intrepidity
intrepidity's JournalPay attention to the language: Trump *granted* a pardon to Flynn
It's important that Trump himself is using this wording.
Read all about it here:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/617170/
(btw, using the google link to the article *may* bypass paywall)
Reader's digest version: one cannot "grant" things to themselves
Anyone who has donated even $1 to Trump must answer this question:
When he ran in 2016, did you believe that, being so wealthy, he will fund his own campaign, and will never have to take money from anyone?
Because if you thought that and you *still* gave him money, what does that say about you?
Should Covid survivors wear masks?
This issue will soon arise with regards to vaccines--should those who have had a full vaccine still mask up?
If so, is the reason cosmetic, ie, optics?
Or, is it based on the slight possibility that survivors and the vaccinated might still become infected?
I haven't come to a satisfying conclusion yet, so am curious what you all think.
If your teen daughter's friend's father said this to your child, what would you think?
From the Vanity Fair article written by a school friend of Ivanka's:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/11/ivanka-trump-was-my-best-friend-now-shes-maga-royalty
Can you imagine being that teenager, and having your friend's FATHER say that to you, to your face? Instant mortification and a lifelong therapy topic!
I suggest remembering this anecdote, and relating it to the MAGAt Trumphumpers in your life. A very simple story to tell that illustrates who that man is. They might high-five his "locker" talk about grown women, but when put in context of their teenaged daughter, it might suddenly hit home.
Just ask them: "Say, just curious; how would you feel if a man said this to your teen daughter?"
"Qanon" is Propaganda, and we know who's responsible
https://daniel-ed-morrison.medium.com/qanon-is-propaganda-and-we-know-whos-responsible-faa133fb6acdA nice deep dive into the backgound of what has become the current "Qanon" phenom.
Very worthwhile read for those trying to understand how this all happened.
I'm liking these new mRNA vaccines
Starting to read up on this new breed of vaccine--eg, from Pfizer and Moderna--and am liking what I'm reading.
(Caveat: I'm no expert in this field; merely trying to explain my lay-person-level understanding of the technology.)
Unlike vaccines currently and previously in use, these use mRNA (messenger RNA) which encodes the *instructions* for a cell to produce a certain protein which then serves as the "antigen" that will stimulate an immune response.
In contrast, prior vaccines often introduced the antigen itself.
The difference is significant: in one case, you are introducing the antigen--protein, or peptide, that is composed of amino acids, plus any other add-ons (sugars, carriers, etc). In the other, you are giving the cells of the body the *instructions* for how to build that antigen itself. (The term "antigen" is used to describe the entity that will cause the body to mount an immune response, which is the goal of all vaccines.)
mRNA is small. And *relatively* easy to make (uncomplicated).
Proteins can be very cumbersome to make, involving use of a "3rd party" such as bioengineered bacteria or yeast, as in large industrial bioreactor vats. Then they must be harvested and purified. In other words, labor- and time-intensive.
What mRNA vaccines do, is cut out a *lot* of the middlemen, by (like viruses themselves do) recruiting the cell's own machinery to do the work.
(Some vaccines even try to emulate the virus strategy, by using bioengineered/altered viruses--it's always a winning strategy to copy what nature, via natural selection, has already figured out--but here, again, the lab must manufacture the modified virus, using middlemen, a cumbersome process.)
Bravo! So, why wasn't this done before?
Well, this straegy has been in development for some time; it didn't magically appear when Trump instructed, "Warp Speed, Now!!" (That Trump *did* speed up the process by providing federal funds, is the LEAST *anyone* in that position would do, so no kudos to him from me, sorry.)
RNA molecules are notoriously delicate; just looking at them can practically destroy them. The world is a very dangerous place for RNA.
So, protective measures must be taken. One of those is the ultra-low storage temp that we hear so much about.
Moderna has taken another step, though, which is to encapsulate the mRNA with protective substances, which help ensure delivery of intact mRNA (think of it like how our phones deliver accurate text messages to us) to the cells, which then read and translate the messages into the appropriate protein.
Those proteins then get exposed to various elements of the immune system, which then orchestrates the body's immune response, and thus, defense.
Oh, and for those wondering what protein the mRNA codes for: it's a slightly modified version of the spike ("S" ) protein of the Covid19 virus, the main element involved in how the virus attaches to and then enters our cells.
There's much to learn and discuss, but just wanted to post a little intro for those who may have been curious. Who knows, if we're lucky, deployment of this tool may mark the beginning of our return to a "normal"--or at least pre-Covid--society.
Three cheers for Science and Scientists!
It's all about running out the clock
Trump is basically a one-trick-pony. He knows one strategy, and deploys it repeatedly.
He is trying to throw enough roadblocks so that, by their deadlines, counties or then states, cannot certify their elections. Then he has his chance to manipulate something.
Look back upon his life and you'll see the scenario playing out, over and over.
Perhaps Trump can buy an island and his 70 million followers can move there
to be with him. He can appoint himself King For Life, and they can live under his autocratic rule, just like they want. They can bring all their guns with them, too.
Shall we start a GoFundMe to begin the process?
QAnon's Dominion voter fraud conspiracy theory reaches the president
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1247780By Ben Collins
For days after the election, adherents to the QAnon conspiracy movement had been trying to get President Donald Trumps attention with constant false claims about voter fraud connected to a company that makes voting machines.
On Thursday, they celebrated. Trump tweeted in all-caps about a conspiracy theory that baselessly alleges that Dominion Voting Systems, a company that makes voting machines, deleted millions of Trump votes, citing a report on the far-right cable news outlet One America News Network.
While the theory has already been debunked including by Chris Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is tasked with national security related to the internet and technology Trump's tweet offered a sliver of energy at a time when the QAnon movement had stalled, waiting for its leader, Q, to return with guidance from a hiatus that began on the morning of Election Day and lasted more than a week.
But QAnon is far from done. The movement's recent evolution and activity around the Dominion conspiracy theory highlight how even Joe Biden's election win and the disintegration of the broader QAnon narrative do not spell the end of the broader conspiracy ecosystem it has built.
more at link
If you like Michael Sheen and/or David Tennant, "Staged" on Hulu
Have only watched a couple episodes, but enjoying it immensely.
Reminds me of an old fave of mine, WebTherapy, in that a lot are video chat sessions. In this case, of these two actors deciding to rehearse for a play, during Covid19, via video chat.
Enjoy!
ETA: Sorry, originally I had said it was on Netflix, but it is Hulu!
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