people get tested during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and testing sites observe shorter hours.
The result could be potential dips in reported infections that offer the illusion that the spread of the virus is easing when, in fact, the numbers say little about where the nation stands in fighting COVID-19.
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The number of Americans who have tested positive passed 13 million Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“I just hope that people don’t misinterpret the numbers and think that there wasn’t a major surge as a result of Thanksgiving, and then end up making Christmas and Hanukkah and other travel plans,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a professor at George Washington University and an emergency physician.
A similar pattern unfolds on many weekends. Because some testing centers, labs and state offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, COVID case numbers often drop each Sunday and Monday, only to peak on Tuesday.
Dr. Mark Rupp, professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, said the effect of Thanksgiving is likely to be a magnified version of the weekend figures.
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The number of Americans who have tested positive passed 13 million Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Thursday holiday will exacerbate the record-keeping discrepancies over the long weekend, artificially depressing the reported numbers for four or five days before spiking as test results catch up.
Johns Hopkins University reported a high of more than 2 million tests a few days before Thanksgiving as people prepared to travel, but that number had dropped to less than 1.2 million tests on Thanksgiving Day. The latter number, as well as positive case numbers, which had dropped by about a third Friday, could be adjusted as more results are returned.
In several states and cities, officials reported sharp drops in testing Friday and reminded people not to read improvements into them. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the drop means that residents might not know for weeks how much their efforts to slow the spread affected the state’s rate of positive tests.
While testing was down Thursday and Friday, health officials said they anecdotally saw a jump in people getting tested before deciding to travel or gather for Thanksgiving meals. They warned that the tests are often a snapshot, not a complete assurance that someone has not been exposed to the virus.
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“I think it can be kind of a false sense of security for some people,” Rupp said, predicting that the holiday will be followed within weeks by another surge “because people have continued to travel, they’ve continued to have gatherings outside their immediate family.”
Experts worry how people might interpret the situation after the long weekend, especially if it takes a few weeks for Thanksgiving exposures to show up in testing data.
Cities and states generally use hospitalization and intensive care numbers, which lag behind virus case reporting, to determine when to increase or ease public health restrictions and recommendations. But the public is more likely to look at testing numbers or case counts, which might be misleading, Wen said, and waiting until hospitals are overwhelmed is risky.
“Where we are now is a completely unsustainable place. I think it’s extremely frustrating to those of us in health care to see our calls are not being heeded,” Wen said. “And the level of alarm that we have is not reflected in individuals’ behavior.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Distributing The Coronavirus Vaccine Will Require Planning — And A Lot More Money

States have to craft and then implement distribution plans , and to do that they need money from the federal government .
But the level of preparation across the country is uneven , according to analysts who have been reviewing those state plans , and the federal funding is a fraction of what it needs to be .
Getting Vaccine Approval Is Just The First ( Big ) Step Pfizer ( with its German partner BioNTech ) a week ago became the first manufacturer to seek emergency authorization of its novel coronavirus vaccine , following trials the company said showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come as early as Dec. 10 , when the committee advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration meets to consider it , although a top agency official told CNN on Friday that “ it will be a matter of weeks .
It could be from days to weeks.
” Pfizer has already started manufacturing the vaccine and says it will have more than 6.4 million doses ready to go once the FDA gives the OK. By the end of the year , Pfizer says , it could have as many 25 million doses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to reach about 12.5 million people .
( The vaccine requires two doses several weeks apart . )
On a press call last week , Trump administration officials said they had been conducting tabletop exercises and dry runs to make sure the distribution channels are clear and working ― which is exactly what they should be doing .
Pfizer , for its part , has been developing special shipment containers that can keep the vaccines at the cold temperatures they require for storage .
But until vaccines start rolling out of plants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s difficult to know whether the planning has been adequate and how well the process will work .
Likewise , it ’ s hard to know whether the companies can really produce vaccines at the mass scale and rapid timeline they ’ ve promised , especially because the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines , if approved , will be the first ever to use messenger RNA ( mRNA ) .
States Hold The Keys Once The Vaccines Get There At the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , states have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how they would break down those priority groups .
They must decide which categories of workers are “ essential ” and which population groups are “ high-risk , ” for example , and their plans must include who will administer the vaccines to different groups and how .
Chris Cox , a CVS vice president , told HuffPost it should be able to get vaccines out to long-term care facilities as soon the supply comes in ― and then add the ability to offer in-store shots once that supply is available , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital tools , including a website and text-messaging system , to make sure people remember to get the second dose of the vaccine .
States Have A Lot To Do And Many Aren ’ t Ready But they need to be making their plans now , and some are a lot further along in that process than others , according to an analysis that the Kaiser Foundation published in mid-November .
It found , among other things , that less than half the states had estimated how many people belong in each priority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had estimates for the number of vaccine providers .
The realities of vaccine production mean it will be weeks and probably months before the supply really tests the capacity of states to administer it widely .
But whether the states are ready at that point may depend on what Congress does right now .

