newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Texas county brings in refrigerated trucks to hold bodies amid COVID-19 surge

A North Texas medical examiner ’ s office has brought in two refrigerated trucks to store dead bodies in response to low capacity amid a surge in coronavirus cases .
Many of the hospitals and larger funeral homes in the Fort Worth area have reached their storage capacity or will soon , said Nizam Peerwani , Tarrant County ’ s chief medical examiner .
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner ’ s Office , which has a capacity normally of 100 bodies , said each truck can store 50 bodies .
Officials expect to start using the trucks in the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Texas county that has been hit especially hard by the pandemic announced that its county judge , the county ’ s highest elected official , tested positive for COVID-19 .
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez , 77 , has worked from home for most of the pandemic , and learned of his positive test after a family member tested positive .
So far he hasn ’ t had symptoms .
“ I have taken all the precautions that I could to prevent infection , but I still have contracted this awful virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes to show you how contagious this virus can be.
” For a third day in a row , COVID-19 hospitalizations in Texas surpassed 9,000 .
The Texas Department of State Health Services said that 9,045 people with the coronavirus were hospitalized Thursday .
Last week marked the first time Texas surpassed a daily count of 9,000 hospitalizations since a deadly summer outbreak .
State health officials on Thursday reported 12,211 new confirmed cases and 244 new deaths .
The state says almost 1.3 million people have tested positive in Texas .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19-related deaths in Texas , the second highest in the country , researchers at Johns Hopkins University have determined .
Over the past two weeks , the rolling average number of daily new cases has remained mostly constant around 13,000 per day , according to Johns Hopkins .
The true number of infections in Texas is likely higher because many haven ’ t been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick .
Because of the ongoing disruptions caused by the pandemic , the Texas Education Agency said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school year , though students will still have to take standardized tests .
The TEA said the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness , also known as STAAR , helps provide teachers and parents with information about what a student has learned .
The agency said if schools incorporate STAAR results into teacher evaluations , it will allow them to remove that component this year .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks .
But for others , especially older adults and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal .

A North Texas medical examiner’s office has brought in two refrigerated trucks to store dead bodies in response to low capacity amid a surge in coronavirus cases.
Many of the hospitals and larger funeral homes in the Fort Worth area have reached their storage capacity or will soon, said Nizam Peerwani, Tarrant County’s chief medical examiner.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, which has a capacity normally of 100 bodies, said each truck can store 50 bodies.
Officials expect to start using the trucks in the next few days.
Also Thursday, a South Texas county that has been hit especially hard by the pandemic announced that its county judge, the county’s highest elected official, tested positive for COVID-19.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, 77, has worked from home for most of the pandemic, and learned of his positive test after a family member tested positive. So far he hasn’t had symptoms.
“I have taken all the precautions that I could to prevent infection, but I still have contracted this awful virus,” Cortez said. “This goes to show you how contagious this virus can be.”
For a third day in a row, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Texas surpassed 9,000. The Texas Department of State Health Services said that 9,045 people with the coronavirus were hospitalized Thursday. Last week marked the first time Texas surpassed a daily count of 9,000 hospitalizations since a deadly summer outbreak.
State health officials on Thursday reported 12,211 new confirmed cases and 244 new deaths. The state says almost 1.3 million people have tested positive in Texas.
There have been more than more than 23,600 COVID-19-related deaths in Texas, the second highest in the country, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have determined.
Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has remained mostly constant around 13,000 per day, according to Johns Hopkins.
The true number of infections in Texas is likely higher because many haven’t been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
Because of the ongoing disruptions caused by the pandemic, the Texas Education Agency said Thursday that A-F ratings would be paused the school year, though students will still have to take standardized tests.
The TEA said the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, also known as STAAR, helps provide teachers and parents with information about what a student has learned. The agency said if schools incorporate STAAR results into teacher evaluations, it will allow them to remove that component this year.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--China ‘honey trap’ plot could span thousands of operatives

The father and brother of Rep. Eric Swalwell unfriended the ...

It is the stuff of a James Bond blockbuster: a young, attractive woman lures a rising political star into a romantic web, all the while collecting critical information to trickle back to her handler or big bosses back home.
Axios revealed this week that more than six years ago Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., began a relationship with a woman suspected of being a Chinese espionage operative. He was alerted by federal investigators in 2015 and given a “defense briefing,” which resulted in him breaking off ties to the suspect.
However, Swalwell wouldn’t be the first or last political figure to be “honey-trapped” – with multiple former intelligence officials surmising that such schemes carried out by Chinese spies have long played out on U.S. soil, and remain ongoing.
“I can say with a high level of confidence that there are many more of these women out there,” Daniel Hoffman, a retired CIA Senior Clandestine Services Officer, told Fox News. “China’s MO is to flood the zone.”
While several current and former intelligence and security officials and experts interviewed by Fox News said that it was impossible to put a number on just how many honey trap scenarios might be in motion at present, one former defense and intelligence operative noted that it could be well into the hundreds – if not thousands. Such spies are assumed to be at top universities, known to speak perfect English, and routinely use social media platforms such as Linkedin and Facebook to connect with their prey.
Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, reportedly was a Chinese spy who targeted US politicians. Facebook
But it is not only about enmeshing big names – it is about having an eye for talent, and starting when one’s star is about to begin rising.
In Swalwell’s case, he was seemingly ensnared by a woman named Christine Fang or Fang Fang, who helped raise money for his 2014 congressional re-election campaign and recruited at least one intern in his office.
However, U.S. investigators in the northern California Bay Area believe Fang was also circling close to numerous up-and-coming politicians between 2011 and 2015, engaging in sexual relationships with at least two mayors in other states.
According to the report, Fang was sent to gather information and attain influence on those rising in the ranks at the direct behest of China’s Ministry of State Security, with a “handler” based out of the San Fransisco consulate.
In 2015, her most high profile associate – Swalwell – became a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. However, around that time, Fang abruptly fled the U.S. as the FBI was homing in.
But unlike Fang, whose communications with the consulate came under scrutiny, Hoffman asserted that there are likely many more who have zero links to any officials.
“The goal is to become a trusted individual with who (the target) can share information. The spy here would have wanted to learn everything she could about his personality, every little detail of his leadership style to build a profile,” Hoffman said. “The idea here is to latch on to someone like a Swalwell when they are a junior and make contacts. It is much harder to do that when someone is already big and well-known. (This spy) recognized that.”
Indeed, the California Democrat is seemingly not alone in having fallen for the bait.
“The females who are employed in this tactic place themselves in a position where they come into contact with the targeted individual. The target is almost always a male, but there have been some instances of females also falling prey to this,” observed Del Wilber, a former U.S. intelligence officer. “The goal is to get the target into a compromising position, usually with photos or video evidence of their indiscretions.”
Wilber underscored that married men are most often the targets, but at one point homosexual behavior was also targeted and used against individuals.
“Once compromised, they are told to cooperate, or else their actions will be disclosed and they’ll be divorced, lose their government clearance and their job, etc.,” he asserted.
Multiple former intelligence officials told Fox News that China, while one of the dozens of countries that relies heavily on the honey trap tactic, has perfected it with a spattering of stratagems and techniques, used for different purposes with varying motivations.
Rep. Eric Swalwell AP
And it is not only the likes of Swalwell, the main target, which the operatives want to glean but also those around them. Thus, many befriend aides, junior staffers, interns and the like to build a more comprehensive profile of the “high-value target.”
While covert Chinese operatives in recent times have come to be heavily associated with cyber espionage and hacking, the human intelligence gathering, termed “HUMINT,” remains a traditional staple.
In terms of intellectual property (I.P) theft, there is the colloquially-dubbed “mushroom.” This entails canvassing business proposals from companies in the U.S. and continuing to rebuff the applications and push for improved bids – all the while stealing the ideas and technical elements. Chinese I.P. theft has cost the United States $225 billion to $600 billion a year.
In other cases, the honey trap can be centered on collecting incriminating intelligence personally and professionally, to later destroy an ascending or already high-ranking career. Traps typically begin with perhaps an offer to help a political campaign or struggling business with personal expertise or via funding, and relations steadily swell from there.
“The honey trap technique has been glamorized by the Russians over the years, but the Chinese are the ones who have really been stepping up their game,” said one former U.S. intelligence official, who still works in the national security sector and thus requested anonymity. “But it has only been in more recent years that it has been targeted toward the more political side of the house.”
While much of China’s honey trap resources in decades past were centered on entangling high-flying businessmen or professors running top laboratories across the country, the source explained, efforts have expanded into the political sphere.
“And it is much easy trapping a politician than a CEO making millions, who has a lot more that money can buy,” the insider surmised.
Nonetheless, experts also emphasize that it isn’t always so clean-cut for the trap setter themselves, given that the Chinese leadership is well-versed in casting their own nets, too.
“We don’t always know if they are just doing it for the money, sometimes their families back in China could be threatened,” said Jamie Williamson, the founder/CEO of strategic management firm Global Executive Management (GEM), and a former U.S. military counterintelligence specialist. “Or they are being targeted in their own blackmail scheme if they don’t deliver.”
While being the oldest trick in the book, China’s specialty in that espionage field is believed to have been more systematically crafted and perfected in the years soon after President Richard Nixon visited Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Mao Zedong – and China’s subsequent economic opening to the world – just as prostitution and promiscuity became publicly entrenched in the social fabric.
Perhaps most famous for bringing the method to American soil was Katrina Leung, a Chinese national who emigrated to New York in the 1970s. She went on the become a naturalized citizen and signed on to become an FBI informant spying on her homeland. However, it was later exposed – after having seduced her FBI handler for two decades, all while sending classified material back to the CCP leadership – that she was a double-agent for the Chinese Ministry of State Security.
Leung was indicted in 2003 but her case was later thrown out on “grounds of prosecutorial misconduct.”
And the Beijing honey trap network extends well beyond the U.S. borders and is what officials deem a worldwide web.
According to a BBC analysis, rather than being run centrally, these operations tend to be run out of the provincial State Security bureau, each of which deals with a different geographic area of the world. So the Shanghai bureau, for example, covers the U.S., Beijing covers Russia and the former Soviet republics, Tianjin covers Japan and Korea, and so on.
In early 2011, French intelligence officials issued a warning that China has been deploying “beautiful female spies” to steal business secrets and blackmail their subjects. Such incidences included a Chinese spy sleeping with a top French pharmaceutical researcher and videotaping the affair as fodder for blackmail.
A year earlier, Britain’s security agency M15 accused the Chinese government of directing honey trap plots to hack into corporate British computer networks.
MI5 had, in 2008, distributed a document entitled “The Threat from Chinese Espionage” to numerous security officials and executives of banks and businesses, boldly cautioning that “Chinese intelligence services have also been known to exploit vulnerabilities such as sexual relationships and illegal activities to pressurize individuals to cooperate with them.”
When U.S. and other western officials make trips to China, even more warning words are raised.
In particular, Hoffman said there was a bevy of anxieties ahead of the September G20 Summit held in Hangzhou in September 2016.
Moreover, officials working with then-British Prime Minister Theresa May were also issued direct notifications by U.K. government security experts in advance in a bid to avoid the lure of “Chinese spies offering sex” during the major foreign policy event.
And a dossier collated in the U.K. earlier this year is reported to detail how honey traps have been used on bigwigs across the region in promoting the interests of Huawei, the Chinese 5G cell company banned by the Trump administration over security skepticism.
In 2016, the newly-appointed Dutch ambassador to Beijing was disclosed as having fallen for the classic ploy – despite apparent training in security given his high rank – with reports that his phone was stolen and secrets were siphoned by a female Chinese spook.
The FBI declined to comment further on the Swalwell case, but it is assumed to be barely the tip of the iceberg.
“The Chinese have a very ubiquitous presence here and the only way to prevent it is through education and awareness,” Hoffman added. “Instead of saying ‘No comment,’ Swalwell should be doing a public service announcement – warning others to be vigilant.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Rams’ rout delivers blow to Patriots’ playoff hopes

