| What we can learn from the Amish about coronavirus Posted: 12 Nov 2020 10:00 AM PST  The outbreak is indicative of what happens when people gather in small social situations — something millions of lockdown-weary Americans are eager to do, regardless of whether they are Amish or not.
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| Mother of college student who died following pancake eating competition drops lawsuit Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:49 AM PST  Caitlin Nelson's family blamed Sacred Heart university for allowing 2017 event
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| Michigan police officer on leave, probe launched after violent arrest Posted: 11 Nov 2020 08:21 PM PST  Video shows several police officers appearing to strike the 25-year-old during a combative arrest.
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| Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who could become Biden's attorney general, said breaking up Google should be 'on the table' Posted: 13 Nov 2020 03:57 AM PST  "In a serious monopolization action like this one, it's important that a breakup remedy be on the table," Sen. Amy Klobuchar said.
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| AOC’s Twitter explodes after posting single photo in response to Senator’s rejection of ‘crazy socialist agenda’ Posted: 12 Nov 2020 03:15 PM PST  'Defund the police? Defund, my butt,' Joe Manchin tweeted
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| It just got harder for immigrants: the U.S. naturalization test is about to change Posted: 13 Nov 2020 12:59 PM PST  U.S. legal permanent residents who apply for citizenship through naturalization on or after Dec. 1, 2020, will face a more challenging test — in which immigrants must prove they can read, write and speak basic English, and have essential knowledge of U.S. history and government.
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| China says removal of Hong Kong lawmakers was 'right medicine' Posted: 12 Nov 2020 08:02 PM PST  The ousting of four pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong's legislature was "the right medicine" for the city, China said, telling foreign governments the issue was none of their business.
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| Trump trade adviser says White House is 'moving forward under the assumption there will be a 2nd Trump term' Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:36 AM PST  White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro sees no reality in the very real election of President-elect Joe Biden.In a Friday interview with Fox Business, Navarro once again relayed President Trump and his supporters' refusal to accept the results of last week's election. "We're moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term," Navarro said. He then outlined how the Trump campaign and the White House "seek verifiable ballots" and "an investigation into what are growing numbers of allegations of fraud" in the election, and declared anyone who believes Biden won to be operating under "an immaculate deception."> White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro: "We're moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term ... We have, what appears in some sense to be, an immaculate deception." > > (FWIW, there will not be a second Trump term.) pic.twitter.com/qiVfAyZ5G9> > — The Recount (@therecount) November 13, 2020Biden has secured the electoral votes — and then some — he needed to win the 2020 election. His win margin in critical swing states Trump hopes to overturn is far wider than recounts have overturned in the past, and not a single election official across the U.S. found evidence of widespread voter fraud the Trump campaign is alleging.More stories from theweek.com 7 scathingly funny cartoons about Trump's refusal to concede Trump is reportedly 'very aware' he lost the election but is putting up a fight as 'theater' Texas senator suggests it's too soon to declare Biden the winner because Puerto Rico is still counting votes
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| Sweden has admitted its coronavirus immunity predictions were wrong as cases soar across the country Posted: 13 Nov 2020 06:00 AM PST  Sweden's chief epidemiologist has admitted that the country is experiencing a second wave of coronavirus as cases and deaths from the disease surge.
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| Rand Paul says coronavirus survivors should ‘throw away their masks’ while falsely claiming they’re immune Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:01 AM PST  There is no evidence to indicate coronavirus survivors are immune to the disease caused by the novel virus
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| Beijing furious over Pompeo's Taiwan comments, warns of action Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:29 AM PST  China will strike back against any moves that undermine its core interests, its foreign ministry said on Friday, after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Taiwan "has not been a part of China."