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The rapid development of coronavirus vaccines, including one that may be weeks away from federal approval, offers the best hope yet for an end to the pandemic.
But producing, distributing and administering the vaccine in a country with nearly 330 million people will be its own, unprecedented challenge ― and one that appears pretty daunting at this point.
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States have to craft and then implement distribution plans, and to do that they need money from the federal government. But the level of preparation across the country is uneven, according to analysts who have been reviewing those state plans, and the federal funding is a fraction of what it needs to be.
States will require anywhere from $6 billion to $10 billion to handle vaccine distribution, according to advocates and public health officials. Most of that money will have to come from Congress, and leaders from both parties have said they want the next COVID-19 relief bill to include that funding.
But negotiations over that bill broke down before the election, because Republicans want a smaller relief package overall. It’s not clear when talks will restart or where they will lead ― even though time is very much of the essence.
“Every month that additional support gets delayed, it will be that much harder to get vaccines out in an equitable and efficient way,” Joshua Michaud, associate director for global health policy at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, told HuffPost. “And the earlier you get the vaccines out, the more lives you save and the faster people can get their lives back to normal.”
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Here’s a look at the challenges ahead:
Getting Vaccine Approval Is Just The First (Big) Step
Pfizer (with its German partner BioNTech) a week ago became the first manufacturer to seek emergency authorization of its novel coronavirus vaccine, following trials the company said showed 95% efficacy. Approval could theoretically come as early as Dec. 10, when the committee advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration meets to consider it, although a top agency official told CNN on Friday that “it will be a matter of weeks. It could be from days to weeks.”
Pfizer has already started manufacturing the vaccine and says it will have more than 6.4 million doses ready to go once the FDA gives the OK. By the end of the year, Pfizer says, it could have as many 25 million doses out the door, which would be enough to reach about 12.5 million people. (The vaccine requires two doses several weeks apart.)
Moderna, which is developing a vaccine that uses the same basic mechanism, has announced that it is getting similar results and plans to seek authorization shortly. AztraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis say they are not far behind.
“States are all over the map in terms of their readiness to handle vaccine distribution.” - Drew Altman, Kaiser Family Foundation
Having such a promising vaccine for a novel pathogen ready to go less than one year after the disease appeared in the U.S. would be a remarkable and historic scientific achievement made possible by cooperation between the private and public sectors, including the Trump administration’s $18 billion Warp Speed initiative.
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It will take similar cooperation to produce and distribute the vaccines once they are ready. Trump officials have said they have been working to make sure the manufacturers get the supplies they need, from vials and plungers to the chemical ingredients for the vaccine itself.
Meanwhile, Defense Department logistics officials have been making sure plans are in place to get the vaccine from manufacturing plants scattered across the U.S. to the facilities that will be administering them. Most of the manufacturers are contracting with pharmaceutical supply and distribution company McKesson; Pfizer is handling distribution on its own.
On a press call last week, Trump administration officials said they had been conducting tabletop exercises and dry runs to make sure the distribution channels are clear and working ― which is exactly what they should be doing. Pfizer, for its part, has been developing special shipment containers that can keep the vaccines at the cold temperatures they require for storage.
But until vaccines start rolling out of plants and onto trucks and planes, it’s difficult to know whether the planning has been adequate and how well the process will work. Likewise, it’s hard to know whether the companies can really produce vaccines at the mass scale and rapid timeline they’ve promised, especially because the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, if approved, will be the first ever to use messenger RNA (mRNA).
States Hold The Keys Once The Vaccines Get There
How the vaccines get into the arms of Americans is the next big question.
It is up to the states to make plans for distribution, though they are supposed to follow federal guidance about prioritization. Front-line health workers will get the first shots, followed by other essential workers and the most vulnerable populations, including residents of long-term care facilities.
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As vaccines become more plentiful, other populations will get access, starting with other high-risk groups, such as those with underlying medical conditions, and then finally to the population as a whole.
At the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states have been developing and filing plans for exactly how they would break down those priority groups. They must decide which categories of workers are “essential” and which population groups are “high-risk,” for example, and their plans must include who will administer the vaccines to different groups and how.
Health care providers, like hospitals and clinics, will generally take on responsibility for vaccinating their workers. Some have already announced they plan to have the vaccine ready for employees by Dec. 12, two days after the FDA meeting, just in case approval comes right away.
CVS and Walgreens will also be administering vaccines in their stores and at pop-up clinics, which is something they already do routinely for flu shots. Working with Warp Speed and state officials, they have already said they will be able to administer vaccines inside nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
“There is no way the states would be able to provide this magnitude of effort without federal funding.” - Juliette Kayyem, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government
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CVS officials told HuffPost the company should be able to get vaccines out to long-term care facilities as soon the supply comes in ― and then add the ability to offer in-store shots once that supply is available, as well. It has even been developing digital tools, including a website and text-messaging system, to make sure people remember to get the second dose of the vaccine.
“The bottom line is, we’re going to bug the hell out of you to make sure that you get that second shot, so the vaccination doesn’t go to waste,” said T.J. Crawford, head of external affairs at CVS.
CVS says it will be able to deliver as many as 20 million to 25 million vaccinations a month; a Walgreens official could not provide a figure for the chain, but most likely its capacity is of a similar magnitude.
That would be a lot of people ― and yet, still not nearly enough to reach the entire country in a short span of time, especially since both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two doses.
And even if CVS and Walgreens can administer the vaccine as seamlessly as they hope, there are going to be parts of the country, including rural and some low-income areas, they don’t reach easily.
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All of that means the states still have a lot to do on their own.
States Have A Lot To Do And Many Aren’t Ready
States can work through any number of intermediaries, from local public health departments and clinics to the Red Cross and National Guard, in order to administer the vaccines.
But they need to be making their plans now, and some are a lot further along in that process than others, according to an analysis that the Kaiser Foundation published in mid-November. It found, among other things, that less than half the states had estimated how many people belong in each priority category ― and that less than one-third had estimates for the number of vaccine providers.
“Our review shows that states are all over the map in terms of their readiness to handle vaccine distribution,” said Drew Altman, the foundation’s president and CEO. “There is time to provide the resources and guidance they need, but not a lot of time.”
Planning will be particularly difficult for rural communities, as a recent investigation by ProPublica found. Among the issues already worrying state officials is how to handle the Pfizer vaccine’s super-cold storage requirements when trying to deliver the vaccine to hard-to-reach areas.
States will also have to pay for the facilities and staff time. In all likelihood, they will also have to train a bunch of new people on how to give shots, if not right away then later on once the supply from manufacturers increases dramatically.
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“There is no way the states would be able to provide this magnitude of effort without federal funding,” Juliette Kayyem, a former Homeland Security official in the Obama administration and faculty director at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, told HuffPost.
The realities of vaccine production mean it will be weeks and probably months before the supply really tests the capacity of states to administer it widely. But whether the states are ready at that point may depend on what Congress does right now.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misidentified CVS spokesman T.J. Crawford.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Eric Trump's Latest Attempt To Spread Disinformation Backfires — Like All The Rest