With rookie Cam Akers running wild for the Rams and his defensive teammates thoroughly stifling the Patriots , Los Angeles got a tiny measure of payback for its Super Bowl embarrassment two years ago .
These Rams even looked good enough to contend for a chance at some actual Super Bowl redemption later this season .
Akers rushed for 171 yards in a breakout performance , Kenny Young returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown and the Rams clinched their fourth straight winning season with a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots on Thursday night .
Jared Goff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TD pass to Cooper Kupp as the NFC West-leading Rams ( 9-4 ) rolled to a one-sided victory in a rematch of their 13-3 Super Bowl loss in February 2019 .
“ We ’ ve got a lot of respect for them , but it ’ s a totally different year , ” Rams coach Sean McVay said .
“ It doesn ’ t have anything to do with what occurred a couple of years ago.
” While the Rams ’ offense looked sharp , their defense pushed the Patriots ( 6-7 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managed only 220 total yards — just 62 in the second half with a series of misbegotten drives .
Cam Newton went 9 of 16 for 119 yards and got sacked four times before the 2015 NFL MVP was replaced by Jarrett Stidham for the final three series in the fourth quarter .
“ We knew exactly what they were going to do , ” Newton said .
“ We have to be better , and it starts with me personally .
I have to make more plays.
” Five days after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Chargers , New England endangered its push for a 12th straight playoff berth with only its second loss in six games .
When asked if he expected to start next week , Newton replied : “ That ’ s not my call.
” Bill Belichick doused the understandable speculation moments later : “ Cam is our quarterback.
” The Rams got a superb game from Akers , the second-round draft pick out of Florida State who has seized a major role in their offense over the last three weeks .
Akers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the biggest rushing game by an NFL rookie this season and just the ninth 150-yard game against a Belichick-coached defense since 2000 .
“ It ’ s just ( great ) watching that guy really assert himself as a big-time player for us , ” McVay said .
“ You can just see this guy is going to be a really special player for us , and this was a great night for him.
” Aaron Donald had 1 1/2 sacks to move into the overall NFL lead with 12 1/2 this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles ’ elite defense , which recorded six sacks and also scored a touchdown in its third consecutive game .
The Pats ’ third-ranked rushing offense managed just 3.7 yards per carry .
“ We knew they had a great running game , that they outphysical-ed people , and we took that personally , ” said Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers , who had two sacks .
“ If they were going to come in here and run the ball , we were going to stop them.
” New England again struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Newton threw his first pick-six of the season to Young , who also had a sack and led the Rams with eight tackles .
Stidham went 5 of 7 and got sacked twice after taking over early in the fourth quarter .
Despite their strong recent play , the Patriots have seven losses for the first time since 2002 , officially ending their NFL-record streak of 17 straight seasons with at least 10 victories .
The Rams ’ opening 75-yard TD drive at SoFi Stadium looked better than anything it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Akers had long gains before Goff leaned over the line on fourth-and-goal for his career-high fourth rushing touchdown of the season .
An intentional grounding penalty on Goff and a poorly thrown pass intercepted by New England ’ s Myles Bryant kept the Pats ’ deficit manageable early .
But Young opened the second quarter with an interception by Donald ’ s disruption up front , taking it all the way back for the third-year linebacker ’ s first NFL touchdown .
Kupp ’ s 2-yard TD catch late in the third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive by the Rams that included two fourth-down conversions .
“ It didn ’ t really matter anything else that happened , ” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said .
“ They were able to continuously run it and get first downs .
It takes you out of the play-calling .
We were able to do well on third downs , but it didn ’ t matter because of how well they did in the run game .
They took the whole third quarter with the long drive , and we can ’ t @ @ @ @ @

With rookie Cam Akers running wild for the Rams and his defensive teammates thoroughly stifling the Patriots, Los Angeles got a tiny measure of payback for its Super Bowl embarrassment two years ago.
These Rams even looked good enough to contend for a chance at some actual Super Bowl redemption later this season.
Akers rushed for 171 yards in a breakout performance, Kenny Young returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown and the Rams clinched their fourth straight winning season with a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots on Thursday night.
Jared Goff rushed for a touchdown and threw a TD pass to Cooper Kupp as the NFC West-leading Rams (9-4) rolled to a one-sided victory in a rematch of their 13-3 Super Bowl loss in February 2019.
“We’ve got a lot of respect for them, but it’s a totally different year,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “It doesn’t have anything to do with what occurred a couple of years ago.”
While the Rams’ offense looked sharp, their defense pushed the Patriots (6-7) perilously close to disarray. New England managed only 220 total yards — just 62 in the second half with a series of misbegotten drives.
Cam Newton went 9 of 16 for 119 yards and got sacked four times before the 2015 NFL MVP was replaced by Jarrett Stidham for the final three series in the fourth quarter.
Cam Newton is sacked by Aaron Donald. Getty Images
“We knew exactly what they were going to do,” Newton said. “We have to be better, and it starts with me personally. I have to make more plays.”
Five days after the Patriots scored 45 points at SoFi Stadium against the Chargers, New England endangered its push for a 12th straight playoff berth with only its second loss in six games.
When asked if he expected to start next week, Newton replied: “That’s not my call.”
Bill Belichick doused the understandable speculation moments later: “Cam is our quarterback.”
The Rams got a superb game from Akers, the second-round draft pick out of Florida State who has seized a major role in their offense over the last three weeks. Akers’ yards mostly came in big chunks during the biggest rushing game by an NFL rookie this season and just the ninth 150-yard game against a Belichick-coached defense since 2000.
“It’s just (great) watching that guy really assert himself as a big-time player for us,” McVay said. “You can just see this guy is going to be a really special player for us, and this was a great night for him.”
Aaron Donald had 1 1/2 sacks to move into the overall NFL lead with 12 1/2 this season while leading another strong game from Los Angeles’ elite defense, which recorded six sacks and also scored a touchdown in its third consecutive game. The Pats’ third-ranked rushing offense managed just 3.7 yards per carry.
“We knew they had a great running game, that they outphysical-ed people, and we took that personally,” said Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who had two sacks. “If they were going to come in here and run the ball, we were going to stop them.”
New England again struggled to move the ball through the air, and Newton threw his first pick-six of the season to Young, who also had a sack and led the Rams with eight tackles. Stidham went 5 of 7 and got sacked twice after taking over early in the fourth quarter.
Cam Akers breaks free against the Patriots. AP
Despite their strong recent play, the Patriots have seven losses for the first time since 2002, officially ending their NFL-record streak of 17 straight seasons with at least 10 victories.
The Rams’ opening 75-yard TD drive at SoFi Stadium looked better than anything it did in the Super Bowl. Tyler Higbee and Akers had long gains before Goff leaned over the line on fourth-and-goal for his career-high fourth rushing touchdown of the season.
An intentional grounding penalty on Goff and a poorly thrown pass intercepted by New England’s Myles Bryant kept the Pats’ deficit manageable early. But Young opened the second quarter with an interception by Donald’s disruption up front, taking it all the way back for the third-year linebacker’s first NFL touchdown.
Kupp’s 2-yard TD catch late in the third quarter capped a dominant 16-play, 90-yard drive by the Rams that included two fourth-down conversions.
“It didn’t really matter anything else that happened,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. “They were able to continuously run it and get first downs. It takes you out of the play-calling. We were able to do well on third downs, but it didn’t matter because of how well they did in the run game. They took the whole third quarter with the long drive, and we can’t play that way.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Congress stuck after McConnell resists state aid in COVID-19 deal