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| Bond denied for father, son charged in Ahmaud Arbery slaying Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:21 AM PST  A Georgia judge denied bond Friday for the father and son charged with murder in the slaying of Ahmaud Arbery, saying he's concerned the white men took the law into their own hands and endangered neighbors when they pursued and shot the Black man on a residential street. Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory McMichael, have been jailed since their arrests in May, more than two months after Arbery was slain. The McMichaels armed themselves and chased 25-year-old Arbery in a truck after they spotted him running in their neighborhood.
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| Three MSNBC contributors leaving network to join Biden administration Posted: 11 Nov 2020 06:35 PM PST  Jon Meacham, one of the contributors failed to mention that he was already working with Biden. Biden was able to snag four MSNBC contributors. On Wednesday, the network confirmed to The Hill that health expert Ezekiel Emanuel, legal analyst Barbara McQuade, political analyst Richard Stengel and historian Jon Meacham will no longer be paid by the network.
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| Iron Dome batteries activated to fill cruise missile defense gap Posted: 13 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST  The units that will operate the Army's interim cruise missile defense capability — Israel's Iron Dome system — are activated.
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| Pfizer's vaccine relies on a 'cold chain' that keeps the shots colder than a freezer. Here's how it works. Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:08 AM PST  The vaccine needs to be kept so cold that regular freezers won't cut it. Pfizer built a special vaccine briefcase that can be outfitted with dry ice.
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| Law firm Porter Wright withdraws from Trump campaign lawsuit in Pennsylvania Posted: 13 Nov 2020 07:09 AM PST  Democrat Joe Biden captured the presidency on Saturday, thanks in part to a win in Pennsylvania. Trump has refused to concede and has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that there was widespread voter fraud. In a court filing on Thursday, lawyers at Porter Wright Morris & Arthur said it had agreed that its clients - the campaign and two registered voters - "will be best served if Porter Wright withdraws."
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| Passengers on First Cruise to Return to Caribbean Want Out After 7 People Get COVID Posted: 12 Nov 2020 03:01 PM PST  At least seven passengers aboard the first cruise ship to set sail in the Caribbean since the coronavirus pandemic began have tested positive, according to two passengers on the ship.Ben and David Hewitt-McDonald, who operate a YouTube channel and cruise blog about their sea travels, confirmed to The Daily Beast on Thursday that a ship-wide announcement went out saying five members of a family from the U.S. had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after being tested twice. A few hours later, they said a sixth person had tested positive and at least one person was taken to the hospital.On Friday morning, the ship's captain told passengers that the wife of a person who tested positive the night before had also been tested positive."The original passenger who tested positive had another two tests along with all family members," the British couple said. "We are anxious to get off to be honest, we would like to be somewhere with more fresh air and space, to stop any spread of the virus."The SeaDream Yacht Club's cruise ship received their first positive test result on Wednesday, prompting the captain to make an announcement for all guests to return to their rooms to quarantine. The vessel immediately headed back to Barbados from the Grenadines.> We've just received an announcement from the Captain that one person is feeling unwell and has tested positive for COVID. We have been asked to stay in our cabins and we are returning to Barbados. Hopefully it's a false positive but we are impressed with SeaDreams swift actions.. pic.twitter.com/wbOUlKsMsY> > — Cruise with Ben & David (@CruiseWithBD) November 11, 2020The news came just four days into the ship's seven-day trip. It departed from Barbados on Saturday before making several stops—including Saint Vincent, Canouan Island, Tobago Cays, and Union Island—before it was set to end on Saturday.Instead, all passengers are now stuck in their rooms as the crew and local authorities in Barbados figure out the best strategy to contain the virus."We are really upset because we really felt like the passengers, crew, and cruise line took COVID very seriously yet it still managed to get on board. SeaDream requires double the amount of the tests as the CDC will require going forward," said the couple, who have been aboard the ship for almost three weeks. "So we ask ourselves is testing the way forward if it can still get onboard such a small ship?"The trip was the first time SeaDream had resumed its West Indies route since the start of the pandemic, which has killed almost 240,000 Americans. It