And , once again , the vast majority of Twitter users weren ’ t buying it .
On Saturday morning , President Donald Trump ’ s second-eldest son continued with his efforts to cast doubt on the 2020 election results with this post : Does anyone believe that Biden got 15 million more votes than Obama in 2012 ?
This from a candidate who would go days/weeks while hardly campaigning .
— Eric Trump ( @ EricTrump ) November 28 , 2020 “ Does anyone believe that Biden got 15 million more votes than Obama in 2012 ?
” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who would go days/weeks while hardly campaigning.
” It ’ s at least the second time that Eric Trump has tried this line of attack on Biden .
Just three days after the election — which the president still refuses to concede — Eric Trump suggested there was something suspicious about Biden receiving more votes in 2020 than former President Barack Obama got in his 2008 landslide victory .
Since the election , he has also shared fake footage of someone burning ballots ; posted a questionable graphic hinting his father would ultimately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his father ’ s personal attorney , would take down the “ dirtbags ” who he baselessly alleged are trying to rig the outcome .
Each and every one of Eric Trump ’ s previous attempts to spread disinformation have backfired .
This one was no different : Of course !
If you were on this side of the aisle you ’ d understand .
Your father ‘ s complete ineptitude at handling his job is the reason ppl came out in droves .
We had to make sure we put an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unemployment , deficit , just a few examples of his failure https : //t.co/zb3T7muXty — Jillian Barberie ( @ askjillian ) November 28 , 2020 Yes , because many of them were not a vote for Biden , but a vote against Trump https : //t.co/EuCEYcrV4e — Tim Arvier ( @ TimArvier9 ) November 28 , 2020 It 's almost as if his opponent was so horrible that millions of people were motivated to vote just to get rid of him .
— oliver wasow ( @ oliverwasow ) November 28 , @

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Another day, another conspiratorial tweet from Eric Trump.
And, once again, the vast majority of Twitter users weren’t buying it.
On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump’s second-eldest son continued with his efforts to cast doubt on the 2020 election results with this post:
Does anyone believe that Biden got 15 million more votes than Obama in 2012? This from a candidate who would go days/weeks while hardly campaigning. — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) November 28, 2020
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“Does anyone believe that Biden got 15 million more votes than Obama in 2012?” he asked. “This from a candidate who would go days/weeks while hardly campaigning.”
It’s at least the second time that Eric Trump has tried this line of attack on Biden. Just three days after the election — which the president still refuses to concede — Eric Trump suggested there was something suspicious about Biden receiving more votes in 2020 than former President Barack Obama got in his 2008 landslide victory.
Since the election, he has also shared fake footage of someone burning ballots; posted a questionable graphic hinting his father would ultimately win; and warned that Rudy Giuliani, his father’s personal attorney, would take down the “dirtbags” who he baselessly alleged are trying to rig the outcome.
Each and every one of Eric Trump’s previous attempts to spread disinformation have backfired.
This one was no different:
Of course! If you were on this side of the aisle you’d understand. Your father ‘s complete ineptitude at handling his job is the reason ppl came out in droves. We had to make sure we put an end to 4 more years. Pandemic, unemployment, deficit, just a few examples of his failure https://t.co/zb3T7muXty — Jillian Barberie (@askjillian) November 28, 2020
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Yes. Have you met your dad? — GOP_Til_DJT (@GOP_Til_DJT) November 28, 2020
Well, I think it's very plausible considering his competition. — Emily I. Brown — Nomadic Philosopher (@eibrown_np) November 28, 2020
Yes, because many of them were not a vote for Biden, but a vote against Trump https://t.co/EuCEYcrV4e — Tim Arvier (@TimArvier9) November 28, 2020
Yes and quite frankly I'm shocked it wasn't more. — DawnStout (@Ragtopblue) November 28, 2020
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It's almost as if his opponent was so horrible that millions of people were motivated to vote just to get rid of him. — oliver wasow (@oliverwasow) November 28, 2020
Turns out that boat parades don't mean shit. Boats don't vote.
Cry more. — Chidi® (@ChidiNwatu) November 28, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Kamala Harris Gets A Big Laugh Out Of Another Trump Run: 'Please'

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris enjoyed some comic relief Saturday when a reporter asked for her reaction to the possibility of Donald Trump running again for president in 2024 .
“ Please , ” she responded , deadpan , before bursting into laughter — along with the journalists and spectators around her .
First , she made a “ scoffing sound , ” noted Atlantic reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere , who asked the question .
Reporters were tagging along as a masked Harris and husband Doug Emhoff shopped the outdoor Downtown Holiday Market in Washington , D.C. , on Small Business Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
They were joined by Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser .
Some people shouted out “ congratulations ” to Harris , and Emhoff purchased a T-shirt reading “ Madam Vice President , ” created by artists ’ “ Pop-Up Collaborative : Made in D.C. , ” WTOP radio reported .
Had a wonderful time getting some Small Business Saturday shopping done with @ DouglasEmhoff this morning at the outdoor @ dtwnholidaymkt .
Thank you , @ MurielBowser , and everyone who supported small businesses not just in our communities but all over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ KamalaHarris ) November 28 , 2020 The couple also bought puzzles from the New York Puzzle Company and a print of types of cheeses from Marcella Kriebel Art and Illustration , according to pool reports .
“ We want to support our small businesses they are always really an essential part of the lifeblood of the community , part of the civic and social fabric of the community , ” Harris told reporters .
“ Sadly , since COVID started , one in four small businesses in our country has closed.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Harris ’ reaction to the idea of yet another Trump campaign was positive , though many scolded journalists for their own failure to move on .
Do n't know why one even needs to ask that question .
Here 's hoping the media resists the money-making implications of giving the # LoserInChief a platform beyond Jan/20th .
He needs to permanently be out of our lives .
# BidenHarris need the media space to govern their chosen way .
— Linda Kyambadde ( @ globalcitizenln ) November 28 , 2020 I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more real , more fun and more competent than Pence .
— AKisASocialisolationist wash yer damn hands ( @ AKLienhartMinn ) November 28 , 2020

