huffpost--2020-04-17--Sick Of Banana Bread Yet? Make These Banana Brownies Instead

A lot of us have discovered something new about ourselves while staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic : It is possible to eat your weight in banana bread while self-isolating .
Once a week , you go to the grocery to stock up on essentials , including a bunch of bananas , with the hope that you ’ ll actually eat them all .
But each and every week , there ’ s always one or two left that have ripened past the point of enjoyment .
So you join the rest of the internet and start making banana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But everyone ’ s got a limit .
When it ’ s time to find something else to do with all those leftover ’ naners , head to your pantry for brownie mix .
Bingo !
You can make banana brownies .
Actually , banana brownies with a peanut butter swirl .
Bananas naturally have a small amount of fat in them , making them the perfect substitute for other sources of fat in baking ― in this case , the oil or butter .
Banana brownies aren ’ t necessarily “ healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fat alternative .
Making these guys couldn ’ t be easier .
All you have to do is combine one box of brownie mix with 1 cup of mashed bananas , a little milk and two eggs .
That ’ s it .
If you don ’ t have milk , you can use water , but the milk adds richness .
When you ’ re adding the mashed bananas , just be sure they ’ re finely mashed without any lumps .
This will help to ensure a consistent texture when baking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chocolate chips into the batter and drizzle the top with peanut butter before baking , but feel free to leave that part out if you don ’ t have any on hand .
5 .
Drizzle peanut butter over the top , then use a butter knife to gently swirl it into the batter , running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers .
6 .
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes , or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean .
7 .
Drizzle peanut butter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ butter knife to gently swirl it into the batter , running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers .
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus .
The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time , but it ’ s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus .
Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations .

Jeremy Paige
A lot of us have discovered something new about ourselves while staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic: It is possible to eat your weight in banana bread while self-isolating.
Once a week, you go to the grocery to stock up on essentials, including a bunch of bananas, with the hope that you’ll actually eat them all. But each and every week, there’s always one or two left that have ripened past the point of enjoyment. So you join the rest of the internet and start making banana bread. A lot of it.
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But everyone’s got a limit. When it’s time to find something else to do with all those leftover ’naners, head to your pantry for brownie mix. Bingo! You can make banana brownies. Actually, banana brownies with a peanut butter swirl.
Bananas naturally have a small amount of fat in them, making them the perfect substitute for other sources of fat in baking ― in this case, the oil or butter. Banana brownies aren’t necessarily “healthy,” but they use a healthier fat alternative.
Making these guys couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is combine one box of brownie mix with 1 cup of mashed bananas, a little milk and two eggs. That’s it. If you don’t have milk, you can use water, but the milk adds richness. When you’re adding the mashed bananas, just be sure they’re finely mashed without any lumps. This will help to ensure a consistent texture when baking.
You can stir a handful of chocolate chips into the batter and drizzle the top with peanut butter before baking, but feel free to leave that part out if you don’t have any on hand.
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Also, don’t worry if you don’t have a boxed mix at home. Below you’ll find a recipe for a homemade version, too.
Jeremy Paige
Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Brownies (boxed version)
Ingredients
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup finely mashed banana (about 2 bananas)
1/4 cup milk
1 box brownie mix
1 cup chocolate chips, optional
1/4 cup melted peanut butter
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed banana and milk until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the brownie mix and stir until combined.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips (if using) and pour batter into prepared dish.
5. Drizzle peanut butter over the top, then use a butter knife to gently swirl it into the batter, running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean.
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7. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Brownies (from scratch version)
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1⅓ cups chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup finely mashed banana
3 large eggs, beaten
1½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup brewed coffee
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips, optional
1/4 cup melted peanut butter
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Add butter and 1/3 cup chocolate chips in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk together and cook until chocolate and butter are melted and evenly combined.
3. Pour mixture into a large bowl and let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in bananas, eggs, sugar, vanilla and coffee until combined.
5. Gently fold in the in cocoa powder, flour and salt.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips (if using) and pour batter into prepared dish.
7. Drizzle peanut butter over the top, then use a butter knife to gently swirl it into the batter, running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Jeremy Paige
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huffpost--2020-04-17--Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Gives Some Beaches Green Light To Reopen

JACKSONVILLE , Fla. ( AP ) — Florida ’ s governor on Friday gave the green light for some beaches and parks to reopen if it can be done safely , and north Florida beaches became among the first to allow people to return since closures because of the coronavirus .
Mayor Lenny Curry said Duval County beaches were reopening Friday afternoon with restricted hours , and they can only be used for walking , biking , hiking , fishing , running , swimming , taking care of pets and surfing .
The beaches will be open from 6 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Curry said in a video posted to social media .
Gatherings of 50 or more people are prohibited and people must still practice social distancing .
“ Folks , this could be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life , but please respect and follow these limitations , ” Curry said .
“ We ’ ll get back to life as we know it , but we must be patient.
” Florida officials were criticized for leaving beaches open during part of the spring break period last month .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept them open under very restrictive conditions .
Other more high-profile beaches in South Florida — including Miami Beach — were closed by state order .
At a news conference in Fort Lauderdale , Gov .
Ron DeSantis said some municipalities should feel free to start opening up parks and beaches , if that can be done safely , with distancing guidelines remaining in place .
The governor said it was important for people to have outlets for getting exercise , sunshine and fresh air .
Chris Imeson , of Ponte Vedra Beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beach near the St. Johns and Duval county line in the northeast part of the state .
He says he ’ ll definitely go to the beach and is excited about being able to do so .
“ Honestly I don ’ t understand why people are so upset , ” Imeson said in a telephone interview .
“ We have really uncrowded beaches .
...
I can ’ t tell you I ’ ve ever been within 6 feet of another person other than my little boy.
” He is unemployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his time homeschooling his young son .
They ’ ve only gone out in the yard and for walks around the neighborhood .
“ We ’ ve been excessively careful , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t want to understate how serious the coronavirus is , but I would be more concerned about going to a convenience store than going to the beach.
” Imeson said he believes people saw images of spring breakers on Clearwater and Miami beaches before they were shut down and assume all of Florida ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partying crowds .
“ I might take my dog for a walk at sunrise on the beach .
The idea that we ’ re close to people is crazy .
We ’ re never close to anyone at the beach .
There ’ s so much space .
People aren ’ t on top of each other , ” he said .

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s governor on Friday gave the green light for some beaches and parks to reopen if it can be done safely, and north Florida beaches became among the first to allow people to return since closures because of the coronavirus.
Mayor Lenny Curry said Duval County beaches were reopening Friday afternoon with restricted hours, and they can only be used for walking, biking, hiking, fishing, running, swimming, taking care of pets and surfing.
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The beaches will be open from 6 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 8 p.m., Curry said in a video posted to social media. Gatherings of 50 or more people are prohibited and people must still practice social distancing.
“Folks, this could be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life, but please respect and follow these limitations,” Curry said. “We’ll get back to life as we know it, but we must be patient.”
Florida officials were criticized for leaving beaches open during part of the spring break period last month. Most counties closed their beaches in response or kept them open under very restrictive conditions. Other more high-profile beaches in South Florida — including Miami Beach — were closed by state order.
At a news conference in Fort Lauderdale, Gov. Ron DeSantis said some municipalities should feel free to start opening up parks and beaches, if that can be done safely, with distancing guidelines remaining in place.
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The governor said it was important for people to have outlets for getting exercise, sunshine and fresh air.
“Do it in a good way. Do it in a safe way,” DeSantis said.
Chris Imeson, of Ponte Vedra Beach, lives about a 10-minute walk from a beach near the St. Johns and Duval county line in the northeast part of the state. He says he’ll definitely go to the beach and is excited about being able to do so.
“Honestly I don’t understand why people are so upset,” Imeson said in a telephone interview. “We have really uncrowded beaches. ... I can’t tell you I’ve ever been within 6 feet of another person other than my little boy.”
He is unemployed because of the crisis and has spent his time homeschooling his young son. They’ve only gone out in the yard and for walks around the neighborhood.
“We’ve been excessively careful,” he said. “I don’t want to understate how serious the coronavirus is, but I would be more concerned about going to a convenience store than going to the beach.”
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Imeson said he believes people saw images of spring breakers on Clearwater and Miami beaches before they were shut down and assume all of Florida’s sand is covered in drinking, partying crowds.
“I might take my dog for a walk at sunrise on the beach. The idea that we’re close to people is crazy. We’re never close to anyone at the beach. There’s so much space. People aren’t on top of each other,” he said.
___
Mike Schneider contributed to this report from Orlando; Tamara Lush contributed from St. Petersburg.
___


huffpost--2020-04-17--Doctor Collects 650 Tablets So COVID-19 Patients Can Say Final Goodbyes