came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new cruise ship guidance to help an industry paralyzed by the pandemic to resume operations in a phased approach.In March, cruise ships were banned from sailing in U.S. waters after the CDC issued a no-sail order due to several outbreaks, including on the Diamond Princess and the Grand Princess, where 10 people died and more than 800 tested positive.The SeaDream had relaunched with extensive testing requirements. Every passenger had to test negative before boarding the ship—and again after boarding. The goal, SeaDream stated in September when announcing their upcoming 22 roundtrip sails from Barbados, was "to create a COVID-19 negative bubble, where guests can relax and enjoy the safety of the ship."But, in a Thursday statement issued when the first passenger tested positive, SeaDream Yacht Club stated the ship had paused its voyage "after a guests' tests for Covid-19 returned assumptive positive results.""The ship's medical staff has tested all crew members and all tests have come back negative. SeaDream is currently retesting all guests," the statement said.> Just as we posted the captain has updated us. We are still waiting for test results from Barbadian authorities, all remaining passengers will be tested at some point - when and how is not known yet, the company is actively working with the local authorities. Cruise Covid pic.twitter.com/KXF8hLT2iD> > — Cruise with Ben & David (@CruiseWithBD) November 12, 2020It's not the first time the SeaDream, which was one of the first cruise liners to resume service in Europe, has had a COVID-positive passenger. In August, the company said an asymptomatic passenger tested positive after disembarking from SeaDream I in Denmark.Despite the latest drama, three passengers who spoke to The Daily Beast on Thursday said the quarantine process had been surprisingly rigorous. Gene Sloan, a cruise writer for The Points Guy, stressed that the ship's crew had kept passengers informed of developments and had an "extensive" virus plan before the quarantine began.> Good morning from the port of @Barbados, where we have been docked since late yesterday evening. I am, unfortunately, on the side of the ship facing away from the dock, so I don't have a view of what's going on pierside. We have been told ... pic.twitter.com/6qrivrsVty> > — Gene Sloan (@CruiseLog) November 12, 2020"The first few days of the trip were pretty normal," Sloan said. "There were changes on the ship, like social distancing and discouraging passengers from mixing with one another, but overall everything was always sanitized and people were taking it seriously. The passengers on board were really excited to be back cruising."He said that everyone was tested multiple times during the trip, and the Hewitt-McDonalds said that there were three PCR rapid testing machines on board that could test nine people per hour. At each location stop, Sloan said passengers were instructed not to interact with locals and were shuttled to empty beaches and resorts.The Hewitt-McDonalds, who boarded the ship in Portsmouth and have been traveling with the ship on its various voyages, said that 40 new passengers, mostly from the U.S. and Canada, boarded on Saturday."We were very shocked with a positive test, after the rigorous pre-cruise actions we had to take we would have thought it almost impossible for COVID to get on the ship," the couple said."Before boarding, we were required to take a full COVID antigen test no longer than 72 hours before boarding. On boarding day in Portsmouth, U.K., the ship's doctor gave us another rapid PCR test. We also had our oxygen levels and temperature taken. There is hourly cleaning of the ship as well as daily temperature checks."Sloan did admit, however, that there was a controversy at the start of the voyage because the ship didn't require passengers to wear face masks on board. By Monday, after complaints from worried passengers, the policy was changed to include a mask-mandate."The ship assumed they could block COVID-19 at the door, you could say," Sloan added. "But people wanted to be extra careful."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Pro-Trump senator says Covid survivors should throw away their masks and ‘celebrate’ as he falsely claims they are immune Posted: 12 Nov 2020 09:07 PM PST  US has recorded more than 100,000 Covid-19 cases every day for the last week
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| Map: State-by-state breakdown of coronavirus travel restrictions Posted: 13 Nov 2020 01:37 PM PST  U.S. states and territories are making new rules for travelers. Find which ones across the United States have implemented travel restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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| Hillary Clinton shares photos of FLOTUS transition as Melania has yet to reach out to Jill Biden Posted: 12 Nov 2020 04:35 PM PST  Hillary Clinton posted two throwback pictures on Instagram of herself and two other first ladies on Thursday. The first photo shows Clinton with Barbara Bush, who was the first lady from 1989 to 1993, about to embrace during Bill Clinton's transition to the White House. Clinton won the election against incumbent President George H. W. Bush.