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Vice President-elect Kamala Harris enjoyed some comic relief Saturday when a reporter asked for her reaction to the possibility of Donald Trump running again for president in 2024. “Please,” she responded, deadpan, before bursting into laughter — along with the journalists and spectators around her.
First, she made a “scoffing sound,” noted Atlantic reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere, who asked the question.
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And VPE @KamalaHarris reaction when @IsaacDovere asks about her and President- elect Biden potentially running against President Trump in 2024 pic.twitter.com/Fw8gAY0nqF — Jasmine Wright (@JasJWright) November 28, 2020
Reporters were tagging along as a masked Harris and husband Doug Emhoff shopped the outdoor Downtown Holiday Market in Washington, D.C., on Small Business Saturday to support retailers and workers amid the pandemic. They were joined by Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Some people shouted out “congratulations” to Harris, and Emhoff purchased a T-shirt reading “Madam Vice President,” created by artists’ “Pop-Up Collaborative: Made in D.C.,” WTOP radio reported.
Had a wonderful time getting some Small Business Saturday shopping done with @DouglasEmhoff this morning at the outdoor @dtwnholidaymkt. Thank you, @MurielBowser, and everyone who supported small businesses not just in our communities but all over the country today. pic.twitter.com/4KAbCF85X9 — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 28, 2020
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Madam VPE @KamalaHarris does some Holiday shopping in DC this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/B1Jydz1Efs — Jasmine Wright (@JasJWright) November 28, 2020
The couple also bought puzzles from the New York Puzzle Company and a print of types of cheeses from Marcella Kriebel Art and Illustration, according to pool reports.
“We want to support our small businesses they are always really an essential part of the lifeblood of the community, part of the civic and social fabric of the community,” Harris told reporters. “Sadly, since COVID started, one in four small businesses in our country has closed.”
People’s response on Twitter to Harris’ reaction to the idea of yet another Trump campaign was positive, though many scolded journalists for their own failure to move on.
Don't know why one even needs to ask that question. Here's hoping the media resists the money-making implications of giving the #LoserInChief a platform beyond Jan/20th. He needs to permanently be out of our lives. #BidenHarris need the media space to govern their chosen way. — Linda Kyambadde (@globalcitizenln) November 28, 2020
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I can already tell she will be a lot more real, more fun and more competent than Pence. — AKisASocialisolationist wash yer damn hands (@AKLienhartMinn) November 28, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--With Inaction By Washington, States Scramble To Offer Virus Aid

In some cases , elected officials are spending the last of a federal relief package passed in the spring as an end-of-year deadline approaches and the fall COVID-19 surge threatens their economies anew .
Democrats have been the most vocal in criticizing President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Senate for failing to act , but many Republican lawmakers are also sounding the alarm .
Underscoring the need for urgency , the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the United States reached 205,557 on Friday , according to data from Johns Hopkins University – the first time its daily figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily high was 196,000 on Nov. 20 .
The Democratic governors of Colorado and New Mexico convened special legislative sessions in the closing days of November to address the virus-related emergency .
Earlier this week , the New Mexico Legislature passed a bipartisan relief bill that will deliver a one-time $ 1,200 check to all unemployed workers and give up to $ 50,000 to certain businesses .
“ While the United States of America is on fire , the Trump administration has left states to fight this virus on their own , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply are not enough .
“ It is clear no help is coming — not from this president , not from this administration .
As we have done every day this year , New Mexico will step up.
” “ Even as cases have exploded across the country , Congress and the president have not yet passed much-needed relief for people , ” Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said in announcing the session .
“ Here in Colorado , we want to do the best with what we have to take care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who control both houses of the Legislature , are considering whether to return in December to address the effects of the latest coronavirus wave after Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers put forward a $ 500 million COVID-19 relief bill earlier this week .
Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz , a Democrat , plans to convene lawmakers in December to contend with the virus , partially at Republicans ’ urging .
State government leaders want Trump and Congress to extend the Dec. 30 deadline for spending virus relief money already allocated under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , and to provide more federal funding to deal with the consequences of the latest surge .
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits reported that more than half of the state ’ s charitable organizations received forgivable loans through the CARES Act ’ s Paycheck Protection Program this year , while another $ 12 million from the CARES Act is going to organizations that provide food to the needy .
But all that will be spent — or lost — by the end of December without congressional action .
“ I would reiterate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outgoing administration and to the incoming Biden administration — please work together , please find a compromise in there , please .
If you have to , move a package now with the idea that you will come back and move one later , ” Walz said .
“ COVID is not going to end at the end of the month .
We are in an unrelenting spike .
”