Ee Tay ’ s birthday wish this year was different from anything she ’ d asked for in the past : As the April 8 date approached , the New York City doctor asked people on Facebook to donate used iPad and other tablets that COVID-19 patients could use to say final goodbyes to loved ones .
Tay , the chief of the pediatric emergency room at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue , had heard stories from colleagues of coronavirus patients dying alone in isolation wards , most of them without having said goodbye to their family and friends .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last point of contact has been the drop-off at the hospital or the ambulance driving away . )
“ Sometimes , out of desperation , my ER colleagues will use their personal phones to contact family members on their patients ’ behalfs , to allow them a chance to ’ see each other before passing ’ , ” Tay told HuffPost .
The doctor wanted to change that .
A few days before her birthday , Tay turned to Facebook and asked people she knew to send over iPads and other tablet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then , she told them , she ’ d send them off to hospitals in New York City for COVID-19 patients to use .
Her goal was to collect 150 devices .
Thanks to social media and a generous donation from the Bank of New York Mellon , Tay arranged for the donation of roughly 650 tablets to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue , including Bellevue Hospital and other local hospitals like Jacobi and Elmhurst .
( The hospitals are some of the hardest hit in the country ; New York state has reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , and New York City has had close to 11,500 deaths . )
“ I think having a visual image of their loved ones using a tablet is better than a walkie-talkie or phone , especially when patients are intubated ― which means they ’ re using a breathing tube on a ventilator ― and are struggling to vocalize , ” she said .
The tablets aren ’ t just for saying goodbye ; they ’ re also a way for recovering COVID patients to keep in touch with their families while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Android phones , too ; those will be given to hospital social workers to pass on to financially struggling families who don ’ t have devices to communicate with their sick loved ones .
The fund was created in the memory of DiMarco ’ s mother , Jeannie Tomaselli , a beloved Long Island nurse who died in 2016 .
In the last months of her life , Tomaselli relied on FaceTime on an iPad to stay in touch with her loved ones , because she was immunocompromised .
“ This seems like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legacy , ” DiMarco told HuffPost .
“ Plus , connecting with patients and their loved ones and giving them the tools to strengthen their own connection in times of need was the part of nursing she valued the most.
” So far , the women have raised over $ 28,000 .
The first set of iPads were delivered to some of New York ’ s hardest-hit hospitals last week , including NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx , Montefiore Medical Center , Memorial Sloan Kettering , NYU Winthrop Hospital and Unity Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , the group is scheduled to make deliveries to 10 more hospitals .
“ We ’ ve heard stories of nurses using the iPads so patients can sing happy birthday to family members , pray together or just to see familiar , smiling faces to help with anxiety , ” she said .
“ The sad reality is that these tablets are also serving as a means for family members to say goodbye to their loved ones , ” DiMarco said .
“ We know that ’ s when these iPads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Both Tay and DiMarco encourage readers to donate old tablets with WiFi capability to their local hospitals or nursing homes .
DiMarco ’ s Jeannie ’ s Fund is an ongoing campaign on GoFundMe .
And Tay is still collecting tablet donations to give to hospitals in New York City .
She can be reached by email .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Ee Tay’s birthday wish this year was different from anything she’d asked for in the past: As the April 8 date approached, the New York City doctor asked people on Facebook to donate used iPad and other tablets that COVID-19 patients could use to say final goodbyes to loved ones.
Tay, the chief of the pediatric emergency room at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, had heard stories from colleagues of coronavirus patients dying alone in isolation wards, most of them without having said goodbye to their family and friends. (For most patients and their families, the last point of contact has been the drop-off at the hospital or the ambulance driving away.)
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“Sometimes, out of desperation, my ER colleagues will use their personal phones to contact family members on their patients’ behalfs, to allow them a chance to ’see each other before passing’,” Tay told HuffPost.
But in hospitals overwhelmed with COVID patients, Tay said hospital staffers are so busy taking care of other sick patients, there’s no opportunity to do that.
The doctor wanted to change that. A few days before her birthday, Tay turned to Facebook and asked people she knew to send over iPads and other tablet devices they weren’t using. Then, she told them, she’d send them off to hospitals in New York City for COVID-19 patients to use. Her goal was to collect 150 devices.
“Happy birthday to me? Sure, just send me a tablet,” she wrote in the April 2 post.
Ee Tay The Facebook post Ee Tay put up earlier this month, requesting used iPad tablets.
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A week after posting, her birthday wish was fulfilled ― and then some.
Thanks to social media and a generous donation from the Bank of New York Mellon, Tay arranged for the donation of roughly 650 tablets to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, including Bellevue Hospital and other local hospitals like Jacobi and Elmhurst. (The hospitals are some of the hardest hit in the country; New York state has reported more than 223,000 coronavirus cases as of Thursday, and New York City has had close to 11,500 deaths.)
“Birthday wish fulfilled!” an ecstatic Tay wrote on April 8. “You all opened your hearts and poured your generosity into my requests by sending me what you could. I received so many tablets, both new and used, which will help heal and ease the pain when patients are in the hospital.”
The hospitals are deploying the tablets in the ERs and intensive care units.
Tay told HuffPost it’s heartening to imagine how much of a gamechanger the tablets are going to be for patients.
“I think having a visual image of their loved ones using a tablet is better than a walkie-talkie or phone, especially when patients are intubated ― which means they’re using a breathing tube on a ventilator ― and are struggling to vocalize,” she said.
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The tablets aren’t just for saying goodbye; they’re also a way for recovering COVID patients to keep in touch with their families while on the mend.
Tay received some Android phones, too; those will be given to hospital social workers to pass on to financially struggling families who don’t have devices to communicate with their sick loved ones.
Ee Tay Donations collected by Tay arrive at Bellevue Hospital.
The doctor isn’t the only one rounding up tablets for COVID patients in need.
Earlier this month, New Yorkers Laura DiMarco, Zina Ajlouny and Liz O’Rourke, an ICU nurse in Long Island, New York, started a GoFund page to raise funds to buy iPads for coronavirus patients.
The fund was created in the memory of DiMarco’s mother, Jeannie Tomaselli, a beloved Long Island nurse who died in 2016. In the last months of her life, Tomaselli relied on FaceTime on an iPad to stay in touch with her loved ones, because she was immunocompromised.
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“This seems like a fitting way to carry on her legacy,” DiMarco told HuffPost. “Plus, connecting with patients and their loved ones and giving them the tools to strengthen their own connection in times of need was the part of nursing she valued the most.”
So far, the women have raised over $28,000. The first set of iPads were delivered to some of New York’s hardest-hit hospitals last week, including NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, Montefiore Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering, NYU Winthrop Hospital and Unity Hospital in Rochester. At the end of this week, the group is scheduled to make deliveries to 10 more hospitals.
Laura DiMarco As of Thursday, DiMarco and her team have raised over $28,000 to buy iPads and tablets.
The iPads that have already made it into ICU rooms are going to good use, DiMarco said.
“We’ve heard stories of nurses using the iPads so patients can sing happy birthday to family members, pray together or just to see familiar, smiling faces to help with anxiety,” she said.
Of course, there are more sober stories, too.
“The sad reality is that these tablets are also serving as a means for family members to say goodbye to their loved ones,” DiMarco said. “We know that’s when these iPads are contributing in the most meaningful way.”
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Both Tay and DiMarco encourage readers to donate old tablets with WiFi capability to their local hospitals or nursing homes. DiMarco’s Jeannie’s Fund is an ongoing campaign on GoFundMe. And Tay is still collecting tablet donations to give to hospitals in New York City. She can be reached by email.
“I’m glad this is bringing awareness,” she told HuffPost. “I’ve heard from people who initiated a similar program in their hospitals, or have reached out to their local hospitals or nursing homes to donate tablets for patient-family communication. I hope reading this will inspire others to do the same.”


huffpost--2020-04-17--Disease Expert Calls Dr. Phil's Coronavirus Advice To The Public 'Catastrophic'

McGraw , who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is not a medical doctor , has not studied infectious disease and does not have any specific expertise associated with epidemiology .
( McGraw had a vertical on HuffPost for a period of time .
His contract with the site ended in 2016 . )
Dr. Christopher Gill , an infectious disease specialist and associate professor of global health at Boston University , called McGraw ’ s argument both “ silly ” and “ shortsighted and unhelpful.
” “ In the US , [ COVID-19 ] case numbers are doubling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the country , they are doubling every few days , ” he told HuffPost via email .
“ Dr .
Phil seems to be arguing that we should do nothing until things get so catastrophic that there are more [ COVID-19 ] deaths than smoking deaths.
” “ This argument makes no sense to me , ” Gill continued .
“ The number of smoking deaths ( or swimming pool deaths ) is slowly falling in the U.S. due to aggressive public health campaigns around smoking cessation and swimming safety .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers are rising every week.
” “ If we were to take Dr. Phil ’ s advice and do nothing because the [ COVID-19 ] deaths SO FAR are much smaller than the smoking deaths , then the math is pretty clear that before too long the [ COVID-19 ] deaths could actually be much higher than smoking deaths , which would be catastrophic , ” Gill said .
Dr. Arnold Monto , an epidemiology professor at the University of Michigan , also disagreed with McGraw ’ s “ analysis ” of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious disease and when it occurs , there are multiple cases in a limited geographic area .
Handling them stretches the system , ” Monto explained in an email to HuffPost .
“ If this were like a local disaster , such as a major explosion , it would be limited to a single place .
Here , this is occurring widely and draining resources .
What is worse is that cases stay in the hospital for long periods , further impacting the system .
This does not happen in swimming deaths and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say that , while social distancing is “ a blunt instrument , ” it ’ s crucial “ to flatten the demand for medical management ” and “ it is all we have.
” It should also be noted that the statistics Dr. Phil mentioned on Fox News Thursday night were wrong .
Outside of his quote for the cigarette-related deaths , none of those figures are accurate .
Additionally , unlike the coronavirus , swimming deaths and traffic fatalities aren ’ t contagious .
He later addressed this issue during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewers that those were “ probably bad examples.
” “ Now , last night , I said we as a society have chosen to live with certain controllable deadly risks every day .
Smoking , auto crashes , swimming .
And yes , I know that those are not contagious .
So , probably bad examples , ” he said .
“ And I refer to them as numbers of deaths that we apparently find acceptable because we do little or nothing about them .
I get that they are not contagious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I probably could have used better examples.
” Dr. Phil , who also talked about the psychological toll of coronavirus on people in lockdown while on Ingraham ’ s show , went on to stress the importance of helping people deal with depression right now .
He also emphasized : “ I am not an infectious disease doctor .
I am not a molecular microbiologist .
I look at this from a human behavior psychological standpoint .
”