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — An emerging $ 900 billion COVID-19 aid package from a bipartisan group of lawmakers has all but collapsed after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republican senators won ’ t support $ 160 billion in state and local funds as part of a potential trade-off in the deal .
McConnell ’ s staff conveyed to top negotiators Thursday that the GOP leader sees no path to an agreement on a key aspect of the lawmakers ’ existing proposal — a slimmed-down version of the liability shield he is seeking for companies and organizations facing potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and local funds that Democrats want .
The GOP leader criticized “ controversial state bailouts ” during a speech in the Senate , as he insists on a more targeted aid package .
The hardened stance from McConnell , who does not appear to have enough votes from his Republican majority for a far-reaching compromise , creates a new stalemate over the $ 900-billion-plus package , despite days of toiling by a bipartisan group of lawmakers to strike compromise .
Other legislative pile-ups now threaten Friday ’ s related business — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t clear Congress , that would trigger a federal government shutdown on Saturday .
McConnell ’ s staff conveyed to other negotiators it ’ s “ unlikely ” the trade-off proposed by the bipartisan group would be acceptable , as COVID aid talks continue , according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the talks .
A senior Democrat first shared the Republican leader ’ s views after being granted anonymity to discuss the private conversations , which were first reported by Politico .
Deadlines , real and perceived , haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s factions to an agreement , despite the U.S. breaking a record-high 3,000 daily COVID fatalities , and hospitals straining at capacity from soaring caseloads nationwide .
The House recessed for a few days , with leaders warning members to be prepared to return to Washington to vote on the year-end deals , while the Senate was planning a rare Friday session .
The breakdown over the COVID aid package , after days of behind-the-scenes talks by a group of lawmakers fed up with inaction , comes as President Donald Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisting on a fresh round of $ 600 stimulus checks for Americans .
Sending direct cash payments to households was not included in the bipartisan proposal , but has been embraced by some of the president ’ s fiercest critics — including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N , Y. , and Sen. Bernie Sanders , the Vermont Independent who introduced an amendment to include the checks with Trump ally Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo .
Sanders said the unprecedented moment facing the nation with the pandemic and its economic fallout requires Congress to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top negotiator on COVID-19 financial aid , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reported headway Thursday , before the package from the bipartisan senators ’ group fell apart .
“ I think we ’ re making a lot of progress , ” Mnuchin said .
A one-week stop-gap measure to prevent a federal shutdown appears to have sapped some urgency from the talks .
The short-term government-wide funding bill , approved by the House on Wednesday , needs to clear the Senate before Friday at midnight to avert a partial closure .
The next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both House and Senate leaders say they won ’ t adjourn without passing an aid measure .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , said Congress would keep working up to or even after Christmas to get an agreement .
The new Congress is being sworn in on Jan. 3 .
“ Now if we need more time then we take more time , but we have to have a bill and we can not go home without it , ” Pelosi said .
She also gave an upbeat assessment on the talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ dinner group ” meeting late Thursday to try to prop up the deal .
They have been working furiously to try to bridge the stalemate over COVID aid .
The $ 900 billion-plus proposal provides sweeping new funds for vaccines , small businesses , health care providers , schools and families suffering from the virus crisis and the economic shutdowns .
A key hold up has been the standoff over more money for the states , that Democrats – and some Republicans – want and the liability shield that is McConnell ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats oppose .
The partisan group tried to marry those two provisions as a compromise .
McConnell had initially proposed a five-year liability shield from virus lawsuits , retroactive to December 2019 , but the bipartisan group was eyeing a scaled-back shield of six months to a year .
Labor and civil rights groups oppose any shield , which they say strips essential workers of potential legal recourse as they take risks during the pandemic .
Democratic leaders had wanted far more in state and local aid , but were accepting of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have long viewed the state and local aid as a bailout they would have trouble supporting , despite the pleas for funds coming from governors and mayors nationwide .
Late Thursday , Sen. Dick Durbin and other Democrats pitched another liability proposal to the bipartisan group , but it was rejected by Republicans , according to a Senate aide granted anonymity to discuss the private session .
The Trump administration is back in the middle of the negotiations with a $ 916 billion plan .
It would send a $ 600 direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 300-per-week employment benefit favored by the bipartisan group of Senate negotiators .
The White House offer has the endorsement of the top House Republican and apparent backing from McConnell , who had previously favored a $ 519 billion GOP plan that has already failed twice .
But Democrats immediately blasted the plan over the administration ’ s refusal to back the partial restoration , to $ 300 per week , of bonus pandemic jobless benefits that lapsed in August .
President-elect Joe Biden is pressing for as much pandemic relief as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in the talks .
McConnell , like Pelosi , says Congress will not adjourn without providing the long-overdue COVID-19 relief .
Republicans say the right people to handle final negotiations are the four leaders of Congress and the Trump administration , with the focus on the streamlined proposal from McConnell , R-Ky .
The bipartisan negotiating group — led by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and GOP Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , among others — was seeking to rally lawmakers behind the $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 300-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and $ 160 billion for states and local governments .
It also includes a four-month extension of jobless benefits set to expire at the end of the month , $ 300 billion for “ paycheck protection ” subsidies for struggling businesses , funding for vaccines and testing , and a host of smaller items such as aid to transit systems , the U.S .
Postal Service and health care providers .

WASHINGTON — An emerging $900 billion COVID-19 aid package from a bipartisan group of lawmakers has all but collapsed after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republican senators won’t support $160 billion in state and local funds as part of a potential trade-off in the deal.
McConnell’s staff conveyed to top negotiators Thursday that the GOP leader sees no path to an agreement on a key aspect of the lawmakers’ existing proposal — a slimmed-down version of the liability shield he is seeking for companies and organizations facing potential COVID-19 lawsuits — in exchange for the state and local funds that Democrats want.
The GOP leader criticized “controversial state bailouts” during a speech in the Senate, as he insists on a more targeted aid package.
The hardened stance from McConnell (R-Ky.), who does not appear to have enough votes from his Republican majority for a far-reaching compromise, creates a new stalemate over the $900 billion-plus package, despite days of toiling by a bipartisan group of lawmakers to strike a compromise.
Other legislative pile-ups now threaten Friday’s related business — a must-pass government funding bill. If it doesn’t clear Congress, that would trigger a federal government shutdown Saturday.
McConnell’s staff conveyed to other negotiators it’s “unlikely” the trade-off proposed by the bipartisan group would be acceptable, as COVID aid talks continue, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the talks. A senior Democrat first shared the Republican leader’s views after being granted anonymity to discuss the private conversations, which were first reported by Politico.
Deadlines, real and perceived, haven’t been sufficient to drive Washington’s factions to an agreement, despite the US breaking a record-high 3,000 daily COVID fatalities, and hospitals straining at capacity from soaring caseloads nationwide.
The House recessed for a few days, with leaders warning members to be prepared to return to Washington to vote on the year-end deals, while the Senate was planning a rare Friday session.
The breakdown over the COVID aid package, after days of behind-the-scenes talks by a group of lawmakers fed up with inaction, comes as President Trump has taken the talks in another direction — insisting on a fresh round of $600 stimulus checks for Americans.
Sending direct cash payments to households was not included in the bipartisan proposal, but has been embraced by some of the president’s fiercest critics — including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who introduced an amendment to include the checks with Trump ally Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
Sanders said the unprecedented moment facing the nation with the pandemic and its economic fallout requires Congress to “take unprecedented action.”
Trump’s top negotiator on COVID-19 financial aid, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, reported headway Thursday, before the package from the bipartisan senators’ group fell apart.
“I think we’re making a lot of progress,” Mnuchin said.
A one-week stop-gap measure to prevent a federal shutdown appears to have sapped some urgency from the talks. The short-term government-wide funding bill, approved by the House on Wednesday, needs to clear the Senate before midnight Friday to avert a partial closure.
The next deadline would be Dec. 18, but both House and Senate leaders say they won’t adjourn without passing an aid measure.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a news conference on Capitol Hill. EPA
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Congress would keep working up to or even after Christmas to get an agreement. The new Congress will be sworn in on Jan. 3.
“Now if we need more time, then we take more time, but we have to have a bill and we cannot go home without it,” Pelosi said. She also gave an upbeat assessment on the talks.
The bipartisan lawmakers held another virtual “dinner group” meeting late Thursday to try to prop up the deal. They have been working furiously to try to bridge the stalemate over COVID aid.
The $900 billion-plus proposal provides sweeping new funds for vaccines, small businesses, health care providers, schools and families suffering from the virus crisis and the economic shutdowns.
A key holdup has been the standoff over more money for the states, which Democrats — and some Republicans — want and the liability shield that is McConnell’s top GOP priority but which most Democrats oppose.
The partisan group tried to marry those two provisions as a compromise.
McConnell had initially proposed a five-year liability shield from virus lawsuits, retroactive to December 2019, but the bipartisan group was eyeing a scaled-back shield of six months to a year. Labor and civil rights groups oppose any shield, which they say strips essential workers of potential legal recourse as they take risks during the pandemic.
Democratic leaders had wanted far more in state and local aid, but were accepting of the lower $160 billion.
But many Republicans have long viewed the state and local aid as a bailout they would have trouble supporting, despite the pleas for funds coming from governors and mayors nationwide.
Late Thursday, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and other Democrats pitched another liability proposal to the bipartisan group, but it was rejected by Republicans, according to a Senate aide granted anonymity to discuss the private session.
The Trump administration is back in the middle of the negotiations with a $916 billion plan. It would send a $600 direct payment to most Americans but eliminate a $300-per-week unemployment benefit favored by the bipartisan group of Senate negotiators.
The White House offer has the endorsement of the top House Republican and apparent backing from McConnell, who had previously favored a $519 billion GOP plan that has already failed twice. But Democrats immediately blasted the plan over the administration’s refusal to back the partial restoration, to $300 per week, of bonus pandemic jobless benefits that lapsed in August.
President-elect Joe Biden is pressing for as much pandemic relief as possible, though he’s not directly involved in the talks. McConnell, like Pelosi, says Congress will not adjourn without providing the long-overdue COVID-19 relief.
Republicans say the right people to handle final negotiations are the four leaders of Congress and the Trump administration, with the focus on the streamlined proposal from McConnell.
The bipartisan negotiating group — led by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), among others — was seeking to rally lawmakers behind the $908 billion framework that includes the $300-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and $160 billion for states and local governments.
It also includes a four-month extension of jobless benefits set to expire at the end of the month, $300 billion for “paycheck protection” subsidies for struggling businesses, funding for vaccines and testing, and a host of smaller items such as aid to transit systems, the US Postal Service and health care providers.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--USS Theodore Roosevelt searching for sailor who may have gone overboard