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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Faulting inaction in Washington, governors and state lawmakers are racing to get pandemic relief to small-business owners, the unemployed, renters, and others whose livelihoods have been upended by the widening coronavirus outbreak.
In some cases, elected officials are spending the last of a federal relief package passed in the spring as an end-of-year deadline approaches and the fall COVID-19 surge threatens their economies anew. Democrats have been the most vocal in criticizing President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Senate for failing to act, but many Republican lawmakers are also sounding the alarm.
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Underscoring the need for urgency, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the United States reached 205,557 on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University – the first time its daily figure topped the 200,000 mark. Its previous daily high was 196,000 on Nov. 20.
The total number of cases reported in the U.S., since the first one in January, has topped 13 million.
The Democratic governors of Colorado and New Mexico convened special legislative sessions in the closing days of November to address the virus-related emergency. Earlier this week, the New Mexico Legislature passed a bipartisan relief bill that will deliver a one-time $1,200 check to all unemployed workers and give up to $50,000 to certain businesses.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the state took action to help residents “who have real issues about keeping food on their table, a roof over their head.”
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“While the United States of America is on fire, the Trump administration has left states to fight this virus on their own,” she said, noting state efforts alone simply are not enough. “It is clear no help is coming — not from this president, not from this administration. As we have done every day this year, New Mexico will step up.”
In Colorado, a special session scheduled for Monday will consider roughly $300 million in relief to businesses, restaurants and bars, child-care providers, landlords, tenants, public schools, and others.
“Even as cases have exploded across the country, Congress and the president have not yet passed much-needed relief for people,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in announcing the session. “Here in Colorado, we want to do the best with what we have to take care of our own.”
In New Jersey and Washington state, Republicans who are a minority in both legislatures were the ones pushing for special sessions. They want to direct more money to struggling small-business owners.
Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin, who control both houses of the Legislature, are considering whether to return in December to address the effects of the latest coronavirus wave after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers put forward a $500 million COVID-19 relief bill earlier this week. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, plans to convene lawmakers in December to contend with the virus, partially at Republicans’ urging.
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“Senate Republicans are committed to recovering our economy that has been harmed by broad and prolonged shutdowns,” Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said in a statement. “We will work with anyone to find solutions.”
State government leaders want Trump and Congress to extend the Dec. 30 deadline for spending virus relief money already allocated under the CARES Act, which was approved in March, and to provide more federal funding to deal with the consequences of the latest surge.
“It’s just heartbreaking what they’re allowing to happen with no federal government intervention,” said Washington state House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, a Democrat.
In making his decision to call the Minnesota Legislature into a special session, Walz cited “a sense of urgency” around doing something on the state level due to the lack of a federal response.
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits reported that more than half of the state’s charitable organizations received forgivable loans through the CARES Act’s Paycheck Protection Program this year, while another $12 million from the CARES Act is going to organizations that provide food to the needy. But all that will be spent — or lost — by the end of December without congressional action.
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“I would reiterate to our federal partners — to the outgoing administration and to the incoming Biden administration — please work together, please find a compromise in there, please. If you have to, move a package now with the idea that you will come back and move one later,” Walz said. “COVID is not going to end at the end of the month. We are in an unrelenting spike.”
In Ohio, where Republicans control every branch of government, Gov. Mike DeWine and legislative leaders pushed a $420 million pandemic spending package through a special bipartisan panel late last month. Funded through the CARES Act, it offered grants to small businesses, bars and restaurants, low-income renters, arts groups, and colleges and universities.
Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican, gives credit to the federal government for the billions in aid previously sent out, but he said small businesses and people who have lost work need more federal assistance.
“The election’s over,” Benninghoff said. “This is not a time for finger-pointing.”
In neighboring New Jersey, the partisan divide over $4 billion in COVID-19 borrowing backed by the Democratic governor and Legislature prompted a court challenge by minority Republicans. The state’s high court sided with Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, citing the unprecedented nature of the outbreak.
Even so, Murphy has regularly pleaded with Congress for more aid.
“It’s shameful that they have not acted in Congress, especially (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell and the Republican Senate, to throw a lifeline to small businesses,” he said.
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Republicans have proposed a $300 million aid package to small businesses and nonprofits, but the legislation is stalled. GOP lawmakers told the governor if he does not call a special session to address the need, many businesses and charities “might not survive the winter.”
Lawmakers in one state, Illinois, threw up their hands and went home despite an unaddressed $3.9 billion budget deficit. They cited the health threat posed by the virus and hope for help from the nation’s capital.
“If the federal government doesn’t stand up and step in, we’re in a very bad situation — for our schools, colleges and universities, health care programs, child care, senior services,” House Majority Leader Greg Harris, a Democrat, said. “This isn’t like all the blue states are hurting and all the red states are humming along. Everybody’s in bad shape.”
___
Carr Smyth reported from Columbus, Ohio. Associated Press writers Jim Anderson and Patricia Nieberg in Denver; Michael Catalini in Newark, N.J.; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Wash.; Geoff Mulvihill in Davenport, Iowa; John O’Connor in Springfield, Ill.; and Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pa., contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Trump Biographer Hits President Where It Hurts: Can’t Even Succeed At Being A Loser

A biographer of Donald Trump turned one of the president ’ s favorite insults — “ loser ” — against him and described Trump ’ s refusal to accept defeat in the 2020 election as “ buffoonery.
” “ He is a profoundly incompetent person , a loser , if you might say , ” Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael D ’ Antonio , a contributor for CNN , told the network ’ s “ Newsroom ” show on Friday .
“ He ’ s so incompetent that he can not even succeed at being a loser , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2016 book “ The Truth About Trump , ” said the president was “ failing at this essential task ” of admitting defeat and that “ we all lose at various moments.
” But Trump can ’ t “ acknowledge that the system worked , that there was no fraud ” as he alleges in the election .
Instead he is “ dragging us through this show and it ’ s really redolent of all of the flaws in his personality and character that have been present almost since birth , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that Trump is “ quite capable ” of not attending President-elect Joe Biden ’ s inauguration , saying the outgoing president might “ very well declare a 2024 run before Inauguration Day and thereby try to deprive Biden of the attention that he deserves.
” “ I don ’ t think we can assume he ’ ll do anything normal , ” he added .

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A biographer of Donald Trump turned one of the president’s favorite insults — “loser” — against him and described Trump’s refusal to accept defeat in the 2020 election as “buffoonery.”
“He is a profoundly incompetent person, a loser, if you might say,” Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael D’Antonio, a contributor for CNN, told the network’s “Newsroom” show on Friday.
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“He’s so incompetent that he cannot even succeed at being a loser,” he said.
D’Antonio, who wrote the 2016 book “The Truth About Trump,” said the president was “failing at this essential task” of admitting defeat and that “we all lose at various moments.”
But Trump can’t “acknowledge that the system worked, that there was no fraud” as he alleges in the election. Instead he is “dragging us through this show and it’s really redolent of all of the flaws in his personality and character that have been present almost since birth,” he added.
D’Antonio also suggested that Trump is “quite capable” of not attending President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, saying the outgoing president might “very well declare a 2024 run before Inauguration Day and thereby try to deprive Biden of the attention that he deserves.”
“I don’t think we can assume he’ll do anything normal,” he added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Donald Trump's Small Desk Is Now Part Of A Hilarious ‘Photoshop Battle'