McGraw, who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is not a medical doctor, has not studied infectious disease and does not have any specific expertise associated with epidemiology. (McGraw had a vertical on HuffPost for a period of time. His contract with the site ended in 2016.)
Dr. Christopher Gill, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor of global health at Boston University, called McGraw’s argument both “silly” and “shortsighted and unhelpful.”
“In the US, [COVID-19] case numbers are doubling every week or so — in some parts of the country, they are doubling every few days,” he told HuffPost via email. “Dr. Phil seems to be arguing that we should do nothing until things get so catastrophic that there are more [COVID-19] deaths than smoking deaths.”
“This argument makes no sense to me,” Gill continued. “The number of smoking deaths (or swimming pool deaths) is slowly falling in the U.S. due to aggressive public health campaigns around smoking cessation and swimming safety. By contrast, the [COVID-19] numbers are rising every week.”
“If we were to take Dr. Phil’s advice and do nothing because the [COVID-19] deaths SO FAR are much smaller than the smoking deaths, then the math is pretty clear that before too long the [COVID-19] deaths could actually be much higher than smoking deaths, which would be catastrophic,” Gill said.
Dr. Arnold Monto, an epidemiology professor at the University of Michigan, also disagreed with McGraw’s “analysis” of the current situation.
“This is an infectious disease and when it occurs, there are multiple cases in a limited geographic area. Handling them stretches the system,” Monto explained in an email to HuffPost. “If this were like a local disaster, such as a major explosion, it would be limited to a single place. Here, this is occurring widely and draining resources. What is worse is that cases stay in the hospital for long periods, further impacting the system. This does not happen in swimming deaths and his other illustrations.”
Monto went on to say that, while social distancing is “a blunt instrument,” it’s crucial “to flatten the demand for medical management” and “it is all we have.”
It should also be noted that the statistics Dr. Phil mentioned on Fox News Thursday night were wrong. Outside of his quote for the cigarette-related deaths, none of those figures are accurate. Additionally, unlike the coronavirus, swimming deaths and traffic fatalities aren’t contagious.
He later addressed this issue during a Facebook Live stream on Friday, telling viewers that those were “probably bad examples.”
“Now, last night, I said we as a society have chosen to live with certain controllable deadly risks every day. Smoking, auto crashes, swimming. And yes, I know that those are not contagious. So, probably bad examples,” he said. “And I refer to them as numbers of deaths that we apparently find acceptable because we do little or nothing about them. I get that they are not contagious, so they are probably not good examples. I probably could have used better examples.”
Dr. Phil, who also talked about the psychological toll of coronavirus on people in lockdown while on Ingraham’s show, went on to stress the importance of helping people deal with depression right now. He also emphasized: “I am not an infectious disease doctor. I am not a molecular microbiologist. I look at this from a human behavior psychological standpoint.”


huffpost--2020-05-20--Pelosi Piles On, Compares Trump To Child With 'Doggy Doo On His Shoes'

WASHINGTON , May 20 ( Reuters ) - Nancy Pelosi , the top elected U.S. Democrat , compared President Donald Trump on Wednesday to a child “ with doggy doo on his shoes , ” as the spat between the two leaders escalated .
The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Republican president have not spoken directly for seven months but have exchanged barbs this week as Congress and the White House work to respond to a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 91,000 people in the United States .
“ It ’ s like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their pants , ” Pelosi told a news conference when asked about provocative comments Trump has made about MSNBC television host Joe Scarborough , including references to him as “ psycho.
” “ He comes in with doggy doo on his shoes and everybody who works with him has that on their shoes , too , for a very longtime to come , ” Pelosi said , referring to canine excrement .
Trump , famous for his name-calling and insults , toldreporters earlier in the week during a visit to Capitol Hill : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She ’ s got a lot of problems .
A lot of mental problems.
” The president was responding to Pelosi ’ s comments on Monday that he should not be taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medicine against the coronavirus because of his age and being in a weight group she said was “ morbidly obese.
” Pelosi , who is second in line for the presidency , has not spoken directly to Trump since Oct. 16 , when she attended aWhite House meeting on Syria .
Treasury Secretary Steven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the negotiations with Pelosi and other congressional Democrats that resulted in $ 3 trillion in coronavirus relief over the past two months .

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WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Nancy Pelosi, the top elected U.S. Democrat, compared President Donald Trump on Wednesday to a child “with doggy doo on his shoes,” as the spat between the two leaders escalated.
The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Republican president have not spoken directly for seven months but have exchanged barbs this week as Congress and the White House work to respond to a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 91,000 people in the United States.
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“It’s like a child who comes in with mud on their pants,” Pelosi told a news conference when asked about provocative comments Trump has made about MSNBC television host Joe Scarborough, including references to him as “psycho.”
“He comes in with doggy doo on his shoes and everybody who works with him has that on their shoes, too, for a very longtime to come,” Pelosi said, referring to canine excrement.
Trump, famous for his name-calling and insults, toldreporters earlier in the week during a visit to Capitol Hill: “Pelosi is a sick woman. She’s got a lot of problems. A lot of mental problems.”
The president was responding to Pelosi’s comments on Monday that he should not be taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medicine against the coronavirus because of his age and being in a weight group she said was “morbidly obese.”
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Pelosi, who is second in line for the presidency, has not spoken directly to Trump since Oct. 16, when she attended aWhite House meeting on Syria.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other Trump administration officials led the negotiations with Pelosi and other congressional Democrats that resulted in $3 trillion in coronavirus relief over the past two months.


huffpost--2020-05-21--CDC Quietly Releases Reopening Guidance Initially Shelved By White House

NEW YORK ( AP ) — U.S. health officials have quietly released more reopening guidance that was created more than a month ago but initially shelved .
As with other recently released guidance , religious organizations were not included .
Instead , the document has advice for childcare facilities , schools , day camps , mass transit systems , restaurants , bars and other businesses and organizations that have workers at high risk of becoming sick from the coronavirus .
The guidance discusses different steps organizations can take as they reopen from closures aimed at stopping the virus ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention placed the information in a 20-page appendix to a document previously posted on its website .
For example , the CDC suggests restaurants might transition from take-out only to reopening dining rooms with customers spaced six feet apart .
Mass transit systems might shift from serving only essential workers to opening up to the general public with restrictions , such as closing every other row of seats and limits on how many riders can be on a bus or train .
In a third step , the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but keep tape markers on the ground or take other steps to help passengers stay 6 feet apart .
The pages flesh out six one-page “ decision tool ” documents — posted by CDC last week — that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening .
But it ’ s not a mandate and leaves lots of wiggle room .
The phrases “ as feasible , ” “ if feasible , ” and “ where feasible ” repeat over and over again .
Those early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for churches wanting to restart in-person services , with suggestions including maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings .
The White House initially shelved all the guidance , though news organizations including The Associated Press obtained copies .
Since then , the White House authorized release of some of the information .
But the faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions .
On Wednesday , White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said there was no need for a splashy announcement about the guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ was already out there.
” She said initial draft guidance received “ constructive criticism ” and refinement during an internal government review before it was released .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have quietly released more reopening guidance that was created more than a month ago but initially shelved.
As with other recently released guidance, religious organizations were not included. Instead, the document has advice for childcare facilities, schools, day camps, mass transit systems, restaurants, bars and other businesses and organizations that have workers at high risk of becoming sick from the coronavirus.
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The guidance discusses different steps organizations can take as they reopen from closures aimed at stopping the virus’s spread. On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention placed the information in a 20-page appendix to a document previously posted on its website.
For example, the CDC suggests restaurants might transition from take-out only to reopening dining rooms with customers spaced six feet apart.
Mass transit systems might shift from serving only essential workers to opening up to the general public with restrictions, such as closing every other row of seats and limits on how many riders can be on a bus or train. In a third step, the system might loosen some of those limitations, but keep tape markers on the ground or take other steps to help passengers stay 6 feet apart.
The pages flesh out six one-page “decision tool” documents — posted by CDC last week — that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening. But it’s not a mandate and leaves lots of wiggle room. The phrases “as feasible,” “if feasible,” and “where feasible” repeat over and over again.
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More than a month ago, CDC gave White House officials a more detailed version of decision tools and additional pages of guidance.
Those early versions of the documents included detailed information for churches wanting to restart in-person services, with suggestions including maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings.
The White House initially shelved all the guidance, though news organizations including The Associated Press obtained copies. Since then, the White House authorized release of some of the information. But the faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions.
On Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said there was no need for a splashy announcement about the guidance being posted because much of the information “was already out there.” She said initial draft guidance received “constructive criticism” and refinement during an internal government review before it was released.
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AP reporters Jill Colvin in Washington, D.C., and Jason Dearen in Gainesville, Florida, contributed to this report.
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huffpost--2020-05-21--‘Trump Lies, People Die’: Protesters Leave Body Bags Outside White House

