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☆ Congress sends bill to Biden requiring his administration to declassify intelligence on COVID-19's origins
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The House passed a bipartisan bill that would require the Biden administration to declassify information related to COVID-19's origins. The origins of COVID-19 have long been debated and theorized. The House of Representatives unanimously approved the bill, titled the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, in a 419-0 vote on Friday. The bill comes after the US Energy Department recently concluded with "low confidence" that the pandemic was likely the result of a lab leak. Indeed, lawmakers could likely override a potential veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

☆ DeSantis' new memoir skips juicy details about his life that could emerge in a presidential bid. Here's what he left out.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

DeSantis published his first memoir, "The Courage to Be Free," on TuesdayThe book is widely viewed as laying the groundwork for a presidential run. DeSantis doesn't mention his gap year between Yale and Harvard, when he taught at the elite Darlington School. DeSantis writes extensively about his legislative victories in his book, but not about the legal battles that have ensued. DeSantis writes nothing about the January 6 attack on the Capitol to overturn the election results, nor does he address Trump's false claims about election fraud. He also, without naming Trump, writes about "the dangers of truning over the country to the likes of Dr. Anthony Fauci" during the pandemic.

☆ Fact Check-Unfounded claims that Mother Teresa trafficked children circulate online
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

There are no credible reports of Mother Teresa being involved with child trafficking, or “selling babies,” during her life, contrary to claims being shared by social media users online. A Reuters report that same year says the Indian government had ordered investigations into the organization following trafficking concerns (here). While there is plenty of reporting about the 2018 incident, Reuters found no reports to support the claim that Mother Teresa herself sold babies or was involved in child trafficking (bit.ly/3xuRIWY). Reuter has debunked the previously circulating claim that Mother Teresa was Fauci’s mother (here). There are no reports to support the claim that Mother Teresa was involved in child trafficking.

☆ House GOP asks Fauci and dozens of health officials to testify in investigation into Covid origins
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

House Republicans have asked former White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony to testify before Congress as they launch a new investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. "If there are oversight hearings I absolutely will cooperate fully and testify before the Congress," Fauci told reporters during his final briefing at the White House. He stepped down from his posts at the White House and at the helm of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in December. EcoHealth Alliance provided funding, which originated at NIH, to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study coronaviruses. About $600,000 of that money went directly to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study the threat posed by bat coronaviruses.

The only HIV vaccine in a late-stage trial has failed, researchers announced Wednesday, dealing a significant blow to the effort to control the global HIV epidemic and adding to a decadeslong roster of failed attempts. “I don’t think that people should give up on the field of the HIV vaccine,” Fauci said. Fauci said that a critical limitation of the Mosaico vaccine was that it elicited what are known as non-neutralizing — as opposed to neutralizing — antibodies against HIV. As with the Thai trial, the hope is to channel research findings into future HIV vaccine development. To prove a vaccine works, researchers must recruit participants who remain at substantial risk of HIV over time.

Democrats will wield an expanded 51-seat Senate majority and control the presidency. We need to be cutting spending,” McCarthy told reporters after a meeting with Senate Republicans on Dec. 21. There’s so much discombobulation and disunity on different sides of the Republican caucus,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters before the holiday recess. Conservative lawmakers say a GOP House should block a debt limit increase without major policy changes to rein in spending. Some House Republicans are already calling to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his department's handling of immigration policy.

☆ Trump won't be able to terminate the US Constitution but a Republican-led effort to rewrite it continues
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Advocates on both sides of a long-running effort to rewrite the Constitution will face off again in 2023. Meckler's organization is one of the largest players in the Article V push. Article V requires there to be 34 states for a convention to be formed. Convention of States is not alone in its pursuit of the Article V movement. Outside of Convention of States, efforts to call a convention to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment also continue.

☆ Elon Musk teases release of the 'Fauci Files,' following his previous scathing criticism of the medical expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk said the next Twitter Files release would include information about Anthony Fauci. Musk targeted the doctor and scientist in December by tweeting: "My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci." Musk targeted Fauci in early December when he tweeted: "My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci." Meanwhile, journalists appointed by Musk have been discussing several controversies arising from what are known as the Twitter Files. But the Twitter CEO and some freelance journalists are annoyed that the Twitter Files haven't received more support from the press.

☆ Happy New Year! In 2023 kick out Trump, Elon Musk, Kanye and Depp
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Lynn Stuart Parramore | Lynn Stuart Parramore Is A Cultural Historian Who Studies The Intersection Of Culture | Psychology | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

Though in far different fields, men like Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Johnny Depp and Sam Bankman-Fried will forever be linked by this ignominious characteristic. Over the past 12 interminable months, America has witnessed the rantings of Hitler-loving Ye; Musk’s edgelord trolling on his new plaything, Twitter; Depp and his toxic TikTok fanboys; and Trump being Trump on any given day. While seemingly not vain like Ye or Depp or openly thuggish like Trump and Musk, he nonetheless exhibits traits that point to something sinister behind the “just-a-regular-dude” persona. Trump seems to be losing ground, and Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee finally took down their “Kanye. Musk asked Twitter users whether he should step down as CEO, and they voted “yes.”Unfortunately, until we address roots causes, there will always be another blustering bully, another Trump, another Ye.