That viral picture of President Donald Trump sitting at a small desk during his Thanksgiving press conference on Thursday immediately @ @ @ @ @ , the widely mocked snap has sparked a frenzied “ Photoshop Battle , ” as @ @ @ @ @ reimagine the scene for laughs .
Redditors turned the picture , above , against the @ @ @ @ @ , with many giving Trump the kid treatment :

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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--'Daily Show' Looks Back At Trump’s ‘Cozy Relationship’ With White Supremacists

President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to condemn white supremacists before and throughout his presidency is examined in a “ The Daily Show with Trevor Noah ” segment from Friday .
The video , which garnered more than 600,000 views in its first 24 hours online , looks back at Trump ’ s “ cozy relationship with supremacists , ” according to its YouTube description .
Roy Wood Jr. , a correspondent for the Comedy Central program , notes in the bit that Trump is “ famous for being quick with an insult ” with his attacks on reporters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their faces .
But “ he ’ s been strangely reluctant to call out ” white supremacists , says Wood Jr. , recalling Trump ’ s failure to immediately denounce the endorsement of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke ; his claim about “ very fine people on both sides ” at the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville , Virginia , in 2017 ; and his call for the neo-fascist Proud Boys to “ stand back and stand by ” during a 2020 presidential debate .
“ Of all Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have been the easiest to avoid , ” says Wood Jr .
Check out the video here :

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President Donald Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacists before and throughout his presidency is examined in a “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” segment from Friday.
The video, which garnered more than 600,000 views in its first 24 hours online, looks back at Trump’s “cozy relationship with supremacists,” according to its YouTube description.
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Roy Wood Jr., a correspondent for the Comedy Central program, notes in the bit that Trump is “famous for being quick with an insult” with his attacks on reporters, senators and even his own supporters to their faces.
But “he’s been strangely reluctant to call out” white supremacists, says Wood Jr., recalling Trump’s failure to immediately denounce the endorsement of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke; his claim about “very fine people on both sides” at the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017; and his call for the neo-fascist Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” during a 2020 presidential debate.
“Of all Donald Trump’s scandals, supporting white supremacists should have been the easiest to avoid,” says Wood Jr.
Check out the video here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--New York Post Uses Paris Picture For UK Story And Brits Have The Best Comebacks

The New York Post received a ribbing on Friday after it used a photograph of Paris to promote a story that was mainly about the temporary relaxation of coronavirus rules over the holidays in the United Kingdom .
An image of the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital appeared in this tweet from the tabloid to promote its article headlined “ UK plans ‘ Christmas bubbles ’ for families to celebrate amid COVID-19.
” The story did contain a reference to French President Emmanuel Macron towards the end , however , which some social media users suggested could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice .
The tweet remained live after more than 36 hours online .
Twitter users in the U.K. seized on the gaffe and mockingly responded with their own versions of the post : And what London Christmas day is complete without a stroll up the snow covered peaks of Primrose Hill pic.twitter.com/XU9UvFpqth — Lenny Bruce ( @ gpdlondon ) November 27 , 2020 I hope it snows again at Christmas !
Am looking forward to taking the huskies around the M25 .
pic.twitter.com/zPTlZW9u73 — Jayne ( @ jayneferst ) November 27 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Birmingham again pic.twitter.com/rv0uMix6RC — Greg Evans ( @ gregzeene ) November 27 , 2020 If you 're going to use a picture of Paris by mistake , you might at least have chosen its best known landmark .
pic.twitter.com/j4G8FleosT — Thomas Morris ( @ thomasngmorris ) November 27 , 2020 I hear the Queen is hoping she ’ ll be able to invite the little princes and princesses to spend Christmas at Sandringham as usual pic.twitter.com/7mtVRfreSU — Peter Eckersley ( @ peckersley ) November 27 , 2020 Interesting to see why Marble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm sitting here having a coffee at Brighton Pavilion pic.twitter.com/Ixv4jKoBKn — Tony Crawford ( @ UrbanGriller ) November 27 , 2020

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The New York Post received a ribbing on Friday after it used a photograph of Paris to promote a story that was mainly about the temporary relaxation of coronavirus rules over the holidays in the United Kingdom.
An image of the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital appeared in this tweet from the tabloid to promote its article headlined “UK plans ‘Christmas bubbles’ for families to celebrate amid COVID-19.”
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UK plans 'Christmas bubbles' for families to celebrate amid COVID-19 https://t.co/a4Zxqa4WWa pic.twitter.com/fdyEvKNSzC — New York Post (@nypost) November 27, 2020
The story did contain a reference to French President Emmanuel Macron towards the end, however, which some social media users suggested could have played a part in the erroneous picture choice.
The tweet remained live after more than 36 hours online.
Twitter users in the U.K. seized on the gaffe and mockingly responded with their own versions of the post:
I can't wait for when St Paul's Cathedral opens its doors pic.twitter.com/smEA2Wbl7Y — Hamza (Macrobian Nomad) al-Aqeely (@3arabyAswad) November 27, 2020
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Can't wait for my Christmas walk around Hyde Park! pic.twitter.com/uefhJnUMYJ — Dave (@RedDaveLDN) November 27, 2020
And what London Christmas day is complete without a stroll up the snow covered peaks of Primrose Hill pic.twitter.com/XU9UvFpqth — Lenny Bruce (@gpdlondon) November 27, 2020
I hope it snows again at Christmas! Am looking forward to taking the huskies around the M25. pic.twitter.com/zPTlZW9u73 — Jayne (@jayneferst) November 27, 2020
We hear @ThePieceHall looks great at Christmas time... pic.twitter.com/QtZ39HMyRC — Welcome to Yorkshire (@Welcome2Yorks) November 27, 2020
Stockport pyramids will be open for tourists ! pic.twitter.com/C8g2RI1LU4 — Stop in Stockport (@stopinstockport) November 27, 2020
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Cannot wait to see the canals of Birmingham again pic.twitter.com/rv0uMix6RC — Greg Evans (@gregzeene) November 27, 2020
If you're going to use a picture of Paris by mistake, you might at least have chosen its best known landmark. pic.twitter.com/j4G8FleosT — Thomas Morris (@thomasngmorris) November 27, 2020
I hear the Queen is hoping she’ll be able to invite the little princes and princesses to spend Christmas at Sandringham as usual pic.twitter.com/7mtVRfreSU — Peter Eckersley (@peckersley) November 27, 2020
Interesting to see why Marble Arch is trending. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here having a coffee at Brighton Pavilion pic.twitter.com/Ixv4jKoBKn — Tony Crawford (@UrbanGriller) November 27, 2020
Of course to get to Marble Arch from south London, you cross Tower Bridge pic.twitter.com/47olzRbRR8 — Lord Emperor GB (@LEmperorgb) November 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Wisconsin Recount Demanded By Trump Boosts Joe Biden's Margin Of Victory