The demonstration started with a mock 200-car funeral procession beginning at the residence of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) , passing by the Capitol building , and ending at the White House , where demonstrators dumped body bags onto the sidewalk .
Progressive activists outside the White House in Washington , D.C. , lay body bags and photos of loved ones killed by the coronavirus on May 20 as part of nationwide demonstrations against President Donald Trump 's handling of the pandemic , which has killed nearly 100,00 people in the U.S. “ Trump Lies , People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body bags , meant to symbolize the nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. killed so far in the pandemic .
Progressive activists outside the White House in Washington D.C. lay body bags and photos of loved ones killed by the coronavirus on May 20 , 2020 as part of nationwide demonstrations against President Donald Trump 's handling of the pandemic , which has killed nearly 100,00 people in the U.S .
The protest on May 20 was part of a nationwide `` Day of Mourning '' organized by a coalition of progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take place throughout the week .
The protest was part of a nationwide “ Day of Mourning ” organized by a coalition of progressive groups , including the Center for Popular Democracy , Indivisible , National Domestic Workers Alliance and MoveOn .
Similar demonstrations took place in Georgia , Pennsylvania , Louisiana , Michigan , Wisconsin , Texas and other states .
More demonstrations will take place throughout the week and will include mock funeral motorcades outside the office of Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) in Columbia , South Carolina , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior adviser Jared Kushner in Bedminster , New Jersey .
“ Tens of thousands of those deaths are due to the inaction and chaotic leadership of the Trump Administration and Republican elected officials across the country , ” the progressive groups said in a statement .
“ Nearly 35 million people have also lost their jobs , and people of color are disproportionately suffering .
Meanwhile , the president and Republicans are reopening states while claiming there is no rush to pass sweeping relief measures such as the HEROES Act.
” “ Tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the inaction and chaotic leadership of the Trump Administration and Republican elected officials across the country , ” the progressive groups organizing the `` Day of Mourning '' said in a statement .
The protests come as the death toll continues to climb in the United States , reaching over 92,000 on Wednesday , and as the president comes under scrutiny for his handling of the crisis .
An alarming Columbia University study published this week found that 36,000 lives could have been saved if the Trump administration had enacted lockdown measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March .
“ We think that [ Trump ] didn ’ t act fast enough , ” Jennifer Walker Flynn , a senior director at the Center for Popular Democracy , told HuffPost Wednesday .
“ When he acted , he didn ’ t create a unified plan or a coordinated plan at the federal level .
Instead , he created chaos .
He ’ s sewn divisions instead of bringing the country together and building unity .
And he just continues to ignore science , not understand science , willfully enact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this country.
” As Flynn and others protested outside the White House Wednesday , Trump met with the governors of Arkansas and Kansas to discuss the coronavirus outbreak .
At a press briefing afterward , a reporter told the president that while the U.S. is home to about 4 % of the world ’ s population , it has 30 % of the world ’ s COVID-19 cases .

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Activists laid body bags outside the White House Wednesday evening to protest what they consider to be President Donald Trump and Republican officials’ catastrophic response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The demonstration started with a mock 200-car funeral procession beginning at the residence of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), passing by the Capitol building, and ending at the White House, where demonstrators dumped body bags onto the sidewalk.
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Progressive activists outside the White House in Washington, D.C., lay body bags and photos of loved ones killed by the coronavirus on May 20 as part of nationwide demonstrations against President Donald Trump's handling of the pandemic, which has killed nearly 100,00 people in the U.S. Yilmaz Akin/Subminimal for Care in Action
“Trump Lies, People Die,” read signs affixed to the body bags, meant to symbolize the nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. killed so far in the pandemic.
Religious leaders delivered eulogies, while other demonstrators gave speeches about loved ones they’ve lost to the virus.
Signs affixed to body bags read “Trump Lies, People Die,” symbolizing the nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. killed so far in the pandemic. Ari Rabin-Havt
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Progressive activists outside the White House in Washington D.C. lay body bags and photos of loved ones killed by the coronavirus on May 20, 2020 as part of nationwide demonstrations against President Donald Trump's handling of the pandemic, which has killed nearly 100,00 people in the U.S. Yilmaz Akin/Subminimal for Care in Action
The protest on May 20 was part of a nationwide "Day of Mourning" organized by a coalition of progressive groups. More demonstrations are scheduled to take place throughout the week. Ari Rabin-Havt
The protest was part of a nationwide “Day of Mourning” organized by a coalition of progressive groups, including the Center for Popular Democracy, Indivisible, National Domestic Workers Alliance and MoveOn. Similar demonstrations took place in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas and other states.
More demonstrations will take place throughout the week and will include mock funeral motorcades outside the office of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in Columbia, South Carolina, and outside a property owned by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner in Bedminster, New Jersey.
“Tens of thousands of those deaths are due to the inaction and chaotic leadership of the Trump Administration and Republican elected officials across the country,” the progressive groups said in a statement. “Nearly 35 million people have also lost their jobs, and people of color are disproportionately suffering. Meanwhile, the president and Republicans are reopening states while claiming there is no rush to pass sweeping relief measures such as the HEROES Act.”
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Progressive activists hold a 200-car funeral motorcade through Washington, D.C., on May 20. Yilmaz Akin/Subminimal for Care in Action
“Tens of thousands of those deaths are due to the inaction and chaotic leadership of the Trump Administration and Republican elected officials across the country,” the progressive groups organizing the "Day of Mourning" said in a statement. Yilmaz Akin/Subminimal for Care in Action
The protests come as the death toll continues to climb in the United States, reaching over 92,000 on Wednesday, and as the president comes under scrutiny for his handling of the crisis. An alarming Columbia University study published this week found that 36,000 lives could have been saved if the Trump administration had enacted lockdown measures just one week earlier than it did in March.
“We think that [Trump] didn’t act fast enough,” Jennifer Walker Flynn, a senior director at the Center for Popular Democracy, told HuffPost Wednesday. “When he acted, he didn’t create a unified plan or a coordinated plan at the federal level. Instead, he created chaos. He’s sewn divisions instead of bringing the country together and building unity. And he just continues to ignore science, not understand science, willfully enact policies that endanger public health of people in this country.”
As Flynn and others protested outside the White House Wednesday, Trump met with the governors of Arkansas and Kansas to discuss the coronavirus outbreak. At a press briefing afterward, a reporter told the president that while the U.S. is home to about 4% of the world’s population, it has 30% of the world’s COVID-19 cases.
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“What would you have done differently?” the reporter asked the president.
“Well, nothing,” Trump responded.


huffpost--2020-05-21--Trump Is The Most Anti-Conservation President In History, Analysis Finds

It ’ s a vow that dates back to former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke .
In December 2017 , after less than a year on the job , Zinke declared that goal complete , publishing an extremely thin list of actions that he believed rivaled those of his hero and America ’ s conservation president .
Upon resigning from the administration in January 2019 , Zinke claimed , among other things , that the Trump administration is “ one of the leading conservationists.
” David Bernhardt , who replaced Zinke atop the federal agency , has carried the torch forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the president ’ s priorities is to strive to ensure a conservation legacy second only to Theodore Roosevelt , ” he said during his Senate confirmation hearing in March 2019 .
Environmentalists , outdoor sporting groups and even a great-grandson of Roosevelt himself have repeatedly blasted the Trump administration for invoking and comparing itself to the 26th president .
And a new analysis from the Center for American Progress shows just how wildly off the mark the administration is .
“ If the Trump administration aspires to build upon Teddy Roosevelt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to consider stopping their attacks on the very system of public lands that Roosevelt helped build , ” said Jenny Rowland-Shea , CAP ’ s senior public lands policy analyst and a co-author of the report .
“ The numbers reveal an administration that has handed extractive industries access to public lands at a scope and scale we ’ ve never seen before.
” Trump is the only president to strip protections from more acres of public land than he ’ s protected , according to the analysis .
The administration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolling back protections for nearly 35 million acres of federal land , an area roughly the size of Florida .
That includes slashing protections for 10 million acres of greater sage grouse habitat in seven Western states to allow energy and mineral development ; a directive to greenlight logging on more than 9 million acres of Alaska ’ s Tongass National Forest , the planet ’ s largest remaining intact temperate rainforest ; and carving more than 2 million acres from a pair of protected national monuments in Utah ― Bears Ears and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national monuments in U.S. history .
The 35 million acre figure does not include the more than 24 million acres of public lands that the Trump administration has offered at auction to oil and gas drillers or its controversial offshore drilling plan that could open up nearly all U.S. waters ― some 1.5 billion acres ― to fossil fuel development .
Meanwhile , the Trump administration has protected via executive action less than 37,000 acres , CAP found .
That includes the administration ’ s extension of a mining ban on 30,000 acres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montana , in an area just north of Yellowstone National Park .
The Interior Department often highlights its efforts to expand hunting and fishing on federal lands .
Last month , it proposed new and expanded hunting and angling opportunities on 2.3 million acres across 97 national wildlife refuges and nine national fish hatcheries .
While that is said to be the largest single proposed expansion in the agency ’ s history , the Obama administration made similar annual announcements .
CAP ’ s analysis comes as the U.S. and nations around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s rooted in environmental destruction , including habitat loss and the trade of wildlife .
As HuffPost reported last month , human exploitation of the natural world has led to a rise in infectious diseases spilling from animals to humans , and scientists warn that preventing future outbreaks requires a global effort to better protect ecosystems and combat biodiversity loss .
“ Protected lands and waters are a bulwark against the rapid decline of nature , offering a refuge for people and wildlife alike , ” CAP writes in its report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a football field ’ s worth of natural area every 30 seconds to human development , the planet simply can not afford any additional destructive anti-conservation actions .
”