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| Airbus hopes its $6.5 billion German Eurofighter sale will shine for Switzerland, Finland Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:48 AM PST  The European defense giant inked a deal with the German Air Force this week after the country's parliament, the Bundestag, approved the budget earlier this month.
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| Letters to the Editor: Joe Biden should read the L.A. Times before appointing Eric Garcetti to his Cabinet Posted: 13 Nov 2020 03:00 AM PST  Eric Garcetti has been an ineffectual mayor of Los Angeles, readers say, making him a poor pick for Joe Biden's Cabinet.
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| The Wolverine Watchmen plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer also included a plan to burn down the state Capitol building, officials say Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:22 AM PST  According to the Michigan Attorney General's Office, the group had also considered storming the Capitol to "take hostages" and "execute tyrants."
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| U.S. judge dismisses Trump campaign libel lawsuit against CNN Posted: 12 Nov 2020 12:24 PM PST  A U.S. judge on Thursday dismissed a libel lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump's re-election campaign against CNN over a 2019 opinion piece which it said suggested the campaign would be open to Russian interference, according to a court document. The campaign sued CNN, which is owned by AT&T Inc, in March over the June 13, 2019, piece by Larry Noble, a CNN contributor and former general counsel of the Federal Election Commission. U.S. District Judge Michael Brown said the campaign had failed to prove the piece was maliciously published.
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| Korean girl group's panda stunt prompts anger in China Posted: 13 Nov 2020 01:29 AM PST  A publicity stunt involving South Korean girl group Blackpink and a cuddly baby panda has prompted outraged comments and calls for an apology from some in China. The endangered animals are native only to China, which claims ownership over all pandas loaned to foreign zoos, including those born abroad. The outrage over a video of group members cuddling the baby panda in Everland Zoo near Seoul may also reflect a growing awareness of animal welfare, with the China Wildlife Conservation Association among those raising their voices.
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| Republican Martha McSally finally concedes Arizona Senate race a week after election Posted: 13 Nov 2020 03:13 PM PST  Mark Kelly had already claimed victory and travelled to Washington DC
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| Melissa McCarthy Apologizes for Backing Anti-Abortion Group in Charity Drive: ‘We Blew It’ Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:41 AM PST  Melissa McCarthy and HBO Max have announced that they're pulling their support for the evangelical nonprofit Exodus Cry as part of their "20 Days of Kindness" fundraising campaign."There's no other way to say it: We blew it," McCarthy said in a video posted to Instagram Thursday night. "We made a mistake and we backed a charity that upon further vetting stands for everything that we do not.""I want to thank everyone on social media who said, 'What are you doing? Are you sure you want to back this?'" McCarthy continued. "Because the answer is, 'No, we do not.'"> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by Melissa McCarthy (@melissamccarthy)HBO Max launched "20 Days of Kindness" on Tuesday, tying it to World Kindness Day on Friday and the upcoming Thanksgiving release of McCarthy's new movie Superintelligence. But Exodus Cry stuck out from the other charities. The Daily Beast's Tarpley Hitt exclusively reported on Thursday that Exodus Cry frames itself as an anti-sex-trafficking group but in reality works to abolish sex work entirely. Its founder, Benjamin Nolot, has called abortion a "holocaust" and homosexuality "an unspeakable offense to God," Hitt noted. The group has spent years lobbying to criminalize the purchase of sex and recently launched a campaign to shutter Pornhub.Why Are HBO and Melissa McCarthy Raising Money for an Anti-Abortion Group?In its own statement, HBO Max said they'd axed Exodus Cry from the fundraiser's roster: "We were made aware of the issues surrounding Exodus Cry and have removed them from the list of partners associated with the 20 Days of Kindness campaign," a rep for the streamer told Entertainment Tonight. Exodus Cry, meanwhile, now has an extensive "Myths vs. Truths" page on its website. It