Well , that didn ’ t go as planned .
A recount of votes in Milwaukee that Donald Trump ’ s campaign demanded ended up increasing President-elect Joe Biden ’ s margin of victory by 132 votes .
The Trump campaign paid $ 3 million for the partial recount in Wisconsin .
The effort also included Dane County ( home to the city of Madison ) , where the recount is expected to be completed Sunday .
In the Milwaukee recount that wrapped up Friday , the number of votes cast for Biden increased by 257 , putting him at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a total of 134,482 , the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported .
Election officials in Wisconsin complained earlier this week that observers representing the Trump campaign were obstructing the recount .
Observers broke the rules by constantly interrupting vote counters with questions and comments , Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said .
According to election officials , a Trump observer objected to every ballot that tabulators pulled from a bag , simply because they were folded .
At the end of the Milwaukee recount on Friday , Christenson declared it “ transparent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of every ballot by election workers , a meticulous recounting of every ballot that was properly cast , a transparent process that allowed the public to observe , a fair process that allows the aggrieved candidate who sought the recount an opportunity to observe and object to ballots they believe should not be counted , ” he said , according to the Journal .
The Dane County recount must be completed by Tuesday at the latest , in time for the state Elections Commission to certify the results .

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Well, that didn’t go as planned. A recount of votes in Milwaukee that Donald Trump’s campaign demanded ended up increasing President-elect Joe Biden’s margin of victory by 132 votes.
The Trump campaign paid $3 million for the partial recount in Wisconsin. The effort also included Dane County (home to the city of Madison), where the recount is expected to be completed Sunday.
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In the Milwaukee recount that wrapped up Friday, the number of votes cast for Biden increased by 257, putting him at 317,527. Trump edged up 125 votes for a total of 134,482, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Election officials in Wisconsin complained earlier this week that observers representing the Trump campaign were obstructing the recount.
Observers broke the rules by constantly interrupting vote counters with questions and comments, Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said. According to election officials, a Trump observer objected to every ballot that tabulators pulled from a bag, simply because they were folded.
At the end of the Milwaukee recount on Friday, Christenson declared it “transparent and fair.”
“There was an examination of every ballot by election workers, a meticulous recounting of every ballot that was properly cast, a transparent process that allowed the public to observe, a fair process that allows the aggrieved candidate who sought the recount an opportunity to observe and object to ballots they believe should not be counted,” he said, according to the Journal.
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The Dane County recount must be completed by Tuesday at the latest, in time for the state Elections Commission to certify the results.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-27--Ex-Head Of U.S. Election Security Calls Trump Fraud 'Farcical'

LOS ANGELES ( Reuters ) - The top U.S. cybersecurity official fired by President Trump for saying the Nov. 3 election was the most secure in American history said voter fraud allegations made by Trump and his allies are “ farcical.
” Chris Krebs , the former director of the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , told CBS ’ 60 Minutes on Friday that allegations of U.S. voting machines being manipulated by foreign countries were baseless .
NEW YORK , NY - JULY 31 : U.S. Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Chris Krebs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Cybersecurity Summit on July 31 , 2018 in New York City .
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said , `` Cyberattacks now exceed the danger of physical attacks ...
This has forced us to rethink homeland security . ''
( Photo by Kevin Hagen/Getty Images ) Sidney Powell , a Trump attorney cut loose by the Trump legal team this week , had put forward a conspiracy theory that election systems created in Venezuela at the behest of the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez helped tip the U.S. election to Democratic President-elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also alleged that voting machines had flipped votes from Trump to Biden and some U.S. voting information was stored on servers in Germany .
“ All votes in the United States of America are counted in the United States of America .
Period , ” said Krebs in an excerpt broadcast that aired Friday on the CBS Evening News .
Krebs ’ full 60 Minutes interview will air on Sunday .
He was fired by Trump on Nov. 17 after calling the election the “ most secure in American history.
” “ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I ’ m aware of has been manipulated by a foreign power , ” said Krebs , calling such allegations “ farcical claims.
” There ’ s no evidence that voting machines were manipulated by foreign actors says Chris Krebs , the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , in his first interview since President Trump fired him .
Sunday , on 60 Minutes .
https : //t.co/hGN4sWWZfE pic.twitter.com/1YTjmbcPOb — 60 Minutes ( @ 60Minutes ) November 27 , 2020 Biden won the election with 306 Electoral College votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leads Trump by over six million in the popular vote .
Trump and his lawyers continue to allege , without evidence , that the election was stolen through widespread fraud and Trump is the winner .
Trump told reporters on that Thursday he will leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for Biden .