Navy crews on Thursday were reportedly searching for a sailor from the USS Theodore Roosevelt who may have gone overboard @ @ @ @ @ California .
“ The ship initiated search and rescue procedures after a lookout spotted what @ @ @ @ @ in the water , ” the U.S. 3rd Fleet said a statement , according to @ @ @ @ @ sailor was unaccounted for during a command-wide muster , ” the statement said .
The @ @ @ @ @ and a rigid hull inflate boat in the search .
The USS Theodore Roosevelt left @ @ @ @ @ of its second deployment of the year , USNI News reported .
The carrier has @ @ @ @ @ the onset of the pandemic after a massive coronavirus outbreak infected over 1,200 sailors .

Navy crews on Thursday were reportedly searching for a sailor from the USS Theodore Roosevelt who may have gone overboard off the coast of Southern California.
“The ship initiated search and rescue procedures after a lookout spotted what appeared to be a person in the water,” the U.S. 3rd Fleet said a statement, according to USNI News.
“One sailor was unaccounted for during a command-wide muster,” the statement said.
The carrier is using three helicopters and a rigid hull inflate boat in the search.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt left San Diego on Monday ahead of its second deployment of the year, USNI News reported.
The carrier has been in the news since the onset of the pandemic after a massive coronavirus outbreak infected over 1,200 sailors.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--San Fransisco Gay Men’s Chorus takes beloved Christmas show online

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Have yourself a merry little @ @ @ @ @ yuletide gay .
The San Francisco Gay Men ’ s Chorus is celebrating the holiday @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re told , by streaming their beloved annual holiday concert on Broadway @ @ @ @ @ .
Guest performers are expected to include Broadway favorite Laura Benanti .
Meanwhile , MTV @ @ @ @ @ Chorus Deep South , ” which follows the group as they tour the Bible Belt @ @ @ @ @ Pop , and Pluto TV on December 20 at 9 p.m .
It was recently @ @ @ @ @ 100 LGBTQ films of all time by Insider .

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Have yourself a merry little Christmas — and make the yuletide gay.
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus is celebrating the holiday season in spite of COVID, we’re told, by streaming their beloved annual holiday concert on Broadway on Demand on Christmas Eve. Guest performers are expected to include Broadway favorite Laura Benanti.
Meanwhile, MTV Documentary Films’ “Gay Chorus Deep South,” which follows the group as they tour the Bible Belt, debuts on Logo, Pop, and Pluto TV on December 20 at 9 p.m. It was recently named one of the top 100 LGBTQ films of all time by Insider.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Ty Johnson turned brash suggestion into breakout Jets performance

The Jets were trailing Las Vegas by 11 points in the third quarter last Sunday , when running back Ty Johnson turned to offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains on the sidelines .
“ ‘ Hey , do you think you can call some runs for me ?
’ ” Loggains recalled the conversation earlier this week .
“ Just how loose he was , how charismatic he was , you could feel his personality .
“ And it was awesome to see as a coach , to see this young kid who ’ s a great competitor to full-on maximize his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Famer Frank Gore sidelined with a concussion , Johnson rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries to become the first Jets running back to surpass the century mark on the ground since Isaiah Crowell ran for a team-record 219 yards on Oct. 7 , 2018 .
Gore could be cleared from concussion protocol to return Sunday against Seattle , but Johnson — and Josh Adams , who contributed 74 rushing yards against the Raiders — suddenly have presented the Jets with viable options at the position following the October release of Le @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered by rookie La ’ Mical Perine .
The last-second loss to the Raiders overshadowed the winless Jets ’ first 200-yard rushing game as a team since the aforementioned Crowell performance .
Johnson , a sixth-round pick in 2019 claimed off waivers in October from Detroit , added a 1-yard touchdown plunge Sunday to give the Jets a 28-24 lead with 5:34 remaining .
It marked the first NFL touchdown for the 23-year-old Johnson , who had totaled only eight carries in four previous appearances with the Jets .
“ I didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson said .
“ To hit pay dirt , it was just really wild .
I was like , ‘ Damn , I just scored !
’ “ It was a great moment , still doesn ’ t seem real .
… It ’ s been a long two years and it was just a blessing.
” Johnson added the scoring play would have meant even more to him if not for the Jets ’ latest heartbreaking loss to fall to 0-12 .
Coach Adam Gase acknowledged “ the game doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” but even if the 37-year-old Gore , who is questionable , returns this week , the coaching staff would like to keep Johnson involved in the offense .
“ Obviously , you hate to see a player go out to get an opportunity to [ play ] , ” Johnson said of Gore .
“ But at the end of the day , the coaches gave me an opportunity to go in there and play and that ’ s what I was going to do .
”

The Jets were trailing Las Vegas by 11 points in the third quarter last Sunday, when running back Ty Johnson turned to offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains on the sidelines.
“ ‘Hey, do you think you can call some runs for me?’ ” Loggains recalled the conversation earlier this week. “Just how loose he was, how charismatic he was, you could feel his personality.
“And it was awesome to see as a coach, to see this young kid who’s a great competitor to full-on maximize his opportunity.”
Indeed, with future Hall of Famer Frank Gore sidelined with a concussion, Johnson rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries to become the first Jets running back to surpass the century mark on the ground since Isaiah Crowell ran for a team-record 219 yards on Oct. 7, 2018.
Gore could be cleared from concussion protocol to return Sunday against Seattle, but Johnson — and Josh Adams, who contributed 74 rushing yards against the Raiders — suddenly have presented the Jets with viable options at the position following the October release of Le’Veon Bell and an ankle injury suffered by rookie La’Mical Perine.
Ty Johnson runs the ball for the Jets. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The last-second loss to the Raiders overshadowed the winless Jets’ first 200-yard rushing game as a team since the aforementioned Crowell performance.
Johnson, a sixth-round pick in 2019 claimed off waivers in October from Detroit, added a 1-yard touchdown plunge Sunday to give the Jets a 28-24 lead with 5:34 remaining. It marked the first NFL touchdown for the 23-year-old Johnson, who had totaled only eight carries in four previous appearances with the Jets.
“I didn’t believe I actually scored,” Johnson said. “To hit pay dirt, it was just really wild. I was like, ‘Damn, I just scored!’
“It was a great moment, still doesn’t seem real. … It’s been a long two years and it was just a blessing.”
Johnson added the scoring play would have meant even more to him if not for the Jets’ latest heartbreaking loss to fall to 0-12.
Coach Adam Gase acknowledged “the game doesn’t always go the way you want,” but even if the 37-year-old Gore, who is questionable, returns this week, the coaching staff would like to keep Johnson involved in the offense.
“Obviously, you hate to see a player go out to get an opportunity to [play],” Johnson said of Gore. “But at the end of the day, the coaches gave me an opportunity to go in there and play and that’s what I was going to do.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--FDA approves emergency use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

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The Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine Friday as a second wave of the coronavirus continues to batter a pandemic-weary nation , the New York Times reported Friday night .
The approval comes after a government advisory panel backed the use of the vaccine , which paved the way for the FDA to grant its green light .
In a 17-4 vote with one abstention Thursday , the FDA ’ s Vaccines and Related Biological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears safe and effective for emergency use in people 16 and older .
Earlier Friday , Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar hinted approval was right around the corner and said people could be receiving the shot as early as Monday or Tuesday .
“ I ’ ve got some good news for you , ” Azar said on ABC ’ s “ Good Morning America.
” “ Just a little bit ago , the FDA informed Pfizer that they do intend to proceed toward an authorization for their vaccine.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company BioNTech , will be the first vaccine against the coronavirus in the US and trials show it is 95 % effective in warding off an infection .
Last week , the booster was approved and immediately rolled out to citizens in the UK .
Some British recipients have reported severe allergic reactions to the vaccine , but Pfizer reps told the FDA panel Thursday they ’ d seen no signs of such reactions in their trial .