includes a statement from Nolot, who claims that his outlook on queer people has evolved. "In the past I did not adequately recognize the impact of anti-marriage legislation on sexual minorities and I deeply regret the pain and offense that has caused," he wrote, in part. "I love, respect and advocate for the right of all people to be free from all forms of oppression... I want to make clear that I fully embrace the LGBTQ community as a group that deserves all of the rights that protect their dignity, safety and equality."As she concluded her video, McCarthy said she hopes that "20 Days of Kindness"' previous affiliation with Exodus Cry will not affect the other charities involved in the campaign."We are so incredibly grateful for you ringing the bell and helping us be better," McCarthy said. "We're sorry for our mistake. Oh boy, are we sorry for it—can't believe that we missed it. And that's it... Let the kindness continue, and thank you. Thanks for your help. We really needed it."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Another man charged in 'Sweetie Pie's' murder-for-hire case Posted: 12 Nov 2020 07:51 PM PST  James Timothy Norman, who has already been charged, is the uncle of the person killed and both appeared on the show "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's."
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| Tropical Storm Iota forms, continuing record-breaking season. Forecast to become hurricane Posted: 13 Nov 2020 05:09 AM PST  Tropical Storm Iota has formed in the central Caribbean Sea Friday afternoon, marking the 30th named storm in a record-breaking hurricane season. Iota is forecast to turn into a hurricane before approaching Central America next week. Central America is already reeling from Eta hitting Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane last week.
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| Prince Harry is accused of 'trying to steal headlines' after his visit to US troop cemetery Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:00 AM PST  But despite the angry comments, Prince Harry has a deep connection with military forces, including American troops.
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| President-elect Biden, denied classified intel briefings, to bring in national security experts Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:02 AM PST  U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will be briefed by national security experts next week, Biden transition official Jen Psaki said on Friday, amid concerns that being out of the loop due to delays to the transition could be a national security risk. Biden's team is pressing ahead with a transition despite President Donald Trump's refusal to concede the Nov. 3 election, which major news organizations called for Biden on Nov. 7.
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| Trump law firm withdraws from Pennsylvania case challenging election Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:10 AM PST  The abrupt withdrawal overnight is a blow to the president's efforts to overturn the result of the vote in court * US politics – live updatesA major law firm withdrew overnight from a Trump campaign case in Pennsylvania seeking to have mail-in ballots thrown out, in the latest blow to the president's efforts to challenge the 2020 election result in court.The Ohio-based Porter Wright Morris & Arthur firm, which brought a suit on Monday alleging that the use of mail-in ballots had created "an illegal two-tiered voting system" in the state, abruptly withdrew from that case in a memo to the court."Plaintiffs and Porter Wright have reached a mutual agreement that plaintiffs will be best served if Porter Wright withdraws," the memo said. The lead lawyer in the case, the Pittsburgh-based Ronald L Hicks Jr, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The news was first reported by the New York Times.Separately, lawyers for the Trump campaign withdrew a lawsuit in Arizona, conceding that the case would not move enough votes to change the election result in the state. "Since the close of yesterday's hearing, the tabulation of votes statewide has rendered unnecessary a judicial ruling as to the presidential electors," Trump lawyer Kory Langhofer told an Arizona state court, in news first reported by the Wall Street Journal.And in Michigan, a judge refused to halt the certification of Detroit-area election results. It was the third time a judge has declined to intervene in the Michigan count.Unlike most lawsuits brought by the Trump campaign, which targeted small pools of votes whose exclusion would not change the election result, the Porter Wright suit in Pennsylvania