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At the very top of the Interior Department’s list of priorities is to “create a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt.”
It’s a vow that dates back to former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. In December 2017, after less than a year on the job, Zinke declared that goal complete, publishing an extremely thin list of actions that he believed rivaled those of his hero and America’s conservation president. Upon resigning from the administration in January 2019, Zinke claimed, among other things, that the Trump administration is “one of the leading conservationists.”
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David Bernhardt, who replaced Zinke atop the federal agency, has carried the torch forward, just not for himself. “One of the president’s priorities is to strive to ensure a conservation legacy second only to Theodore Roosevelt,” he said during his Senate confirmation hearing in March 2019.
Environmentalists, outdoor sporting groups and even a great-grandson of Roosevelt himself have repeatedly blasted the Trump administration for invoking and comparing itself to the 26th president. And a new analysis from the Center for American Progress shows just how wildly off the mark the administration is.
By the numbers, Trump is the most “anti-nature” president in U.S. history, the left-leaning think tank found.
“If the Trump administration aspires to build upon Teddy Roosevelt’s conservation legacy, they may want to consider stopping their attacks on the very system of public lands that Roosevelt helped build,” said Jenny Rowland-Shea, CAP’s senior public lands policy analyst and a co-author of the report. “The numbers reveal an administration that has handed extractive industries access to public lands at a scope and scale we’ve never seen before.”
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Trump is the only president to strip protections from more acres of public land than he’s protected, according to the analysis. The administration has weakened or is in the process of rolling back protections for nearly 35 million acres of federal land, an area roughly the size of Florida.
That includes slashing protections for 10 million acres of greater sage grouse habitat in seven Western states to allow energy and mineral development; a directive to greenlight logging on more than 9 million acres of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, the planet’s largest remaining intact temperate rainforest; and carving more than 2 million acres from a pair of protected national monuments in Utah ― Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante ― the largest rollback of national monuments in U.S. history.
The 35 million acre figure does not include the more than 24 million acres of public lands that the Trump administration has offered at auction to oil and gas drillers or its controversial offshore drilling plan that could open up nearly all U.S. waters ― some 1.5 billion acres ― to fossil fuel development.
President Donald Trump holds up a pen after signing a proclamation shrinking Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City in December 2017. SAUL LOEB via Getty Images
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has protected via executive action less than 37,000 acres, CAP found. That includes the administration’s extension of a mining ban on 30,000 acres in Zinke’s home state of Montana, in an area just north of Yellowstone National Park.
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By comparison, Roosevelt protected over 230 million acres of federal land by establishing five national parks, 18 national monuments and dozens of national forests and wildlife refuges.
Nicholas Goodwin, a spokesman for the Interior Department, dismissed CAP as “an extremist, special interest organization.”
“The Trump Administration has a proud legacy of preserving our lands for future generations, while expanding access and creating new opportunities for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts,” he said via email.
The Interior Department often highlights its efforts to expand hunting and fishing on federal lands. Last month, it proposed new and expanded hunting and angling opportunities on 2.3 million acres across 97 national wildlife refuges and nine national fish hatcheries. While that is said to be the largest single proposed expansion in the agency’s history, the Obama administration made similar annual announcements.
CAP’s analysis comes as the U.S. and nations around the globe reel from a deadly COVID-19 pandemic that’s rooted in environmental destruction, including habitat loss and the trade of wildlife. As HuffPost reported last month, human exploitation of the natural world has led to a rise in infectious diseases spilling from animals to humans, and scientists warn that preventing future outbreaks requires a global effort to better protect ecosystems and combat biodiversity loss.
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“Protected lands and waters are a bulwark against the rapid decline of nature, offering a refuge for people and wildlife alike,” CAP writes in its report. “With the United States losing a football field’s worth of natural area every 30 seconds to human development, the planet simply cannot afford any additional destructive anti-conservation actions.”
Earlier this week, the environmental group League of Conservation Voters named Trump the “Dirtiest of All Time” on its 2020 list of politicians with the worst environmental records.


huffpost--2020-05-21--Amid Pandemic, GOP Advances Judicial Nominee Who Called Affordable Care Act 'Illegitimate'

In 2012 , Wilson called same-sex marriage “ a pander to liberal interest groups and an attempt to cast Republicans as intolerant , uncaring and even bigoted.
” In 2016 , as a state legislator , he voted for what has been dubbed the nation ’ s most extreme anti-LGBTQ law ; it allows businesses to refuse service to married same-sex couples , people who have sex outside of marriage and transgender people by citing religious freedom .
“ In light of your record of making controversial statements and taking extreme positions , the question is really whether these views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5th Circuit judge , ” said Sen. Mazie Hirono ( D-Hawaii ) , running through Wilson ’ s positions on all of those issues .
“ Common sense would say , yes indeed , these views will seep into your decision-making as a judge .
And that is why you are being nominated.
” Sen. Mazie Hirono said the extreme views Cory Wilson expressed before being nominated to a federal court will shape his decisions as a judge on that court — `` and that is why you are being nominated . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s criticism of the Affordable Care Act .
He wrote in a 2014 op-ed that the law was “ illegitimate ” and “ perverse ” because it passed without GOP votes .
He called it a “ liberal-utopia-dictated healthcare ” in a 2013 op-ed , and in still another op-ed , he said , “ For the sake of the Constitution , I hope the Court strikes down the law and reinvigorates some semblance of the limited government the Founders intended.
” “ You have tweeted over 30 times your contempt for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Durbin ( D-Ill. ) said .
“ In light of all the Americans who have died because of the coronavirus … do you have at least a moment of pause in your efforts to stop the extension of health insurance to so many Americans ?
” “ I ’ m asking you , if at one moment , in light of all that we ’ ve been through over the last several months , you didn ’ t stop and say , ‘ You know , I may not have liked Obama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not like the way the Affordable Care Act passed , but I get it , ’ ” said the Illinois Democrat .
“ ‘ When so many Americans feel so vulnerable at this moment ...
I understand what was behind that Affordable Care Act and why many of us think it ’ s the most important vote we ever cast.
’ Just one moment , maybe , when that happened to you ?
” “ What ’ s really unfortunate and indefensible is your nomination in the midst of a public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-Conn. ) told Wilson .
“ I have no confidence that if [ a case challenging the Affordable Care Act ] were to come before your court today , that you would vote to uphold that law.
” Asked if he still thinks the ACA was bad policy , Wilson said his previous op-eds and views on the subject “ have no part in serving as a judge and I ’ ve not expressed that belief since becoming a judge.
” “ I think what you said then was more than just ordinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was done with a vehemence that reflected a deep-seated belief , which you would carry out as a member of the court , that any and every opportunity to strike down this law would be taken by you as a member of a federal court.
” Wilson now awaits his vote out of the committee and on to the Senate floor , which is likely in the next few weeks .
Despite opposition from Democrats , he is all but certain to be confirmed .
Republicans rarely oppose any of President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) has made filling court vacancies his top priority , especially as time runs out before Trump ’ s first ( and possibly last ) term is up .

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WASHINGTON ― Amid a national health emergency that has left millions of Americans out of a job and worrying about health insurance, Senate Republicans moved forward Wednesday with confirming a judicial nominee who has called the Affordable Care Act “illegitimate,” “perverse” and “liberal-utopia-dictated healthcare.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a confirmation hearing for Cory Wilson, 49, who is up for a lifetime seat on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
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Democrats grilled Wilson, a Mississippi state judge and former state legislator, over his record of attacking LGBTQ rights, abortion rights and voting rights.
They had a lot to work with.
Cory Wilson has a long record of opposing LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, voting rights and the Affordable Care Act. Naturally, Republicans are ready to make him a lifetime federal judge. Tom Williams via Getty Images
In 2012, Wilson called same-sex marriage “a pander to liberal interest groups and an attempt to cast Republicans as intolerant, uncaring and even bigoted.” In 2016, as a state legislator, he voted for what has been dubbed the nation’s most extreme anti-LGBTQ law; it allows businesses to refuse service to married same-sex couples, people who have sex outside of marriage and transgender people by citing religious freedom.
He said he supported “the complete and immediate reversal of Roe v. Wade” in a 2007 Mississippi Right to Life questionnaire.
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And in a 2011 op-ed, Wilson dismissed the NAACP’s concerns about a proposed Mississippi voter ID law as “poppycock.” He later ripped the Department of Justice for sending election observers to the state.
“In light of your record of making controversial statements and taking extreme positions, the question is really whether these views will seep into your decisions as a 5th Circuit judge,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), running through Wilson’s positions on all of those issues. “Common sense would say, yes indeed, these views will seep into your decision-making as a judge. And that is why you are being nominated.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono said the extreme views Cory Wilson expressed before being nominated to a federal court will shape his decisions as a judge on that court — "and that is why you are being nominated." ASSOCIATED PRESS
But Democrats mostly seized on Wilson’s criticism of the Affordable Care Act. He wrote in a 2014 op-ed that the law was “illegitimate” and “perverse” because it passed without GOP votes. He called it a “liberal-utopia-dictated healthcare” in a 2013 op-ed, and in still another op-ed, he said, “For the sake of the Constitution, I hope the Court strikes down the law and reinvigorates some semblance of the limited government the Founders intended.”
“You have tweeted over 30 times your contempt for the Affordable Care Act,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said. “In light of all the Americans who have died because of the coronavirus … do you have at least a moment of pause in your efforts to stop the extension of health insurance to so many Americans?”
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Wilson said “people of good faith” could disagree about aspects of the health care law or whether it was the right policy. Durbin, visibly irritated, cut him off.
“I’m asking you, if at one moment, in light of all that we’ve been through over the last several months, you didn’t stop and say, ‘You know, I may not have liked Obama and I may not like Democrats and I may not like the way the Affordable Care Act passed, but I get it,’” said the Illinois Democrat. “‘When so many Americans feel so vulnerable at this moment ... I understand what was behind that Affordable Care Act and why many of us think it’s the most important vote we ever cast.’ Just one moment, maybe, when that happened to you?”
Wilson didn’t answer, instead saying he thinks health care is important and that he supported bills to strengthen health care as a state legislator.
“What’s really unfortunate and indefensible is your nomination in the midst of a public health crisis,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Wilson. “I have no confidence that if [a case challenging the Affordable Care Act] were to come before your court today, that you would vote to uphold that law.”
Asked if he still thinks the ACA was bad policy, Wilson said his previous op-eds and views on the subject “have no part in serving as a judge and I’ve not expressed that belief since becoming a judge.”
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Blumenthal wasn’t convinced.
“I think what you said then was more than just ordinary opposition,” he said. “It was done with a vehemence that reflected a deep-seated belief, which you would carry out as a member of the court, that any and every opportunity to strike down this law would be taken by you as a member of a federal court.”
“What’s really unfortunate and indefensible is your nomination in the midst of a public health crisis.” - Sen. Richard Blumenthal to judicial nominee Cory Wilson
For their part, Republicans on the committee went easy on Wilson.
“What’s the difference between being a legislator and being an appellate judge?” asked Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
“When you had students in your classroom, how did you talk to them about being a fair and impartial judge?” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) asked with a smile.
Wilson now awaits his vote out of the committee and on to the Senate floor, which is likely in the next few weeks. Despite opposition from Democrats, he is all but certain to be confirmed. Republicans rarely oppose any of President Donald Trump’s court picks, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has made filling court vacancies his top priority, especially as time runs out before Trump’s first (and possibly last) term is up.
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huffpost--2020-05-21--Prepare For A Potentially Extreme Atlantic Hurricane Season, Federal Forecasters Say