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Hallelujah.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Friday as a second surging of the coronavirus continues to batter a pandemic-weary nation.
The approval clears the way for the first wave of American recipients — millions of health workers and nursing home residents — to begin getting shots very soon.
“The first vaccine will be administered in less than 24 hours,” Trump said Friday night at 9:30 p.m.
“The governors decide where the vaccines will go in their state, and who will get them first. We want our senior citizens, health care workers and first responders to be first in line.”
The historic go-ahead marks the beinning of the end of the pandemic in the United States, where more than 294,000 people have died of COVID-19.
The vaccine, developed by the Manhattan-based Pfizer and the German company BioNTech, and designed to be given in two doses that are three weeks apart, will be the first vaccine against the coronavirus distributed in the U.S.
“Today our nation has achieved a medical miracle,” President Trump said in a statement tweeted Friday night. “We have delivered a safe and effective vaccine in just nine months. This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history.”
Ongoing trials involving some 44,000 recipients show it is indeed 95% effective in warding off illness, including for the elderly and for people with pre-existing health conditions; detailed data also show it is safe to take.
The rollout, however, will be slow, as initial supplies are scarce. An estimated three million doses are expected in the first shipments around the country.
Earlier Friday, a review of the clinical trial data ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo found that there were no problems with the vaccine, clearing the way for its distribution in New York.
Trump credited Friday night’s success to “Operation Warp Speed,” which he called “the greatest medical manufacturing endeavor in American history.”
The program channelled $14 billion in federal funds into the race to develop, manufacture and distribute effective vaccines.
Nearly $2 billion funded Pfizer’s effort to produce 100 million doses now, with an option to produce an additional 500 million doses, Trump said Friday night. The doses will be free of charge, he said.
“It will save millions of lives and soon end the pandemic once and for all,” Trump said of the start of vaccinations.
“We have given Pfizer and other companies a great deal of money hoping this would be the outcome,” he said.
“And it was. On behalf of the American people, I would like to thank all of the brilliant scientists, technicians, doctors and workers who made this all possible. Pfizer and Moderna have announced their vaccines are approximately 95 percent effective, far exceeding expectations,” he noted.
“These vaccines are also very safe. American citizens participated in clinical trials that were far larger than normal, and had no serious side effects.
“The dedicated and independent experts at the FDA meticulously studied the results of the trials and it has now passed the gold standard of safety,” he said.
“The United States is the first nation in the world to produce a verifiably safe and effective vaccine. Today’s achievement is a reminder of America’s unlimited potential when we have the will and the courage to pursue ambitious goals,” he said.
“As I’ve said from the beginning, a vaccine will vanquish the virus, and return life back to normal.”
Friday night’s FDA approval comes after a government advisory panel backed the use of the vaccine, which paved the way for the FDA to grant its green light.
In a 17-4 vote with one abstention Thursday, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee concluded that the shot appears safe and effective for emergency use in people 16 and older.
Earlier Friday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar hinted approval was right around the corner and said people could be receiving the shot as early as Monday or Tuesday.
“I’ve got some good news for you,” Azar said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“Just a little bit ago, the FDA informed Pfizer that they do intend to proceed toward an authorization for their vaccine.”
Last week, the booster was approved and immediately rolled out to citizens in the UK.
Some British recipients have reported severe allergic reactions to the vaccine, but Pfizer reps told the FDA panel Thursday they’d seen no signs of such reactions in their trial.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--The left’s silly assault on Joe Biden’s Defense pick Gen. Lloyd Austin

Joe Biden picked a Defense Department chief he knows he can trust , so naturally the left is whining .
Yet Lloyd Austin is clearly qualified and would also make history as the first African American in the role .
Gen. Austin , 67 , was the first black head of US Central Command , responsible for America ’ s troops in Iraq , Afghanistan and Syria .
Then he was the Army vice chief of staff before retiring in 2016 as a four-star general after 41 years of service .
Since he ’ s only been retired four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiver : US law requires the defense secretary to be out of the military for seven years .
The only two waivers yet granted went to real giants : Gen. Jim Mattis in 2017 and Gen. George Marshall in 1950 .
Progressives ’ other gripe is that in retirement Austin joined the board of Raytheon , a big Pentagon contractor , which has generated lots of hysteria about the “ military-industrial complex.
” The left , you see , wants a defense chief who ’ ll go along with eviscerating the defense budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choose a defense secretary who ’ s earned his trust .
As he wrote at The Atlantic , the prez-to-be has worked with Austin for years , including in the Situation Room .
More , “ Austin knows the incredible cost of war and the commingled pride and pain that live in the hearts of those families that pay it.
” And Austin has run highly complex logistical tasks like the US pullout from Iraq — useful when the Pentagon will play a vital role in vaccine distribution .
Bottom line : In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks to have chosen wisely .

Joe Biden picked a Defense Department chief he knows he can trust, so naturally the left is whining. Yet Lloyd Austin is clearly qualified and would also make history as the first African American in the role.
Gen. Austin, 67, was the first black head of US Central Command, responsible for America’s troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Then he was the Army vice chief of staff before retiring in 2016 as a four-star general after 41 years of service.
Since he’s only been retired four years, he’ll need a congressional waiver: US law requires the defense secretary to be out of the military for seven years. The only two waivers yet granted went to real giants: Gen. Jim Mattis in 2017 and Gen. George Marshall in 1950.
Progressives’ other gripe is that in retirement Austin joined the board of Raytheon, a big Pentagon contractor, which has generated lots of hysteria about the “military-industrial complex.” The left, you see, wants a defense chief who’ll go along with eviscerating the defense budget.
But Biden has the right to choose a defense secretary who’s earned his trust. As he wrote at The Atlantic, the prez-to-be has worked with Austin for years, including in the Situation Room. More, “Austin knows the incredible cost of war and the commingled pride and pain that live in the hearts of those families that pay it.”
And Austin has run highly complex logistical tasks like the US pullout from Iraq — useful when the Pentagon will play a vital role in vaccine distribution.
Bottom line: In this case, at least, Biden looks to have chosen wisely.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Panthers’ Mike Davis is no longer worth the fantasy football risk

The Post is fielding fantasy football questions from readers heading ...

Sometimes habits are easy to form. Like, you stay up late one night, you sleep late the next morning, the next thing you know, you are stuck in a wicked trend.
Sometimes they can be hard. How many of you still occasionally climb out of the car and get halfway to the storefront before realizing you left your mask in the car? Even months later, that hasn’t instilled itself as an ingrained habit.
The fantasy football world operates much the same. Somehow, it still isn’t a habit to plug Corey Davis in fantasy lineups — presumably because he spent the first three years of his career routinely disappointing fantasy owners.
Yet, it took just a couple of weeks for fantasy owners to lock into their brains and lineups the inclusion of Panthers backup running back Mike Davis.
After consensus top-overall fantasy draft pick Christian McCaffrey went down in Week 2, Davis burst onto the scene with three straight 20-plus PPR points outings. But it didn’t take that long for the habit to entrench.
Practically as soon as CMC went down, Davis was slotted right in — in expectation of volume if not efficiency. Yet he delivered both, racking up 23.1 PPR points in Week 3 vs. the Chargers — primarily thanks to his role in the passing game (13-6 rushing, 8-45 and a TD receiving).
And like that — snap fingers — he was locked in as an every-week starter. You didn’t have to think about it, just see him safely secured in a starting RB spot on your roster, then click submit. Habit.
Panthers running back Mike Davis is stopped by the Lions. AP
And it worked. He scored 22.1 the next week, 29.9 in Week 5. He was a monster. And he was doing that despite pedestrian rushing totals, failing to top 90 yards during that amazing run. Yet, dating back to Week 2, he had 30 catches in four games — and not fewer than five in any one game. His receiving work was carrying his fantasy value.
So you probably didn’t notice when his production took a sharp nosedive in Week 6 (11.5 PPR points). You still see a bulky weekly average. Besides, by then, you were already in the habit of starting him.
Then came four straight weeks of failing to reach nine points (one of those games featured a brief one-week return of McCaffrey). And he has not reached 16 in any game since Week 5.
He averaged 25 points per game for those first three weeks as a starter, but just 10.6 in his other starts. He is the Travis Fulgham of running backs. In Fulgham’s first five games with the Eagles this season, he averaged 19.3 PPR points. In four games since, he has scored 7.2 — total.
Fulgham isn’t in your lineup anymore — he might not even be on your roster. Davis isn’t much better. So, even with McCaffrey not expected to play with a new thigh injury, why play him?
It’s the fantasy playoffs. You can’t afford a mistake. Break the habit. Drop the Mike from your lineup.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--NYC DOE is just wrong on demanding in-school COVID-19 tests

According to DOE data , Queens saw seven schools shutter , the ...