challenged nearly 2.65m votes that were cast by mail, the majority by Democrats.It accused the secretary of the commonwealth, Kathy Boockvar, of "arbitrary and illegal actions" and sought an emergency order prohibiting the certification of the Pennsylvania election result.With that lawsuit stalled, certification in Pennsylvania – and the formal election of Joe Biden as president – drew a step closer. By law the state's result must be certified by 23 November.The news came as a coalition of US federal and state officials said they had no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in last week's presidential election, rejecting unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud advanced by Trump and many of his supporters.The statement from cybersecurity experts trumpeted the 3 November election as the most secure in American history.The Trump campaign has been using lawsuits trying to prevent or delay states in which Trump lost from certifying their election results, an essential step to translating state popular-vote results into a national electoral college result.Biden has opened up a lead of 5.3m popular votes and counting, and he is on track to win the electoral college 306-232.Dozens of lawsuits brought by the Trump campaign in six states to challenge the election result have gained little traction. The campaign has won minor court victories, such as requiring Pennsylvania to set aside ballots received after election day in case they are later ruled invalid.But that pool of ballots and others targeted in Trump lawsuits is not large enough to overcome Biden's lead in Pennsylvania, where he is up almost 60,000 votes and counting, and in other states.Porter Wright is representing the Trump campaign and the Republican party in other Pennsylvania lawsuits, including one seeking to throw out mail-in ballots for which missing voter identification information was not provided by 9 November. The disposition of that lawsuit, which Hicks was also leading, is unclear.Porter Wright and a second large law firm, the Ohio-based Jones Day, representing Republicans in 2020 election lawsuits have come under pressure for acting as perceived accomplices in Trump's effort to cancel the election result.The legal news site law.com called it a "public relations nightmare" for the firms. At least one lawyer at Porter Wright resigned over the firm's decision to carry Trump's lawsuits forward, the NYT reported.The Lincoln Project anti-Trump Republican group has attacked the firms on Twitter, asking, "do you believe your law firms should be attempting to overturn the will of the American people?" The group was suspended from Twitter for publishing the names and office contact information of the lawyers.While legal actions by the Trump campaign are proceeding in multiple states, more than a dozen cases have been thrown out of court, and there is not a single case in which substantial evidence of election fraud has emerged.Instead, Trump lawyers have had to admit to judges that they have no evidence of fraud – in sharp contrast with the message the president is spreading on Twitter.In a case in Maricopa county, Arizona, accusing poll workers of misconduct – the case that was withdrawn on Friday afternoon – Trump lawyer Langhofer told a judge that the plaintiffs were "not alleging fraud" or "that anyone is stealing the election" but raising concerns about "good faith errors".In a case in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, the lawyer Jonathan Goldstein, who has his own law firm, was attempting to have 592 mail-in ballots thrown out because of "irregularities" with the ballots' outer envelopes.A judge pressed Goldstein on whether he was alleging voter fraud."I am asking you a specific question, and I am looking for a specific answer," the judge said. "Are you claiming that there is any fraud in connection with these 592 disputed ballots?""To my knowledge at present, no," Goldstein said."Are you claiming that there is any undue or improper influence upon the elector with respect to these 592 ballots?" asked the judge.Goldstein replied: "To my knowledge at present, no."
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| Mike Pence secretly attended his daughter’s wedding two days before election Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:33 PM PST  The vice president and Second Lady Karen Pence were on hand to see youngest child Audrey Pence Tomanelli tie the knot. The bride posted a black and white picture to Instagram of her parents watching her kiss husband Daniel Tomanelli outside the steps of a courthouse. There is no sign of anyone in the wedding pictures wearing a mask but they are all socially distancing.