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the nation , federal forecasters are predicting an “ above-normal ” hurricane season in the Atlantic and “ near- or below-normal ” cyclone activity in the central Pacific .
In a call with reporters Thursday to announce the Atlantic outlook , Neil Jacobs , the acting administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , said “ an above-normal season is most likely , with a possibility of that season being extremely active.
” The agency forecasts between 13 and 19 named storms , 6 to 10 hurricanes and 3 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher ) .
The season would mark a record five-year streak of severe storm seasons , beating the previous four-year record from 1998 to 2001 .
“ At this time , it is not possible to predict how many of these potential storms will land , ” Jacobs said .
The 2020 season officially begins on June 1 .
But over the weekend Tropical Storm Arthur , this year ’ s first named storm , formed in the Atlantic , battering Southeastern states with winds and rain before dissipating after three days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past decade , a sign , scientists say , of warming oceans .
Despite the warnings , and a series of bungled White House responses to major storms over the past few years , officials on the call tried to strike a reassuring tone .
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross , under whose agency NOAA falls , kicked off the press conference with boastful claims about investments the administration is making in meteorological technology .
The researchers on the call downplayed the significance of human-caused climate change on the severity of the upcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cyclical impacts of El Niño and La Niña , the warming and cooling effects , respectively , of ocean currents on the atmosphere .
On Monday , researchers at NOAA and the University of Wisconsin at Madison published a study that found that planetary warming over the last 40 years increased the likelihood of tropical storms becoming major hurricanes ― anything over a Category 3 ― by 8 % per decade .
Asked if the agency is seeing that climate signal in the modeling for the 2020 season , Bell said it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s forecast.
” “ Whether ultimately we have more hurricanes at the top of the Category 4 and 5 ― the particular study you ’ re referring to ― well , we ’ re not sure , ” he said .
“ We ’ re seeing it globally , but because of these other climate signals in the Atlantic , we ’ re just not sure if we ’ re seeing anything above those other climate signals yet.
” “ Don ’ t get locked into just the ultimate hurricane strength , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s other issues with global warming such as rising ocean temperatures .
Warmer waters mean higher sea levels .
Higher sea levels mean more storm inundation as a hurricane ’ s approaching.
” “ The problem with that , ” he added , “ is coastlines have built up tremendously over the last several decades , so that there ’ s potentially many more millions more people in harm ’ s way.
” The Federal Emergency Management Agency said officials were prepared to implement social distancing measures in evacuation centers , but warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having enough ” space and urged those displaced by storms to seek shelter with loved ones .
The forecasts come on the heels of a 2019 Atlantic hurricane season that tied 1969 as the fourth most active season on record .
There were 18 named storms , six hurricanes and three major hurricanes .
The worst of them was Dorian , which slammed into the northern Bahamas as a monster Category 5 hurricane ― the strongest to make landfall in the island nation ’ s recorded history ― devastating the islands of Abaco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3.4 billion in damage .
At least 70 people died and some 30,000 were left homeless .
Climate scientists called it “ a preview of the climate crisis to come .
”

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the nation, federal forecasters are predicting an “above-normal” hurricane season in the Atlantic and “near- or below-normal” cyclone activity in the central Pacific.
In a call with reporters Thursday to announce the Atlantic outlook, Neil Jacobs, the acting administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said “an above-normal season is most likely, with a possibility of that season being extremely active.”
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The agency forecasts between 13 and 19 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes and 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). The season would mark a record five-year streak of severe storm seasons, beating the previous four-year record from 1998 to 2001.
“At this time, it is not possible to predict how many of these potential storms will land,” Jacobs said.
But Gerry Bell, a hurricane climate specialist and research meteorologist at the NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center in Camp Springs, Maryland, warned: “The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be a busy one.”
A flooded street in North Carolina during 2019's Hurricane Dorian, a devastating Category 5 storm. JOSE LUIS MAGANA via Getty Images
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The federal forecast lines up with several organizations that have already released 2020 seasonal outlooks warning of above-average Atlantic hurricane activity.
The 2020 season officially begins on June 1. But over the weekend Tropical Storm Arthur, this year’s first named storm, formed in the Atlantic, battering Southeastern states with winds and rain before dissipating after three days. It marked the eighth preseason storm in the past decade, a sign, scientists say, of warming oceans.
Despite the warnings, and a series of bungled White House responses to major storms over the past few years, officials on the call tried to strike a reassuring tone. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, under whose agency NOAA falls, kicked off the press conference with boastful claims about investments the administration is making in meteorological technology.
The researchers on the call downplayed the significance of human-caused climate change on the severity of the upcoming season. They pointed instead to the cyclical impacts of El Niño and La Niña, the warming and cooling effects, respectively, of ocean currents on the atmosphere.
“Those are really dominant signals and they’re controlling the strength of the hurricane season,” Bell said.
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On Monday, researchers at NOAA and the University of Wisconsin at Madison published a study that found that planetary warming over the last 40 years increased the likelihood of tropical storms becoming major hurricanes ― anything over a Category 3 ― by 8% per decade.
Asked if the agency is seeing that climate signal in the modeling for the 2020 season, Bell said it is “not a factor in this year’s forecast.”
“Whether ultimately we have more hurricanes at the top of the Category 4 and 5 ― the particular study you’re referring to ― well, we’re not sure,” he said. “We’re seeing it globally, but because of these other climate signals in the Atlantic, we’re just not sure if we’re seeing anything above those other climate signals yet.”
He said storms’ intensity may be less significant than other factors linked to climate change.
“Don’t get locked into just the ultimate hurricane strength,” he said. “There’s other issues with global warming such as rising ocean temperatures. Warmer waters mean higher sea levels. Higher sea levels mean more storm inundation as a hurricane’s approaching.”
“The problem with that,” he added, “is coastlines have built up tremendously over the last several decades, so that there’s potentially many more millions more people in harm’s way.”
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency said officials were prepared to implement social distancing measures in evacuation centers, but warned “there’s always a challenge having enough” space and urged those displaced by storms to seek shelter with loved ones.
“The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be a busy one.” - Gerry Bell, NOAA research meteorologist
“Evacuation centers are meant to keep you safe, but they’re not meant to keep you comfortable,” Carlos Castillo, FEMA’s acting deputy administrator for resilience, said on the call.
The forecasts come on the heels of a 2019 Atlantic hurricane season that tied 1969 as the fourth most active season on record. There were 18 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. The worst of them was Dorian, which slammed into the northern Bahamas as a monster Category 5 hurricane ― the strongest to make landfall in the island nation’s recorded history ― devastating the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama and causing at least $3.4 billion in damage. At least 70 people died and some 30,000 were left homeless. Climate scientists called it “a preview of the climate crisis to come.”
The Atlantic forecast comes a day after NOAA announced a 75% chance of a “near- or below-normal” season in the central Pacific. Two to six tropical cyclones are expected to develop there.


huffpost--2020-05-21--Jeffree Star's 'Cremated' Palette Incites Massive Backlash

“ It takes months and months and months ― sometimes a year plus ― to actually make a product , ” Star said , explaining that this collection was well in the works before COVID-19 hit .
“ There were some people saying , ‘ Jeffree , it ’ s a little weird timing .
There ’ s a lot going on in the world.
’ But , for me , this is art and I never come from a negative place , you guys , ” he continued .
“ My own father , who passed away , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year , are all cremated and it is a tradition in my family .
Now , nothing ever comes from a bad place.
” “ In no way was this created to be offensive , ” he added .
Star said that he came up with the idea for the palette a year ago and that it was trademarked in September 2019 .
He said that if he ’ d delayed the product any further , it would have clashed with other projects and the collection would have been delayed until fall @ @