☆ An Economic New Year’s Resolution: Sober Up, America
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Daniel Henninger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Looking back at a mess of a year, it seems possible to blame the Covid pandemic for just about everything. The pandemic pushed many off their A-game, and in public life most of the bad things that happen are caused by bad judgment. Sam Bankman-Fried ’s customers thought that with cryptocurrency, money was finally growing on trees. Republican primary voters heard voices and nominated too many losers. Vladimir Putin lost his mind in the ethers of Great Russia nationalism.

☆ U.S. records 100 million Covid cases, but more than 200 million Americans have probably had it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The U.S. officially recorded more than 100 million cases as of Tuesday, just under one-third of the total population, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Covid-19 has easily infected more than 200 million in the U.S. alone since the beginning of the pandemic — some people more than once. "There are have been at least 200 million infections in the U.S., so this is a small portion of them," Frieden said. The estimate was based on a survey of commercial lab data that found about 58% of Americans had antibodies as a result of a Covid infection. The more than 21 million additional confirmed cases on top of the CDC's February estimate of about 187 million total infections gives a low-end estimate of more than 208 million infections since the pandemic began.

☆ Elon Musk claimed Twitter employees had a Slack channel called 'Fauci Fan Club' in reference to the White House's chief medical advisor
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk claimed Twitter once had a Slack channel that was a fan club for Dr. Anthony Fauci. Musk's claim came after he slammed Fauci for his role as the White House's chief medical advisor. "Despite these glaring issues, Twitter nonetheless had an internal Slack channel unironically called "Fauci Fan Club"," Musk tweeted. Since Musk took over Twitter in late October, employees have been careful about what to post on the company's Slack. Platformer reported in November that some Twitter employees started removing Slack messages out of fear of Musk not liking the content.

☆ Elon Musk’s Twitter obsession isn’t the core reason for Tesla stock’s plunge
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —A popular misconception has emerged about Elon Musk and Tesla: The megabillionaire’s love affair with Twitter is the main reason Tesla shares have lost so much value this year. Investors have been disappointed that Musk appears to be paying for so much of his $44 billion purchase of Twitter by selling Tesla stock. Musk, Tesla’s largest shareholder, has sold $23 billion worth of Tesla shares since his interest in Twitter became public in April. On Thursday’s Twitter Spaces call, Musk promised he was done selling shares of Tesla stock until at least 2024, if not beyond. But he hasn’t lived up to a previous promise in April that he was done selling Tesla shares, selling $14.4 billion of that stock since that time.

☆ Turned off Tesla by Elon Musk? Here are 4 great electric alternatives to its sedans and SUVs.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Instead of a Model S, consider:The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/InsiderTesla's Model S sedan has historically been the electric car against which all new EVs are measured. Instead of a Model X, consider:The Rivian R1S. Rivian SUVs are backordered into oblivion as the company ramps up production, but they are available lightly used. Tim Levin/InsiderThere's a swarm of small electric SUVs on offer from Ford, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, and more.

☆ Man who threatened to kill CDC head pleads guilty to charges
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

— A Mississippi man who threatened to kill Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky has pleaded guilty to making threats in interstate commerce, federal prosecutors announced Monday. Robert Wiser Bates, 39, of Ridgeland, threatened to kill Walensky in voicemails left in July 2021 at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, court records said. He also said he would kill Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president. In August, a West Virginia man was sentenced to three years in federal prison after he sent emails threatening Fauci and another federal health official for talking about the coronavirus and efforts to prevent its spread. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

☆ Ron DeSantis outflanks Trump on the right with his call for Covid vaccine probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Ron DeSantis was positioning himself to get to the right of the former president over the issue of Covid vaccines. DeSantis, who is mulling whether to challenge Trump in the 2024 Republican primary for president, deepened those suspicions Tuesday. That’s his record,” said Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to Trump and an outspoken critic of DeSantis. The poll also showed DeSantis ahead of President Joe Biden in a theoretical general election matchup by 47%-43%, but Biden topped Trump 47%-40%. “So the only option for DeSantis to pose a challenge to Trump is to attack him on the vaccine.

What is it with Elon Musk and pronouns? The implication that respecting someone’s pronouns is somehow an imposition that could potentially result in ostracizing is also wildly off base. And if you can’t even accept something as basic as someone’s pronouns and identity, you’re making it pretty clear that you do not support their civil rights and liberties. The implication that respecting someone’s pronouns is somehow an imposition that could potentially result in ostracizing is also wildly off base. At the end of the day, it costs nothing to respect someone’s pronouns.

