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Mars is 100% populated by robots!

THIS HAS NOT AGED WELL

This should probably go in another thread, but there is every indication that the gravy train is never gonna come back to Alberta again. The day of petro-power is over, and the day may be coming when Alberta will have to go to Ottawa hat in hand for help. Many do not know this, but in the 30's Alberta was bankrupt and had to ask for a financial bailout.

The Vaccines Are More Effective Than You Think, Even With Those Variants Looming Even against the deadly South African variant, the vaccines are having an impact, White House COVID adviser Andy Slavitt says. “I was under the impression coming in—as many, many Americans were—that there were big stockpiles of vaccines waiting to go out the door that were produced over the course of the last year. It's been much, much less the case than I think we'd been led to believe,” the White House senior adviser for COVID response tells Molly Jong-Fast and Jesse Cannon on the latest episode of The New Abnormal. The Vaccines Are More Effective Than You Think, Even With Those Variants Looming (thedailybeast.com) Pfizer Says Its Vaccine No Longer Needs to Be Stored in Ultra-Freezing Temperatures One big problem with the BioNTech/Pfizer coronavirus vaccine was that it had to be kept at ultra-low temperatures to stop it from spoiling—but its manufacturers say that’s no longer the case. According to the Financial Times, the companies have discovered that the shots can now be safely stored in regular medical freezers, rather than ultra-cold storage units that kept the vaccines at temperatures “colder than an Antarctic winter.” In a statement, BioNTech/Pfizer said the vaccine can be kept for up to two weeks in temperatures between minus 15C to minus 25C—before now, it had to be kept between minus 60C and minus 80C. Ugur Sahin, BioNTech’s chief executive, said the discovery will give vaccination centers “greater flexibility,” especially in harder-to-reach rural areas. The new data has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Ironically, the only power generation that is allowed now are wind turbines and this has been the case for some 20 years- they work fine there.

Josh Hawley dipped into campaign funds to help bankroll family trip to Universal Studios. On a lobbyist retreat to Orlando, the Missouri Republican billed nearly $200 in junk food to his Senate campaign Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO, is facing new scrutiny for billing $197 in food expenses for his family during a "lobbyist retreat" in Orlando after his fellow Republican senator and purveyor of the election fraud myths that lead to the deadly Jan 6. attack on the U.S. Capitol Ted Cruz received widespread condemnation after fleeing Texas for Cancun during a winter storm crisis in his state. Federal Election Commission filings show that Hawley's campaign footed the bill in seven separate charges paid to Voodoo Doughnut, Seuss Popcorn, Lard Lad, Lagoon Popcorn, Hopping Pot, Bumblebee Taco, and Margaritaville during a personal vacation last March. The New York Post reports that the event was organized in conjunction with fellow Missouri Senator Roy Blunt's Rely on Your Belief PAC, which spent $4,680.65 on admission to the theme park. Because politicians are strictly prohibited from using campaign money for personal expenditures, Hawley's splurge sounded alarms amongst campaign finance experts. "It appears to not be a legal use of campaign funds," said Ann Ravel, the former F.E.C. chairwoman under Obama. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, echoed her, arguing that Hawley's charges "warrant some scrutiny." Josh Hawley dipped into campaign funds to help bankroll family trip to Universal Studios | Salon.com

The link between Trumpland, QAnon, evangelical culture, and child-sex predators Ben Gibson, a failed Republican congressional candidate who shared QAnon content on social media, was arrested in December on four counts of child pornography. A few months earlier, Joshua Jennings was arrested on first-degree murder charges for allegedly killing his girlfriend's 10-month-old daughter. Investigators found that Jennings had plastered the QAnon associated #savethechildren hashtag all over his Facebook wall, interspersed with rants about killing pedophiles. The link between Trumpland, QAnon, evangelical culture, and child-sex predators - Alternet.org

Actual photo from mars landing.

Perseverence pays off!