“It takes months and months and months ― sometimes a year plus ― to actually make a product,” Star said, explaining that this collection was well in the works before COVID-19 hit.
“There were some people saying, ‘Jeffree, it’s a little weird timing. There’s a lot going on in the world.’ But, for me, this is art and I never come from a negative place, you guys,” he continued. “My own father, who passed away, and my two dogs, who passed away last year, are all cremated and it is a tradition in my family. Now, nothing ever comes from a bad place.”
“In no way was this created to be offensive,” he added.
Star said that he came up with the idea for the palette a year ago and that it was trademarked in September 2019. He said that if he’d delayed the product any further, it would have clashed with other projects and the collection would have been delayed until fall 2021.


huffpost--2020-05-20--8 Educational(ish) Activities For Kids That Aren't Worksheets

I ’ m not sure how things are going in your household , but in mine , we ’ re deep in the No , Mom , not another worksheet era of the coronavirus pandemic .
Over the past two months , I have attempted to load my 5-year-old up with letter-learning worksheets and counting worksheets .
I even tried to have him make a COVID-19 paper time capsule .
But nope , he is done .
Alas , his school is still in session for another month , I still need to get work done , and there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I can stand to plop him in front of a screen .
Worksheets are kind of crappy , I know , but they ’ re also an educational ( educational-ish ? )
activity that doesn ’ t take a lot of work on my end , and they keep him occupied for more than 35 seconds .
Or at least they used to .
Now that the weather is getting warmer , it ’ s the perfect time to get bored kiddos outdoors and teach them an appreciation for the world around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city or the country or somewhere in between .
Amanda Mason said she ’ s been having her kids observe clouds and draw them .
They look up the type of cloud together , and then she has her older kid write a story about riding on the cloud while her younger kid draws a picture of what that would be like .
Meanwhile , Liz Sorenson has her kids go on nature walks and pick up what they find — like pine needles ( to practice cutting with scissors ) or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collages .
Yes , this one definitely requires parent supervision , but several HuffPost Parents readers raved about how great baking has been both as a form of entertainment and as a stealthy educational opportunity for their kiddos .
Measuring = math !
Plus , they ’ re learning how to follow directions and are being reminded of the power of patience .
Covey Denton , a mom of three , has a leg up on the rest of us on this one because she ’ s also a science teacher .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to set up regular science experiments for your kids using items you likely already have at home .
Lists like this one from MommyPoppins can give you some great ideas — and the internet is awash with them .
My own kid has gotten a kick over sticking a piece of sandwich bread in a plastic bag and jotting down daily observations about when and how it ’ s growing mold .
“ My first grader is writing a choose-your-own adventure book , ” Megan Pohorylo Tucker said .
“ He writes out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then uses an app to type in the story and draw a picture.
” ( Though you could certainly keep it old school and do it all by hand . )
“ We line up the shoes from the closet .
Then , we use play money and we role-play the customer and the shoe salesman , ” Renee said .
“ She has to do the math associated with the paying and returning change.
” So many parents said they , too , are done with trying to force too much educational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are only so many Pinterest-worthy activities a parent can throw themselves into .
So they ’ re keeping it simple — with a focus on using as much pent-up kiddo energy as possible .

MIND_AND_I via Getty Images With a few weeks of school left in this academic year, many parents are searching for ways to keep their children occupied.
I’m not sure how things are going in your household, but in mine, we’re deep in the No, Mom, not another worksheet era of the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past two months, I have attempted to load my 5-year-old up with letter-learning worksheets and counting worksheets. I even tried to have him make a COVID-19 paper time capsule. But nope, he is done.
Alas, his school is still in session for another month, I still need to get work done, and there are only so many hours in a day that I can stand to plop him in front of a screen. Worksheets are kind of crappy, I know, but they’re also an educational (educational-ish?) activity that doesn’t take a lot of work on my end, and they keep him occupied for more than 35 seconds. Or at least they used to.
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So we asked members of the brilliant HuffPost Parents community for their go-to non-worksheet options. Here are eight of them.
1. Unlock their inner naturalist.
Now that the weather is getting warmer, it’s the perfect time to get bored kiddos outdoors and teach them an appreciation for the world around them — whether you’re in the city or the country or somewhere in between.
Amanda Mason said she’s been having her kids observe clouds and draw them. They look up the type of cloud together, and then she has her older kid write a story about riding on the cloud while her younger kid draws a picture of what that would be like. Meanwhile, Liz Sorenson has her kids go on nature walks and pick up what they find — like pine needles (to practice cutting with scissors) or flowers and leaves that they use for collages.
Several other HuffPost readers mentioned that their kids are getting really into bird-watching.
“My 5-year-old daughter loves learning to identify the birds in our area by their appearance and their call!” Margarita Clarke said. “She carries around her ‘bird book’ and tries to find the picture that matches what we see.”
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2. Bake, bake, bake.
Yes, this one definitely requires parent supervision, but several HuffPost Parents readers raved about how great baking has been both as a form of entertainment and as a stealthy educational opportunity for their kiddos. Measuring = math! Plus, they’re learning how to follow directions and are being reminded of the power of patience.
“My kids are loving watching Kids Baking Championship and then baking like crazy!” Heather Brown said. “They’ve made cookie cake, cream puffs, macaroons, blondies and more!”
Another reader said her 16-year-old has been baking for her chemistry class, so it works for older kids, too.
3. Set up easy science experiments.
Covey Denton, a mom of three, has a leg up on the rest of us on this one because she’s also a science teacher. But she said it’s pretty simple to set up regular science experiments for your kids using items you likely already have at home.
Lists like this one from MommyPoppins can give you some great ideas — and the internet is awash with them. My own kid has gotten a kick over sticking a piece of sandwich bread in a plastic bag and jotting down daily observations about when and how it’s growing mold.
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4. Have them write a choose-your-own adventure book.
“My first grader is writing a choose-your-own adventure book,” Megan Pohorylo Tucker said. “He writes out a ‘chapter’ by hand and then uses an app to type in the story and draw a picture.” (Though you could certainly keep it old school and do it all by hand.)
It works on a few levels, Tucker said. It keeps her son occupied and gets his creative juices flowing.
“We discuss ways the story could go and challenge him to overcome obstacles in the process,” she said. “Writing + problem solving + art = sorted!”
5. Use chalk.
Several HuffPost Parents readers talked about the somewhat magical impact that simply swapping pencil and paper for chalk and a stretch of sidewalk can have on keeping kids excited about academic activities.
“I’ve been having my kids practice their math facts and sight words in the driveway with chalk,” Katie Mannella said. Other parents mentioned how much their kiddos are loving drawing chalk pictures in the great outdoors.
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6. Play store.
Again, this is another one that requires some level of parental involvement, but Sarah Renee said her 5-year-old daughter has gotten really into playing shoe store.
“We line up the shoes from the closet. Then, we use play money and we role-play the customer and the shoe salesman,” Renee said. “She has to do the math associated with the paying and returning change.”
If shoe store isn’t necessarily your kid’s thing, there are plenty of ways you could go with this — combining some simple imaginative play with quick opportunities to sneak in learning about manners, counting, etc.
7. Try board games — with a math challenge.
Board games have a lot of brain-boosting benefits for kids — they teach them basic life skills and encouraging family bonding, for instance — but HuffPost Parents reader Lia Polum takes her family’s game-playing up a notch with a smart swap.
For any game that typically requires a spinner, they use two dice instead.
“Then, they have to add or subtract the two before they move their piece,” Polum said of her kids, adding that the idea came from her kindergartner’s teacher.
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8. Just ... play.
So many parents said they, too, are done with trying to force too much educational stuff on their children. And there are only so many Pinterest-worthy activities a parent can throw themselves into. So they’re keeping it simple — with a focus on using as much pent-up kiddo energy as possible.
“I have an ADHD kiddo who is also on the autism spectrum (he’s in kindergarten),” Jamie Barnes said. “His favorite activity lately is hitting a balloon around with a pool noodle that’s been cut in half. It’s great for his OT and burns off some of his endless energy.”


huffpost--2020-03-26--Trump Courts Evangelicals With Goal To Reopen Economy By Easter