On Monday, public schools in the city reopened for K-5 students who signed up for blended learning after shutting down on Nov. 19 when the citywide COVID-19 positivity rate surpassed 3 percent. The reopening set the stage for principals to clash with parents who haven’t submitted COVID-19 testing consent forms but still want their kids in class.
It’s another head-spinning instance of Mayor de Blasio moving the goalposts just as parents finally think they have a handle on their children’s education.
I’m the parent of a 5-year-old kindergartener with autism, and I oppose the city’s mandatory weekly random COVID-testing of public school kids. While my son Max and other kindergarten kids are exempt, there are good reasons to oppose weekly testing of any school kids.
For starters, it’s not in the compulsory-education law and regulations that require specific immunizations in order to attend school. To add COVID-19, the Legislature would have to change the law or, at the least, the State Education Department would need to issue new guidance — following public comment. De Blasio’s mayoral diktat is a usurpation of legislative authority.
Secondly, parents — not the DOE — should get to determine what’s in the best interest of their children. For decades, the city’s Department of Education has been expanding the principle of in loco parentis.
It’s one thing for schools to take legal responsibility for students during the school day; it’s quite another to bar parents from being present when they swab children’s noses for a virus.
It’s bad enough that DOE hands out condoms, offers sex counseling and makes referrals for IUDs and abortion clinic appointments for kids as young as 10 without parent notification. New York parents need to draw the line here.
Third, de Blasio’s unlawful mandate is another unnecessary concession to the teachers’ union, as those with medical exemptions are already teaching remotely (from hammocks, Costco and vacation homes in the Berkshires).
Fourth, no jurisdiction elsewhere has made mandatory testing a requirement for in-person schooling. Children (and classrooms) are not the primary vectors of the coronavirus, and when they’re in school buildings they wear face coverings and sit in chilly classrooms where ventilation is allegedly not up to snuff.
Lastly, if the city wants to track the spread of the coronavirus infection, it doesn’t need to do random testing of kids who are seeking their constitutionally guaranteed education. The Department of Environmental Protection is testing wastewater for the presence of COVID-19 as an indicator of a community’s health.
Mandatory random testing of kids is both an unnecessary and an illegal overreach. Plus, the nasal test used is less accurate than the deeper one that swabs the cavity between the nose and mouth. Officials should limit any testing they do to school staff and teachers, particularly those who come in from outside the communities where they work.
Parents who oppose the in-school testing mandate are now refusing to sign the consent forms and threatening legal action if DOE bars their kids from attending classes. Those who don’t enjoy the luxury of working from home don’t want to be forced to cede their rights to the DOE or lose their jobs.
Adriana Aviles, a Queens mom of three, told me her third-grader’s principal won’t accept her NYC H+H test results as proof that her child is virus-free. Her son wasn’t allowed in the school building and was placed in full remote in a different class away from his friends.
That’s outrageous — and it should never have to come to that. Parents, not the United Federation of Teachers, are the ultimate stakeholders in the health and educational futures of school kids. How tragic that Team de Blasio doesn’t recognize that.
Indeed, nothing has exposed the shortcomings of Hizzoner and his equally unimpressive, Critical Race Theory-obsessed ideologue Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza like the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past nine months, they’ve played ping-pong with the lives of school children and their parents.
Enough is enough. The city needs to rescind mandatory testing and permit kids to return under the original terms of the blended learning option.
Michael Benjamin, a former Bronx assemblyman, is a member of The Post Editorial Board.
Twitter: @squarepegdem


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--‘365 dni’ on Netflix: The ‘Tiger King’ of 2020 Horniness

2020 was the year COVID-19 crippled our global culture , Taylor Swift dropped two original albums , and a lascivious Polish film called 365 dni was arguably the most popular movie on Netflix of the summer .
365 dni , or 365 Days , pitched itself as Poland ’ s answer to the BDSM-celebrating hit Fifty Shades of Grey .
Truly , though , it was an unhinged celebration of eroticism complete with sex scenes that were essentially porn .
So why did 365 dni capture the hearts , minds , and libidos of so many Americans in 2020 ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tiger King of horniness in 2020 and that ’ s all there is to it .
Based on the best-selling Polish novel by Blanka Lipinski , 365 dni tells the story of Laura Biel ( Anna-Maria Sieklucka ) , a beautiful , bored corporate sales rep who finds herself stuck on a boring Italian vacation with her boring boyfriend Martin ( Mateusz Lasowski ) .
Things get decidedly less boring when Laura is kidnapped by Don Massimo Torricelli ( Michele Morrone ) , a dangerous — but handsome , I guess ?
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boring , you see .
But he has been obsessively stalking Laura for five years , which is bad .
Worse ?
He decides to kidnap her and hold her hostage for the titular 365 days with the idea that by the end of the year , Laura will fall in love with him .
365 dni very clearly ups the ante on Fifty Shades of Grey ‘ s laundry list of problematic sins by depicting Stockholm Syndrome as romantic .
Or at the very least , erotic .
The film is less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other than it is about two anger-fueled hotties playing mind games with each other that culminate in disaster .
Sure , there are a heck of a lot of orgasms along the way , but 365 dni depicts sex and violence as twin spirits binding people together and tearing them apart .
Massimo and Laura ’ s relationship isn ’ t rooted in kindness or communication .
It ’ s based in blood .
Laura ’ s resolve not to melt into the arms of her hard-bodied captor only breaks after he murders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prove his love .
This forces an argument that leads to her falling off a boat and into the roiling sea .
Massimo then risks his life to save hers , and she gives him an incredibly convincing blow job as thanks .
Then the two make love ( or to quote The Crown ‘ s Prince Charles , “ Whatever love is ” ) for a few stunning minutes all over his yacht .
365 dni ‘ s “ boat scene ” remains one of the wildest scenes on Netflix months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But really that ’ s all 365 dni is : bonkers , ruthless , guileless horniness .
It ’ s aggressively problematic on purpose , playing into the darker fantasies that folks have that defy all rules of common sense or civility .
The story driving 365 dni ?
It ’ s upsetting .
The romance at the film ’ s heart ?
Shallow .
The sex scenes ?
Shockingly shameless .
365 dni is more of a spectacle than a romance , and that ’ s the point .
It is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Much like how we all flocked to the unbridled insanity of Tiger King in the early , mind-numbing days of quarantine , 365 dni was there for us when the itch to just touch another human got to be too much .
Why were people happily watching such faff ?
To fap , naturally .
( That ’ s my critical take at least . )
2020 is a year that challenged us in so many ways , it should come as no surprise that many of us were drawn to the least-challenging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ films that felt as insane as the mind-melting reality closing in on us .
We wanted a release from all our tensions , to disappear from our stress for a while .
And 365 dni was there for a lot of people .
At least according to Netflix ’ s own Top 10 lists .
The good news ?
We as a culture seem to have gotten over our 365 dni hump ( pun totally intended ) .
As we mentally adjusted to the turmoil at hand , we turned to the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gambit and soul-affirming humor of Ted Lasso .
The wildest sex scenes we ’ re gasping over now can be found on HBO ’ s Industry ( and Netflix ’ s Bridgerton is on the way with sumptuously erotic portrayals of romantic love , not Stockholm Syndrome ) .
365 dni was the biggest Netflix film of summer 2020 .
It was a moment in our culture that happened , even if it feels like a fever dream today .
But like Tiger King , it was an obsession that kept us going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like Laura , trapped against our will .
At least 365 dni ‘ s version of house arrest had some arrestingly horny visuals to distract us…