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| Fellow Governor Blasts Kristi Noem for Letting COVID Run Rampant Posted: 11 Nov 2020 11:09 PM PST  In the wake of a superspreader motorcycle rally and other nearly maskless mass gatherings such as a buffalo roundup, South Dakota has itself become a superspreader.And at a press conference this week, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz held South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem partly responsible for a COVID-19 surge in his state that is now forcing him to impose new restrictions. He pointedly cited this summer's Sturgis motorcycle rally."Absolutely unnecessary," Walz said of the rally.Walz added that the largely maskless 200,000 who attended the rally in August had then spread the virus to Minnesota and across the nation. He observed that Noem continues to dismiss even the idea of a mask mandate. (He imposed one in July.)Walz may not have known about another big South Dakota event. After Sturgis, Noem had proceeded to host the Governor's Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park on Sept. 25. That largely maskless crowd of 20,000—up 1,000 from last year—began lining up hours before the event, standing less than the recommended 6 feet apart. They continued to largely ignore social distancing after they were admitted to a roped-off area. They crowded shoulder to shoulder at the perimeter's edge to watch horseback riders herd 1,450 buffalo into a fenced-in section of Custer State Park. They looked on as the buffalo were examined and vaccinated, since herd immunity does not work even for herds.Noem once again proved to be a model of what not to do as she stepped before the crowd without a mask. She hugged a number of maskless officials before taking to the podium to say a few words.Also maskless, Walter Panzirer of the Helmsley Charitable Trust spoke of the interpretive visitor center his non-profit is building near the buffalo corral. The foundation was founded by Leona Helmsley, the hotelier and felon known as "the Queen of Mean." She was famous for having evicted her son's widow from a family-owned house the day after the funeral. She once remarked to a maid that "taxes are for the little people." The IRS took a different position and she spent 16 months in federal prison.But there is no denying that the foundation bearing her name has done considerable good, especially in outlying areas with inadequate medical care. Panzirer nonetheless should have perceived some irony in what he said to a crowd that was largely ignoring the recommended precautions in a pandemic."We believe in rural health care," he said.The statement became no less jarring as he went on to say that the interpretive center would contribute to public health by encouraging people to get out and enjoy nature. He gestured to the surrounding hills, a vast, deserted expanse that made it only more nonsensically reckless for so many people to gather so close together. He could have made an immediate and cost-free contribution to public health simply by putting on a mask and telling everyone else to do the same while establishing social distancing.Noem could have done so that very day for the whole state, thereby preventing thousands of infections. She instead let the virus spike in South Dakota to where it is becoming a spreader state. She has repeated baseless doubts about the efficacy of masks and continued to demonstrate the destructive power of a bad example.RNC Speaker Kristi Noem Is a Master of COVID DelusionOn Saturday, Noem demonstrated that her nonfeasance in the face of a pandemic was not the result of an inability to take decisive action. She and her family joined the bidding at the buffalo auction that follows the round-up. The Noems are said by a person involved in the auction to have acquired five. One or two were females, a mix that would allow the Noems to start their very own herd.As the virus continued to spike, Noem was perpetually out of state, assisting the Trump campaign in herding his followers. She described her state as an example for the whole nation, even the world, to follow in addressing the pandemic."I appreciate that President Trump gave me the flexibility to do the right thing in our state," she told ABC News. "He let me do my job."She began an online campaign to raise funds to support Trump's effort to contest the election. Never remind that the money went directly into her own election coffers. She no longer immediately said she was not interested when people asked if she is contemplating a presidential run in 2024.The virus spiked ever higher in South Dakota, trading off with North Dakota over which had the nation's highest per capita rate of new cases and deaths. Both states border Minnesota, but Walz placed particular blame on Noem when he announced on Monday that the rising number of new cases in his state was forcing him to impose a variety of new measures, including a reduction in the capacity of restaurants and in size of gatherings of whatever kind, to 50, and then down to 25.He made it known he was offended by the political roadshow Noem undertook while her state's COVID-19 cases spiked."And this one's a little bit personal because the governor of South Dakota has taken to traveling to other states