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The top U.S. cybersecurity official fired by President Trump for saying the Nov. 3 election was the most secure in American history said voter fraud allegations made by Trump and his allies are “farcical.”
Chris Krebs, the former director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told CBS’ 60 Minutes on Friday that allegations of U.S. voting machines being manipulated by foreign countries were baseless.
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NEW YORK, NY - JULY 31: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Chris Krebs speaks during the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity Summit on July 31, 2018 in New York City. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said, "Cyberattacks now exceed the danger of physical attacks...This has forced us to rethink homeland security." (Photo by Kevin Hagen/Getty Images) Kevin Hagen via Getty Images
Sidney Powell, a Trump attorney cut loose by the Trump legal team this week, had put forward a conspiracy theory that election systems created in Venezuela at the behest of the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez helped tip the U.S. election to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.
Powell and others have also alleged that voting machines had flipped votes from Trump to Biden and some U.S. voting information was stored on servers in Germany.
“All votes in the United States of America are counted in the United States of America. Period,” said Krebs in an excerpt broadcast that aired Friday on the CBS Evening News. Krebs’ full 60 Minutes interview will air on Sunday. He was fired by Trump on Nov. 17 after calling the election the “most secure in American history.”
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“There’s no evidence that any machine that I’m aware of has been manipulated by a foreign power,” said Krebs, calling such allegations “farcical claims.”
He added: “The American people should have 100% confidence in their vote.”
There’s no evidence that voting machines were manipulated by foreign actors says Chris Krebs, the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in his first interview since President Trump fired him.
Sunday, on 60 Minutes. https://t.co/hGN4sWWZfE pic.twitter.com/1YTjmbcPOb — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 27, 2020
Biden won the election with 306 Electoral College votes to Trump’s 232. He leads Trump by over six million in the popular vote.
Trump and his lawyers continue to allege, without evidence, that the election was stolen through widespread fraud and Trump is the winner. Trump told reporters on that Thursday he will leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for Biden.
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Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Daniel Wallis


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Tourist Mails Back Stolen Roman Marble, Apologizes For Being 'An American A**hole'

“ To whom it may concern : I would like to return this rock to its rightful place — anywhere @ @ @ @ @ and I would greatly appreciate your assistance !
Please forgive me for being such an @ @ @ @ @ that was not mine to take .
I feel terribly for not only taking this @ @ @ @ @ , but placing writing on it as well .
That was extremely wrong of me @ @ @ @ @ in my later adult life how inconsiderate and disrespectful that was .
I have attempted @ @ @ @ @ cleaning to remove , but to no success .

“To whom it may concern:
I would like to return this rock to its rightful place — anywhere within the Roman ruins — and I would greatly appreciate your assistance!
Please forgive me for being such an American asshole and taking something that was not mine to take. I feel terribly for not only taking this item from its rightful place, but placing writing on it as well. That was extremely wrong of me, and I now realize in my later adult life how inconsiderate and disrespectful that was. I have attempted many hours of scrubbing and cleaning to remove, but to no success.
Please forgive me!”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-28--Vanderbilt's Sarah Fuller Makes College Football History

Vanderbilt University senior Sarah Fuller made history on Saturday , becoming the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game .
The Power 5 refers to the five largest athletic conferences in college football : the Southeastern ( SEC ) , Big Ten , Big 12 , Pac-12 and Atlantic Coast ( ACC ) conferences .
Fuller ’ s big moment came during Vanderbilt ’ s game at Missouri when she kicked off the second half .
The Missouri crowd cheered and applauded as she took the history-making kick .
As Vanderbilt Athletics noted on its website , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s women ’ s soccer team — is a newly minted member of the school ’ s football squad .
She only got the call to try out about a week ago , after several specialists on the team were benched due to COVID-19 quarantining .
Head football coach Derek Mason added her to the roster after Fuller wowed the coaching staff during tryouts , making field goal after field goal .
“ It ’ s different than a soccer ball , but it felt good , ” Fuller told Vanderbilt Athletics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman to play in a Football Bowl Subdivision game .
Katie Hnida was the first in 2003 when she kicked two extra points for New Mexico against Texas State ; in 2015 , April Goss scored an extra point for Kent State against Delaware State .
“ I think it ’ s amazing and incredible , ” Fuller told Vanderbilt earlier this week of the opportunity to continue shattering glass ceilings .
“ But I ’ m also trying to separate that because I know this is a job I need to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and I want to do the best that I can .
Placing that historical aspect aside just helps me focus in on what I need to do .
I don ’ t want to let them down in any way.
” '' I just want to tell all the girls out there that you can do anything you set your mind to . ''
Sarah Fuller inspiring the next generation 👏 ( via @ SECNetwork ) pic.twitter.com/IjKICMwewg — SportsCenter ( @ SportsCenter ) November 28 , 2020 Vanderbilt lost the game to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s addition to the team was celebrated as a big win .

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Vanderbilt University senior Sarah Fuller made history on Saturday, becoming the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game.
The Power 5 refers to the five largest athletic conferences in college football: the Southeastern (SEC), Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Atlantic Coast (ACC) conferences.
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Fuller’s big moment came during Vanderbilt’s game at Missouri when she kicked off the second half. The Missouri crowd cheered and applauded as she took the history-making kick.
As Vanderbilt Athletics noted on its website, Fuller — a goalie on Vanderbilt’s women’s soccer team — is a newly minted member of the school’s football squad.
She only got the call to try out about a week ago, after several specialists on the team were benched due to COVID-19 quarantining. Head football coach Derek Mason added her to the roster after Fuller wowed the coaching staff during tryouts, making field goal after field goal.
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“It’s different than a soccer ball, but it felt good,” Fuller told Vanderbilt Athletics of the experience.
Fuller is the third woman to play in a Football Bowl Subdivision game. Katie Hnida was the first in 2003 when she kicked two extra points for New Mexico against Texas State; in 2015, April Goss scored an extra point for Kent State against Delaware State.
“I think it’s amazing and incredible,” Fuller told Vanderbilt earlier this week of the opportunity to continue shattering glass ceilings. “But I’m also trying to separate that because I know this is a job I need to do and I want to help the team out and I want to do the best that I can. Placing that historical aspect aside just helps me focus in on what I need to do. I don’t want to let them down in any way.”
"I just want to tell all the girls out there that you can do anything you set your mind to."
Sarah Fuller inspiring the next generation 👏
(via @SECNetwork) pic.twitter.com/IjKICMwewg — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 28, 2020
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Vanderbilt lost the game to Missouri, 41-0, but Fuller’s addition to the team was celebrated as a big win.