FYI: On CBC evening news, the premier's claim was challenged on the timeline when the Calgary vaccine will be available. The immunologist interviewed stated that the end of the year was a much more realistic goal for a company that has never produced a vaccine of any sort before.

6 Capitol Police Officers Suspended, 35 Under Investigation After Insurrection Six Capitol Police officers have been suspended with pay and 35 others are under investigation following the Jan. 6 riot in the U.S. Capitol, a spokesperson for the department said Thursday. The police force has received criticism for allowing the rioters to breach the Capitol amid the Electoral College certification of President Biden’s victory over former President Trump. Five people died in the riot, including a Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick; another officer, Howard Liebengood, died by suicide days later. Steven Sund, then the chief of Capitol Police, resigned the day after the riot. “Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman has directed that any member of her department whose behavior is not in keeping with the Department’s Rules of Conduct will face appropriate discipline,” the statement read. 6 Capitol Police Officers Suspended, 35 Under Investigation After Insurrection (thedailybeast.com)

That would have been an improvement- his usual was two chocolate bars plus a can or two of RedBull.

Trump intelligence chiefs hid evidence of Russian election interference Lost in the news on the day of Trump's Insurrection was a devastating new watchdog report to Congress on the politicizing and distorting of intelligence during Donald Trump's time in office. The analytic ombudsman, career intelligence community veteran Barry A. Zulauf, determined that under Trump national intelligence reports had become highly politicized. Important findings were suppressed to appease Trump's refusal to acknowledge Russian interference in American elections. Zulauf's unclassified report paints a frightening picture of just how much the Trump administration skewed intelligence to suppress knowledge of interference by Russia in our 2020 elections. From March 2020, in the critical months leading up to the elections, Zulauf "identified a long story arc of—at the very least—perceived politicization of intelligence." Zulauf works in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), a Cabinet-level position created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to oversee all U.S. intelligence operations. Zulauf's job within the ODNI was created by Congress to assist analysts throughout the intelligence community with complaints and concerns about politicization, biased reporting or lack of objectivity in intelligence analysis. This is the first of a two-part series. Coming in Part 2: The intelligence community under Trump was not alone in diverting focus from Russian interference. Zulauf determined that Trump's ODNI took "willful actions that… had the effect of politicizing intelligence, hindering objective analysis or injecting bias into the intelligence process." While Zulauf tried to avoid specifically naming individuals responsible for much of the political heavy-handed rewriting, he repeatedly calls out actions taken by two recent Trump appointees, neither of whom had any chops as intelligence experts. One is former an acting director, Richard Grenell. He had been a Fox News commentator and Trump-appointed ambassador to Germany, and took over the ODNI in February 2020 then relinquished the post the following May. The second was the Texas congressman Trump appointed to replace Grenell, John Ratcliffe, best known as a fervent defender of the ex-president in his first impeachment. Trump intelligence chiefs hid evidence of Russian election interference - Alternet.org

12-16 year-olds can be very trying.

Tough way to die. Of course! It was the kids' fault. Damned kids forcing Cruz to ignore the plight of millions of Texans he swore to serve. Its always the kids.

Trump's 'nasty shot' at Mitch McConnell's wife is a preview of coming 'ugliness': reporter Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday night unleashed an angry attack against Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in which he called his one-time ally a "dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack." New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman appeared on CNN Wednesday to break down the president's current fight with his own party's leadership, and she said one of the most notable parts of Trump's angry tirade at McConnell was his attack on the senator's wife, Elaine Chao, who served as Trump's own secretary of transportation. Trump said that McConnell has "no credibility on China because of his family's substantial Chinese business holdings," a reference to the business of Chao's father, shipping magnate James S. C. Chao. "Trump took a shot at McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao... and it was a nasty shot," she said. "And it was a sort of threatening shot about how McConnell is conflicted on China because of his family business ties to China." Haberman added "that's the kind of ugliness you're also going to see from Donald Trump going forward" as he seeks revenge on Republicans whom he believes undermined his presidency. Trump's 'nasty shot' at Mitch McConnell's wife is a preview of coming 'ugliness': reporter - Alternet.org

To be clear about the difference: fast relates to top speed, and quick relates to rapid starts and turns.