2020 was the year COVID-19 crippled our global culture, Taylor Swift dropped two original albums, and a lascivious Polish film called 365 dni was arguably the most popular movie on Netflix of the summer. 365 dni, or 365 Days, pitched itself as Poland’s answer to the BDSM-celebrating hit Fifty Shades of Grey. Truly, though, it was an unhinged celebration of eroticism complete with sex scenes that were essentially porn. So why did 365 dni capture the hearts, minds, and libidos of so many Americans in 2020? Quite simply, 365 dni was our Tiger King of horniness in 2020 and that’s all there is to it.
Based on the best-selling Polish novel by Blanka Lipinski, 365 dni tells the story of Laura Biel (Anna-Maria Sieklucka), a beautiful, bored corporate sales rep who finds herself stuck on a boring Italian vacation with her boring boyfriend Martin (Mateusz Lasowski). Things get decidedly less boring when Laura is kidnapped by Don Massimo Torricelli (Michele Morrone), a dangerous — but handsome, I guess? — crime boss. He’s not boring, you see. But he has been obsessively stalking Laura for five years, which is bad. Worse? He decides to kidnap her and hold her hostage for the titular 365 days with the idea that by the end of the year, Laura will fall in love with him.
365 dni very clearly ups the ante on Fifty Shades of Grey‘s laundry list of problematic sins by depicting Stockholm Syndrome as romantic. Or at the very least, erotic. The film is less about two people learning to love each other than it is about two anger-fueled hotties playing mind games with each other that culminate in disaster. Sure, there are a heck of a lot of orgasms along the way, but 365 dni depicts sex and violence as twin spirits binding people together and tearing them apart.
Massimo and Laura’s relationship isn’t rooted in kindness or communication. It’s based in blood. Laura’s resolve not to melt into the arms of her hard-bodied captor only breaks after he murders a man who tried to rape her to prove his love. This forces an argument that leads to her falling off a boat and into the roiling sea. Massimo then risks his life to save hers, and she gives him an incredibly convincing blow job as thanks. Then the two make love (or to quote The Crown‘s Prince Charles, “Whatever love is”) for a few stunning minutes all over his yacht. 365 dni‘s “boat scene” remains one of the wildest scenes on Netflix months later thanks to its ruthless horniness.
But really that’s all 365 dni is: bonkers, ruthless, guileless horniness. It’s aggressively problematic on purpose, playing into the darker fantasies that folks have that defy all rules of common sense or civility. The story driving 365 dni? It’s upsetting. The romance at the film’s heart? Shallow. The sex scenes? Shockingly shameless. 365 dni is more of a spectacle than a romance, and that’s the point. It is the Tiger King of eroticism on Netflix.
Much like how we all flocked to the unbridled insanity of Tiger King in the early, mind-numbing days of quarantine, 365 dni was there for us when the itch to just touch another human got to be too much. Why were people happily watching such faff? To fap, naturally. (That’s my critical take at least.) 2020 is a year that challenged us in so many ways, it should come as no surprise that many of us were drawn to the least-challenging content imaginable. We wanted shows and films that felt as insane as the mind-melting reality closing in on us. We wanted a release from all our tensions, to disappear from our stress for a while. And 365 dni was there for a lot of people. At least according to Netflix’s own Top 10 lists.
The good news? We as a culture seem to have gotten over our 365 dni hump (pun totally intended). As we mentally adjusted to the turmoil at hand, we turned to the more intellectual delights of The Queen’s Gambit and soul-affirming humor of Ted Lasso. The wildest sex scenes we’re gasping over now can be found on HBO’s Industry (and Netflix’s Bridgerton is on the way with sumptuously erotic portrayals of romantic love, not Stockholm Syndrome).
365 dni was the biggest Netflix film of summer 2020. It was a moment in our culture that happened, even if it feels like a fever dream today. But like Tiger King, it was an obsession that kept us going when times were grim and we felt, like Laura, trapped against our will. At least 365 dni‘s version of house arrest had some arrestingly horny visuals to distract us…
Where to stream 365 dni


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Joe DiMaggio kept an apology note from Marilyn Monroe in his wallet

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) How screwed up was Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio ’ s relationship ?
So screwed up that he carried around an apology that she ’ d written to him in his wallet .
The peculiar note — which the tragic actress wrote on a dry-cleaning ticket — is going up for auction by Christie ’ s .
It reads , “ Dear Joe , I know I was wrong !
I acted the way I did and said the things I did because I was hurt — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was stupid of me to be hurt because actually there wasn ’ t enough reason — in fact no reason at all.
” Monroe , who was married to the Yankee great for one turbulent month in 1954 ends it , “ Please accept my apology and don ’ t , don ’ t , don ’ t , don ’ t be angry with your baby — she loves you .
Lovingly , your wife ( for life ) Mrs. J.P. DiMaggio.
” According to Christie ’ s , Joltin ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for so long that it separated into four pieces .
The note , which is in the Home Plate : A Private Collection of Important Baseball Memorabilia sale , has an estimate of $ 50,000 to $ 100,000 .

How screwed up was Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio’s relationship? So screwed up that he carried around an apology that she’d written to him in his wallet.
The peculiar note — which the tragic actress wrote on a dry-cleaning ticket — is going up for auction by Christie’s.
It reads, “Dear Joe, I know I was wrong! I acted the way I did and said the things I did because I was hurt — not because I meant them — and it was stupid of me to be hurt because actually there wasn’t enough reason — in fact no reason at all.”
Monroe, who was married to the Yankee great for one turbulent month in 1954 ends it, “Please accept my apology and don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t be angry with your baby — she loves you. Lovingly, your wife (for life) Mrs. J.P. DiMaggio.”
According to Christie’s, Joltin’ Joe carried it around in his wallet for so long that it separated into four pieces.
The note, which is in the Home Plate: A Private Collection of Important Baseball Memorabilia sale, has an estimate of $50,000 to $100,000.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Nets rookie Reggie Perry already leaving an impression

Kyrie Irving doubled down Friday on his media blackout — ...

Second-round picks are easily forgotten in the NBA, and on a roster as deep as the Nets’, that could certainly be the case. But day by day, practice after practice, Reggie Perry is trying to leave an impression.
Despite the culture shock of coming from tiny Southern towns and now playing with Hall of Fame-caliber teammates, Perry has made a fairly good impact.
“It’s been a great experience. This experience is what I’ve looked for coming into the NBA. One of my wishes was to be around great players, like Hall of Famers, and great teammates and stuff like that. It’s been great,” said Perry, who couldn’t believe he was playing with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
“I definitely said that to myself in my head. But I definitely try to keep my cool. The first day I got here, we played pickup, so as soon as we got on the court, everything was regular. Just playing basketball.”
Perry played at Mississippi State in Starkville, and grew up in Thomasville, Ga., where the population of 18,413 is only a tad bigger than the Barclays Center’s seating capacity. But he’s acclimating not only to the pace of New York but also to practice in the NBA.
Nets draft pick Reggie Perry at Mississippi State. AP
“I love Reggie, the draft pick. He’s a young kid that works very, very hard but knows the game of basketball,” Jeff Green said. “Honestly — well, it’s hard with the rotations we have here — but down the line in his career, I think he’ll be able to play multiple positions as well. He is very talented.”
DeAndre Jordan has bullied his share of centers, and is impressed with not only Perry’s skill and inquisitiveness, but also the 6-foot-10, 250-pounder’s strength and toughness — even if he pretended he couldn’t remember his name.
“Who? Who? Oh, you mean Rook!” Jordan said with a laugh. “Man, I love Rook. I love what he’s doing. He is a tough player, no fear out there, a very strong guy and a skilled player who can shoot the basketball.
“Like I said, Rook’s done a great job. Just to be able to have someone around who’s a young player, wants to soak up all that knowledge and work as hard as he can. It’s great to have someone like that on our team.”
Perry averaged 17.4 points and 10.1 boards last season as a sophomore, shooting 32.4 percent from 3-point range. While he won’t get those stats or those minutes, Steve Nash does see a future for him if he continues to develop.
“Reggie is a modern 5,” Nash said. “Fortunately for Reggie’s development, as a developmental player, he can stretch the floor with a 3 and also make plays for his teammates. He’s got a lot of skills and attributes that allow him that versatility to be a small-ball 5 in the modern game.”
The Nets requested waivers on guard Jordan Bowden and forward Nate Sestina to pare the roster to 20.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Andrew Cuomo’s anti-science, job-killing, utterly senseless NYC indoor dining shutdown

What a lump of coal to put in the stockings of struggling bars and restaurants and their thousands of workers : Gov .
Cuomo is banning indoor dining in the city as of Monday — though his own data show such businesses account for very little of the state ’ s COVID-19 spread .
In other words , he ’ s ignoring the science as he puts even more New Yorkers out of work in a dismal economy just two weeks before Christmas .
“ Hospitalizations have not stabilized , and with a rising infection rate and NYC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is too high of a risk , ” Cuomo said Friday .
Yet the city ’ s hospitalization rate is below the state average ; several regions have higher rates — yet his ban applies only to the city .
Plus , just minutes before , he showed a slide with the results of statewide contact-tracing data : Of 46,000 COVID cases from September to November , just 1.43 percent were tied to bars and restaurants .
The vast majority of known exposures , 73.84 percent , came from private household gatherings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually the only public places New Yorkers can socialize , likely driving more of them to such private gatherings .
Bars and restaurants have struggled for months under Cuomo ’ s mandates .
Indoor dining only resumed Sept. 30 after a six-month shutdown , at just 25 percent capacity , while it ’ s been 50 percent capacity everywhere else in state .
The Drinktator ruled that you can only enjoy an alcohol drink if you buy a substantial meal with it , and put a 10 p.m. curfew on eateries in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there will be economic hardship , ” Cuomo admitted Friday , “ but we have compensated in other ways , ” such as “ aggressively expanded ” outdoor dining .
Please .
Winter is almost here , and many eateries can ’ t manage heated patios .
He ’ s all but shuttering an industry with tight margins pre-pandemic during its most profitable time of year .
In a new National Restaurant Association survey , 54 percent of New York state eateries don ’ t expect to survive the next six months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is 37 percent .
And the city ’ s 13.2 percent unemployment rate is nearly twice the national average of 6.9 percent .
Cuomo ’ s solution ?
“ The federal government must provide relief to these bars and restaurants in this next package , ” he insists .
Our governor ruins lives and kills dreams , then says it ’ s Uncle Sam ’ s job to fix it .
Some leadership .