“ There was a concern — not unanimity , but consensus — that you had to have a reopening of the economy at some point soon , ” said Stephen Moore , a conservative economist and informal Trump adviser .
On the call , Moore said , he argued in favor of setting a specific date as a goal by which point the economy could gradually begin to be reopened .
“ One of the things we were saying was that this would instill some confidence in people , that there would be some kind of light at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While many wanted to see that date set even sooner than Easter , “ it ’ s something that ’ s coming up that would be obviously a mark on someone ’ s calendar , ” Moore said .
“ I had made this point that we should call this economic resurrection day.
” Though it ’ s unclear exactly when the idea made its way to Trump or whether others in his orbit had pegged the date as well — one official said they had heard the idea mentioned multiple times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , Trump was publicly siding with such thinking , tweeting : “ WE CAN NOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF.
” On Monday , he said he was considering easing his administration ’ s recommendations that Americans largely stay home within weeks , not months .
And on Tuesday , he formally endorsed the idea of an Easter goalpost during a Fox News Channel virtual town hall .
The idea drew alarm from many public health experts , who noted that even New York — thought to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation — has yet to reach its peak in infections .
Unless Americans continue to isolate themselves for weeks , those experts warn , a virus that has already killed more than 1,000 people in the U.S. will continue to spread like wildfire across the nation , overwhelming hospitals already starved of needed supplies .
The number infected has risen to more than 69,000 .
The timeline “ injected hope into an indefinite ordeal , ” said Johnnie Moore , an evangelical adviser to the administration .
“ And it was very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only is there an end to this … but when we do win it , we ’ re going to have a celebration , and that celebration will partly include gratitude to God.
” “ I will be encouraging the White House , again within the parameters of what makes sense from a public health standpoint , to do everything we can to make that date , ” Reed said , “ because I think it would be symbolic , it would be significant , it would be inspirational.
” To that end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mechanics of a rollback aimed at getting Americans back to work if they don ’ t live in current virus hot spots .
Among the ideas under discussion : advising that those who are most at risk for severe complications — including seniors — continue to isolate themselves , while younger people go back to work .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough , that clear up in two to three weeks .
But for some , especially older adults and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
The vast majority of people recover .
Even if Trump were to ease federal guidelines , states across the country , from California to New York , have already put in place a patchwork of rules to try to halt the virus ’ spread .
The administration has so far said it has no plans to try to overrule local restrictions .
The White House , meanwhile , has been holding calls with those who might publicly back its plans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reed said he was among two dozen allies who participated in one call Tuesday with Vice President Mike Pence on which the Easter target was not discussed .
But even among white evangelicals who are a key component of the president ’ s political base , there were reservations .
National Association of Evangelicals President Walter Kim said that many who share his faith “ wish to do what is in the best interest of society as a whole , ” citing decisions to cancel physical worship services and various programs .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s “beautiful” idea to reopen the U.S. economy by Easter Sunday and pack church pews that day was dreamed up during a conference call among business leaders desperate to get the country back up and running.
But his target date for easing coronavirus restrictions is another outstretched hand to a group he has long courted: evangelical Christians.
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Cooped up at the White House and watching the stock market tumble, Trump had already been eager to ease federal guidelines aimed at halting the spread of a virus that had infected more than 55,000 Americans when about a dozen business leaders convened a conference call on Sunday.
“There was a concern — not unanimity, but consensus — that you had to have a reopening of the economy at some point soon,” said Stephen Moore, a conservative economist and informal Trump adviser. On the call, Moore said, he argued in favor of setting a specific date as a goal by which point the economy could gradually begin to be reopened.
“One of the things we were saying was that this would instill some confidence in people, that there would be some kind of light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
While many wanted to see that date set even sooner than Easter, “it’s something that’s coming up that would be obviously a mark on someone’s calendar,” Moore said. “I had made this point that we should call this economic resurrection day.”
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Though it’s unclear exactly when the idea made its way to Trump or whether others in his orbit had pegged the date as well — one official said they had heard the idea mentioned multiple times around the Oval Office — by late Sunday, Trump was publicly siding with such thinking, tweeting: “WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF.” On Monday, he said he was considering easing his administration’s recommendations that Americans largely stay home within weeks, not months. And on Tuesday, he formally endorsed the idea of an Easter goalpost during a Fox News Channel virtual town hall.
“Easter’s a very special day for me. Wouldn’t it be great to have all of the churches full?” Trump later told Fox. “You’ll have packed churches all over our country. I think it would be a beautiful time.”
The idea drew alarm from many public health experts, who noted that even New York — thought to be several weeks ahead of the rest of the nation — has yet to reach its peak in infections. Unless Americans continue to isolate themselves for weeks, those experts warn, a virus that has already killed more than 1,000 people in the U.S. will continue to spread like wildfire across the nation, overwhelming hospitals already starved of needed supplies. The number infected has risen to more than 69,000.
But for conservative evangelicals who remain among Trump’s most ardent supporters, the president’s choice of the holiest date on their faith’s calendar was meaningful even as a purely aspirational goal to reboot American life.
President Donald Trump is joined by (from right) White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator Deborah Birx, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci during the daily briefing on COVID-19 at the White House on March 25, 2020. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
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The timeline “injected hope into an indefinite ordeal,” said Johnnie Moore, an evangelical adviser to the administration. “And it was very clear in hearing him speak that not only is there an end to this … but when we do win it, we’re going to have a celebration, and that celebration will partly include gratitude to God.”
Ralph Reed, a veteran GOP activist and Trump ally who chairs the Faith & Freedom Coalition, cautioned that restrictions shouldn’t be eased “if it’s a bad idea from a public health standpoint,” but also welcomed the Easter target.
“I will be encouraging the White House, again within the parameters of what makes sense from a public health standpoint, to do everything we can to make that date,” Reed said, “because I think it would be symbolic, it would be significant, it would be inspirational.”
To that end, the White House has been discussing the mechanics of a rollback aimed at getting Americans back to work if they don’t live in current virus hot spots. Among the ideas under discussion: advising that those who are most at risk for severe complications — including seniors — continue to isolate themselves, while younger people go back to work.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.
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Even if Trump were to ease federal guidelines, states across the country, from California to New York, have already put in place a patchwork of rules to try to halt the virus’ spread. The administration has so far said it has no plans to try to overrule local restrictions.
The White House, meanwhile, has been holding calls with those who might publicly back its plans, including conservative allies of the president. Reed said he was among two dozen allies who participated in one call Tuesday with Vice President Mike Pence on which the Easter target was not discussed.
Pence did “make it clear that the objective is to get the country open again in weeks, not months,” while relying on “data and public health imperatives,” Reed said.
President Donald Trump arrives at a Fox News "virtual town hall" event with members of the coronavirus task force in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 24, 2020. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
Three separate faith outreach calls, including one that drew more than 1,200 allies, were held last week alone.
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Pastor Tony Suarez, another evangelical Trump ally, said he hopes the Easter target can be achieved, to “celebrate a national resurrection and an economic resurrection as we celebrate the Resurrection.”
But even among white evangelicals who are a key component of the president’s political base, there were reservations. National Association of Evangelicals President Walter Kim said that many who share his faith “wish to do what is in the best interest of society as a whole,” citing decisions to cancel physical worship services and various programs.
Kim added that any “celebrations we pursue on Easter would need to be in that spirit of life.”
For Suarez, Trump’s choice of an Easter target remains an important gesture regardless of whether he goes through with it. Suarez, executive vice president at the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, described the president’s elevation of that date as a fresh signal of the “respect within the administration for the word of God and for Christian faith.”
Among those signals, Suarez noted, was Pence’s call during a Saturday briefing by the coronavirus task force he leads for Americans to keep donating to their local ministries when most houses of worship have moved their services online.


huffpost--2020-03-26--‘BBC Dad’ Returns To Offer Some Adorable Mayhem During This Chaotic Time

In 2017 , Professor Robert E. Kelly , an expert on South Korea , instantly became “ BBC Dad ” after his happy-go-lucky children playfully crashed a live Skype interview he was having with BBC News .
Flash forward to 2020 ’ s coronavirus pandemic , and many parents probably feel a lot like Kelly thanks to a messy combo of school closures , folks working from home and Zoom conferences .
That ’ s one reason why people are gobbling up a very relatable appearance by Kelly and his family like the bag of potato chips we said we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kelly , his wife Jung-a Kim , daughter Marion and son James returned to BBC News for another live interview this week and his kids decided to steal the spotlight once again with their adorable antics ( above ) .
In the video , little Marion hugged her dad and tousled his hair while her mom held James down and spoke about parenting at home during the outbreak .
“ It ’ s very difficult to stay in the house for a long time , ” she said as chaos began to unfold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ — eyes .
It ’ s also proof that not much has changed since 2017 .
Shortly after Kelly ’ s first appearance when viral in 2017 , the family went back on the air to discuss their newfound fame .
“ It ’ s pretty unreal … we certainly never had anything like this in our life before , ” Kelly told BBC News at the time .
“ It got to the point where we had to turn off the phones , and Facebook and Twitter and all that sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during that segment , mayhem also ensued .
All we can say is — BBC Dad , we see you .

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In 2017, Professor Robert E. Kelly, an expert on South Korea, instantly became “BBC Dad” after his happy-go-lucky children playfully crashed a live Skype interview he was having with BBC News.
Flash forward to 2020’s coronavirus pandemic, and many parents probably feel a lot like Kelly thanks to a messy combo of school closures, folks working from home and Zoom conferences.
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That’s one reason why people are gobbling up a very relatable appearance by Kelly and his family like the bag of potato chips we said we’d conserve while in quarantine.
Kelly, his wife Jung-a Kim, daughter Marion and son James returned to BBC News for another live interview this week and his kids decided to steal the spotlight once again with their adorable antics (above).
In the video, little Marion hugged her dad and tousled his hair while her mom held James down and spoke about parenting at home during the outbreak.
“It’s very difficult to stay in the house for a long time,” she said as chaos began to unfold in front of their — and viewers’ — eyes.
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It’s also proof that not much has changed since 2017.
Shortly after Kelly’s first appearance when viral in 2017, the family went back on the air to discuss their newfound fame.
“It’s pretty unreal … we certainly never had anything like this in our life before,” Kelly told BBC News at the time. “It got to the point where we had to turn off the phones, and Facebook and Twitter and all that sort of stuff.”
And of course, during that segment, mayhem also ensued.
All we can say is — BBC Dad, we see you.