That would be a best-case scenario, but encouraging nonetheless.

Ron DeSantis threatens to pull COVID vaccine from Florida communities accusing him of political favoritism All over the United States, there are still many questions about how and when the various COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed — and in Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is drawing criticism for threatening to pull vaccine distribution from counties that say unfavorable things about his plans. According to South Florida Sun Sentinel reporters Skyler Swisher, Steven Lemongello and Richard Tribou, "Gov. Ron DeSantis defended his decision Wednesday to steer COVID-19 vaccine to a planned community with family ties to a Republican power couple, threatening to pull doses if local officials criticize his distribution methods. DeSantis is facing questions over his decision to provide seniors living in two of Manatee County's wealthiest ZIP codes with special access to the vaccine." The Sun Sentinel reporters note that a "pop-up distribution site" is "serving residents of Lakewood Ranch, a planned community in Southwest Florida with family ties to Liz and **** Uihlein" — who the New York Times has described as a "powerful conservative couple." **** Uihlein donated $900,000 to the Friends of DeSantis political committee in 2018, the year he narrowly defeat Democrat and former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum in Florida's gubernatorial race, and 2019. The Uilheins were major donors to former President Donald Trump's reelection campaign in 2020. Ron DeSantis threatens to pull COVID vaccine from Florida communities accusing him of political favoritism - Alternet.org

This crap- churches and businesses, will go on until those responsible get sent to jail for repeated violations and/or get charged with criminal negligence when the employees or parishioners get sick.

What is going on in Texas is a parallel to the Enron debacle. Apparently the gas company simply shut down gas-powered generators because the cost of natural gas rose to the point where the company was losing money on the contracts where they had to supply natural gas at fixed prices. the governor has given them permission to renege on the contracts and now will charge exorbitant prices to customers. Capitalism at its finest.

America is entering a period of political and spiritual uncertainty, and that will be stirred up by wanna-be demagogues like Trump in the hopes that he can feast on the bones of the dead and dying. Sociology says that it is probable that a "strongman" or "strongmen" will rise to fill the vacuum and respond to the frightened and angry. They will wrap themselves in the flag and carry a cross all the while subverting all the values that they will claim to champion. There will be skirmishes of increasing violence and these leaders will decry how the innocent are being persecuted. They will develop power bases- states where they can openly preach their gospels of hatred and imagined persecution. It will resemble a slow-motion civil war.

The civil suits will hurt Trump the most. He values money and power above all else, and as the suits go forward, this will panic any potential lenders, except maybe for the Russian money. The Saudis will treat him like the useless former asset he is now.

In the video clips, he flat-outran his pursuers and was pulling away from them every time. His hands are a question mark though.

Dominion Says It Will Sue MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Over Election Fraud Claims Dominion sent letters to Lindell in December and January demanding that he retract false claims about their machines. Instead, the MyPillow CEO doubled down. MAGA diehard and pillow magnate Mike Lindell is the next target of a Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit over his wild claims about nonexistent election-fraud conspiracy, with the lead attorney representing Dominion telling The Daily Beast he expects to file the suit “imminently.” Lindell, a staunch Donald Trump ally and founder of the MyPillow company, became a prominent voice and financial backer in attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and, alongside Trumpist attorneys Lin Wood and Sidney Powell, made a series of false allegations that China and others somehow hacked voting machines and swung the 2020 election to Joe Biden. “He has doubled down and tripled down. He has made himself a higher public profile with his documentary,” Tom Clare, an attorney representing Dominion, told The Daily Beast on Tuesday afternoon. Clare confirmed in a brief phone call that Dominion would be filing suit against Lindell “imminently.” The suit would make Lindell the third pro-Trump figure sued by Dominion after the company filed $1.3 billion suits against attorneys Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani. Dominion Says It Will Sue MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Over Election Fraud Claims (thedailybeast.com)