Twitter on Monday disbanded its Trust and Safety Council, a group of volunteers who offered the company outside expert advice about online safety, according to an email seen by NBC News. "As part of this process, we have decided that the Trust and Safety Council is not the best structure to do this." Holmes added, "Over past week several members of council have had their personal safety and well-being impacted by the actions of Twitter staff." Some members of the council recently sparked an argument over the company's handling of child sexual exploitation material. Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, responded: "this is false."

☆ Tesla shares have fallen 28% since Elon Musk took over Twitter, lagging other carmakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk speaks at the Tesla Giga Texas manufacturing "Cyber Rodeo" grand opening party in Austin, Texas, on April 7, 2022. U.S. electric truck maker Rivian has fallen by 27% over that period. Shares in electric vehicle maker Tesla have fallen 28% since October 27, when CEO Elon Musk bought Twitter and appointed himself "Chief Twit," or CEO, of the social media business. Musk sold billions of dollars' worth of his Tesla holdings to finance the Twitter takeover. Since he took over the company, Musk has been regularly posting incendiary tweets, especially aimed at people who hold center-to-left political values, and whom Musk often paints as enemies with a "woke mind virus."

Elon Musk got into a Twitter spat with former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly on Sunday after the billionaire entrepreneur appeared to take another high-profile swipe at the LGBTQ community's use of gender pronouns. "My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci," Musk, who took control of Twitter in October, wrote, referring to chief White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci. The retired astronaut, who is also the twin brother of Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., scolded Musk for his flippant remark. Musk, who in addition to being at the helm of Twitter is also the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, doubled down in his response Kelly. On Sunday evening, after his spat with Kelly, Musk was met with a mix of boos and applause when he made a surprise appearance during comedian Dave Chappelle’s show in San Francisco.

☆ Kevin McCarthy's oversight agenda will be 'a recurring skit on SNL' if he makes MAGA cheerleaders Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert investigators: GOP strategists
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert want in on the GOP oversight blitz. the Oversight Committee member said of the need to keep congressional probes above board. McCarthy's office has repeatedly told Insider that the House GOP steering committee, which McCarthy leads, will handle assignments for the next Congress "at the appropriate time." Aaron Cutler, a former House GOP leadership aide and now partner at Hogan Lovells, urged House Republicans to avoid "focusing on the wrong things," and to cut bait if needed. Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty ImagesGiven that some sort of spectacle is probably unavoidable at this point, Roe urged House Republicans to tread carefully.

☆ Elon Musk suggests Dr. Fauci should be prosecuted and mocks gender pronouns in controversial tweet — the latest in a series of statements fueling right-wing viewpoints
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk suggested that Dr. Anthony Fauci should be prosecuted in a tweet posted on Sunday. The tweet is the latest in a series of posts supporting right-wing efforts and conspiracies in recent months. "My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci," Musk wrote on Sunday in a now-viral tweet that has generated significant backlash. The tweet is the latest of several recent quips from Musk empowering right-wing viewpoints and conspiracies. "I absolutely support trans, but all these pronouns are an esthetic nightmare," Musk wrote at the time.

☆ Face masks come back to forefront amid triple threat of Covid-19, flu, RSV
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Local officials mulling over masksThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers specific guidance on when masking is recommended based on its Covid-19 community levels. The agency says that people may choose to wear masks at any time but that a “high-quality mask or respirator” is recommended for everyone when a county has a “high” Covid-19 community level. As of Thursday, about 5.66% of US counties have high community levels, including some places in Arizona, Wyoming, Oregon and the Dakotas. Even without a mandate, she emphasized community efforts like wearing masks inside when possible and getting Covid-19 vaccines or boosters. “We do know that 5% of the population is living in places with a high Covid-19 community level.

☆ As Covid cases rise, it's yes to masks, no to mandates
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The current rise in Covid-19 cases is one leg of a triple threat – a “tridemic,” a “tripledemic” or a “trifecta,” as some news organizations are calling it – along with a bad flu season and an RSV outbreak hitting mainly children. People at higher risk of getting sick should wear masks when there is medium spread, such as in Los Angeles County. “You can count masking, vaccines, boosting, testing – all of that is part of the spectrum of protecting yourself and your family,” Fauci said. But if Covid-19 cases were to increase, a little less than two-thirds of Americans, 65%, said they would wear a mask. This will be the conundrum for public health officials if Covid-19 cases continue along with this “tripledemic” – how to get people to wear masks without trying to make them do it.

☆ Flu brought nearly twice as many people to the hospital last week as the week before, updated CDC data show
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

There have been nearly 17 flu hospitalizations for every 100,000 people, rates typically seen in December or January. The cumulative hospitalization rate hasn’t been this high at this point in the season in more than a decade. Less than two months in, the RSV hospitalization rate this season is already nearing the total RSV hospitalization rate from the entire 2018-19 season. With the holiday season – and flu season – underway, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned this week of the potential for an emergency situation. “When you have very little wiggle room of intensive care beds, when you have like almost all the intensive care beds that are occupied, it’s bad for the children who have RSV and need intensive care.

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