What a lump of coal to put in the stockings of struggling bars and restaurants and their thousands of workers: Gov. Cuomo is banning indoor dining in the city as of Monday — though his own data show such businesses account for very little of the state’s COVID-19 spread.
In other words, he’s ignoring the science as he puts even more New Yorkers out of work in a dismal economy just two weeks before Christmas.
“Hospitalizations have not stabilized, and with a rising infection rate and NYC’s density, this means that indoor dining is too high of a risk,” Cuomo said Friday. Yet the city’s hospitalization rate is below the state average; several regions have higher rates — yet his ban applies only to the city.
Plus, just minutes before, he showed a slide with the results of statewide contact-tracing data: Of 46,000 COVID cases from September to November, just 1.43 percent were tied to bars and restaurants. The vast majority of known exposures, 73.84 percent, came from private household gatherings.
Yet now the gov is closing off virtually the only public places New Yorkers can socialize, likely driving more of them to such private gatherings.
Bars and restaurants have struggled for months under Cuomo’s mandates. Indoor dining only resumed Sept. 30 after a six-month shutdown, at just 25 percent capacity, while it’s been 50 percent capacity everywhere else in state. The Drinktator ruled that you can only enjoy an alcohol drink if you buy a substantial meal with it, and put a 10 p.m. curfew on eateries in the city that never sleeps.
“Yes, there will be economic hardship,” Cuomo admitted Friday, “but we have compensated in other ways,” such as “aggressively expanded” outdoor dining. Please. Winter is almost here, and many eateries can’t manage heated patios. He’s all but shuttering an industry with tight margins pre-pandemic during its most profitable time of year.
In a new National Restaurant Association survey, 54 percent of New York state eateries don’t expect to survive the next six months without government help; the national average is 37 percent. And the city’s 13.2 percent unemployment rate is nearly twice the national average of 6.9 percent.
Cuomo’s solution? “The federal government must provide relief to these bars and restaurants in this next package,” he insists.
Our governor ruins lives and kills dreams, then says it’s Uncle Sam’s job to fix it. Some leadership.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Mets have their finalists as GM search approaches conclusion

The Mets ’ search for a general manager , quietly moving through the baseball world , is approaching resolution , with the field of finalists believed to feature four candidates .
An industry source confirmed that a pair of assistant GMs , Jared Porter of the Diamondbacks and Zack Scott of the Red Sox , join the previously reported Michael Hill , most recently the Marlins ’ president of baseball operations , and Athletics assistant GM Billy Owens as applicants who have advanced to this stage .
The MLB Network ’ s Jon Heyman first reported that Porter and Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process that has lasted more than a month — it began with a quest to find a president of baseball operations and then downshifted to the pursuit of a GM — the Mets , who have played their cards very close to the vest , aim to make their hire by the holidays .
So a choice by next week is very possible .
Porter has worked for the Diamondbacks since the fall of 2016 after spending 13 months with the Cubs , a run that included their championship 2016 season .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Minnesota native who grew up in Massachusetts , Porter also is in the running to rejoin the Cubs as their GM .
Scott has spent 17 seasons with the Red Sox .
This past season , he oversaw the team ’ s baseball analytics , baseball systems , and pro scouting departments .
Just on Friday , as Dave Dombrowski held a Zoom news conference to announce his hiring as the Phillies ’ president of baseball operations , the ultra-accomplished Dombrowski credited Scott for dramatically improving Boston ’ s analytics department @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Mets’ search for a general manager, quietly moving through the baseball world, is approaching resolution, with the field of finalists believed to feature at least five candidates.
An industry source confirmed that a pair of assistant GMs, Jared Porter of the Diamondbacks and Zack Scott of the Red Sox, join the previously reported Michael Hill, most recently the Marlins’ president of baseball operations, and Athletics assistant GM Billy Owens as applicants who have advanced to this stage. The MLB Network’s Jon Heyman first reported that Porter and Scott were in the mix.
A second source said there was at least one additional candidate.
In a process that has lasted more than a month — it began with a quest to find a president of baseball operations and then downshifted to the pursuit of a GM — the Mets, who have played their cards very close to the vest, aim to make their hire by the holidays. So a choice by next week is very possible.
Porter has worked for the Diamondbacks since the fall of 2016 after spending 13 months with the Cubs, a run that included their championship 2016 season. He worked for the Red Sox from 2004-15. A Minnesota native who grew up in Massachusetts, Porter also is in the running to rejoin the Cubs as their GM.
Scott has spent 17 seasons with the Red Sox. This past season, he oversaw the team’s baseball analytics, baseball systems, and pro scouting departments. Just on Friday, as Dave Dombrowski held a Zoom news conference to announce his hiring as the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, the ultra-accomplished Dombrowski credited Scott for dramatically improving Boston’s analytics department during his time running the Bosox.


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--How the cultural elite came to rule the Democratic Party

White college graduates have emerged from the last two decades ...

Eighty-five percent of counties with a Whole Foods store voted for Joe Biden. That factoid, relayed by The Cook Political Report’s David Wasserman, tells you something important about the election — and about today’s Democratic Party.
“The Democracy,” as it was called in the 19th century, long thought of itself as the party of the people, the defender of the little guy.
There was always something to this. From its formation in 1832, the Democratic Party has always been a coalition of groups not considered typical Americans but that together could form a national majority. Naturally, the precise composition of this coalition has changed over time.
Barack Obama’s Democratic Party was a top-and-bottom coalition of those at both ends of the income, education and occupational scales. Obama provided substantive and psychological sustenance to both sides. Joe Biden’s Democratic Party has a different balance. The boy from working-class Scranton, as he is billed, ran best not in factory cities but in university towns.
His highest percentage in Michigan was in the county containing Ann Arbor, not Detroit. He ran stronger in Madison, Wisconsin’s Dane County than in Milwaukee County; stronger in Iowa City than in Des Moines; stronger in Missoula, Mont., with its university than in Butte with its copper mines; as strong in metro Columbus (Ohio State) as in metro Cleveland.
Biden’s strongest area in California was the San Francisco Bay (University of California, Berkeley and Stanford). His strongest county in upstate New York was Tompkins (Cornell University).
White college grads have become the dominant constituency in the Democratic Party. Even as the descendants of the party’s blue-collar constituents have become Donald Trump Republicans, Democratic percentages among white college graduates have ballooned.
Pew Research Center polling showed white college graduates 50 percent to 42 percent Republican in 1994, and 57 percent to 37 percent Democratic in 2019. That’s happened even as they’ve become a larger percentage of the electorate. To which an old-time Democratic Party boss would have asked, “What do these people want?”
In the 1990s, the answers were fairly obvious. Affluent voters wanted tax rates held down, and they wanted their verdant suburban and trendy central city neighborhoods protected from violent crime and welfare dependency.
Led by Wisconsin’s Tommy Thompson and New York’s Rudy Giuliani, local Republicans and some Democrats cut violent crime and welfare rolls by more than half. In Washington, Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton assisted and encouraged this process and largely froze tax rates.
Today’s college grads, schooled on increasingly “politically correct” campuses, don’t have such concrete goals. They’re unfazed by marginal Obama-era tax increases and untroubled — so far, anyway — by the vertiginous increases in homicides after the May 25 incident in Minneapolis.
What they want is not so much anything concrete as it is symbolic: assertions of opposition to what they regard as America’s “systemic racism” and opposition to assertions of “America first,” whether that means enforcement of immigration laws or “xenophobic” restrictions on travel from China.
In Democratic primaries, these voters, as I wrote in June, “flitted from one candidate to the next.”
They seem chemically dependent on denunciations of Donald Trump, to the point that subscription- or ratings-hungry news media feel obliged to lard not just news accounts but even food pages and movie reviews with “Orange Man Bad” sneers. Trump is routinely described as a “racist” with no evidence cited.
White Democratic college graduates’ central faith is that they oppose other Americans’ systemic racism. Nearly a majority of them told pollsters they were bothered that Joe Biden is a white male in his 70s. Only about 30 percent of black and Hispanic Democrats feel the same, according to Pew.
White Democratic college graduates complain that Trump acts childishly; is impervious to criticism and fixated on symbolic trivia; and refuses to confess error or admit defeat. Fair criticism or self-description? Or both?


newyorkpost--2020-12-11--Lang Lang performance expected to draw 10 million fans

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Organizers expect a staggering 10 @ @ @ @ @ to a livestream of classical music superstar Lang Lang ’ s gala on Saturday — @ @ @ @ @ his wife , Gina Alice Redlinger , for the first time since they announced that @ @ @ @ @ Most of the fans are expected to log in from China , where the pianist @ @ @ @ @ star .
Other performers at the Lang Lang International Music Foundation benefit are expected to @ @ @ @ @ Krall , Jon Batiste , Renée Fleming and Wyclef Jean .
Ron Howard and Misty @ @ @ @ @ make cameos .
In 2018 , Page Six was first to report that Lang and @ @ @ @ @ were married at Versailles the following summer .

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Organizers expect a staggering 10 million people to tune in to a livestream of classical music superstar Lang Lang’s gala on Saturday — to see him perform with his wife, Gina Alice Redlinger, for the first time since they announced that she’s pregnant.
Most of the fans are expected to log in from China, where the pianist is worshipped like a rock star. Other performers at the Lang Lang International Music Foundation benefit are expected to include Sam Smith, Diana Krall, Jon Batiste, Renée Fleming and Wyclef Jean.
Ron Howard and Misty Copeland are also expected to make cameos.
In 2018, Page Six was first to report that Lang and Redlinger were engaged. They were married at Versailles the following summer.