and criticizing others—now at a time when that state's hospital capacity is overwhelmed," Walz said.A Noem spokesman insisted that Walz had it wrong, that South Dakota hospitals are only 66 percent full. The spokesman also offered an interpretation of remarks U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams made on Tuesday while visiting a mass testing site at the National Guard Armory in Pierre, South Dakota."I'd also point you to the surgeon general's comments yesterday that South Dakota shouldn't have a mask mandate," the spokesman said.That is not quite what Adams said. He devoted almost the entirety of his remarks to the necessity of wearing a mask, stating states should do "whatever it takes," noting that studies show mandates work.And here is what Adams did say about South Dakota and masks:"You don't have a mask mandate here. But what I would say to people of South Dakota is you really shouldn't need a mandate to do the right thing for your community, your family, and your friends."He was not saying South Dakota should not have a mask mandate, only that it should not need one. He could not have been clearer when he described the COVID-19 situation in South Dakota without a mandate."Out of control," he said.No wonder Noem did not meet with Adams. Her spokesman said she was busy with the budget. That was in keeping with her unwillingness to sacrifice business for lives. On Wednesday, she continued to make her priorities clear with a tweet in all caps."GREAT NEWS!She then solved the mystery of what it could possibly be in a state reporting 1,202 new COVID-19 cases that day."South Dakota's Sales & Use tax receipts are 8% higher than a year ago."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Kentucky couple receives racist letters, bullets in mail months after neighbor allegedly painted swastika on their driveway Posted: 13 Nov 2020 11:34 AM PST  A couple with five children in Louisville has had their property vandalized with racist slurs repeatedly over the past several months.
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| Louisiana doctor arrested for racist attack against Southern University student Posted: 12 Nov 2020 02:06 PM PST |
| Ex-Wells Fargo chief hit with fine for misleading authorities Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:28 AM PST  US regulators on Friday charged former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf with allegedly misleading investors, hitting him with a $2.5 million penalty.
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| Big Tech has largely left Silicon Valley — and left its blue-collar workers behind Posted: 12 Nov 2020 09:00 AM PST  New report finds "most major tech companies" have kept paying service workers.
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| Karl Rove gently explains that Joe Biden beat Trump in Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal Posted: 11 Nov 2020 09:50 PM PST  Karl Rove, a Fox News contributor and one of the most prominent Republican strategists, gently told President Trump and his supporters in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Wednesday evening that the presidential race is over and Trump lost. Republicans did much better than expected on Election Day, but "the White House changed hands," he writes. No amount of legal jujitsu will change that, Rove explained:> Mr. Trump is now pursuing legal challenges in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada, and there will be an automatic recount in Georgia, given Mr. Biden's 0.29-point lead there. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is correct that Mr. Trump is "100 percent within his rights" to go to court over concerns about fraud and transparency. But the president's efforts are unlikely to move a single state from Mr. Biden's column, and certainly they're not enough to change the final outcome. [Karl Rove, The Wall Street Journal]Rove said Biden has insurmountable leads in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, enough to give him 306 electoral votes, unless Trump can somehow "prove systemic fraud, with illegal votes in the tens of thousands. There is no evidence of that so far." Once Trump's "days in court are over," he added, "the president should do his part to unite the country by leading a peaceful transition and letting grievances go."Fox News -- owned, like the Journal, by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. empire, called the race for Biden on Saturday, but its prime-time opinion hosts have been slow to recognize Trump's defeat. One of them, Fox News regular Geraldo Rivera, also told Trump it's time to move on late Wednesday. > Just curious: who are you defining as "our enemies"? https://t.co/I15QIXibeL> > -- Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) November 12, 2020More stories from theweek.com 7 scathingly funny cartoons about Trump's refusal to concede Trump is reportedly 'very aware' he lost the election but is putting up a fight as 'theater' Texas senator suggests it's too soon to declare Biden the winner because Puerto Rico is still counting votes
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| Moderna coronavirus vaccine trial volunteer shares experience Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:06 AM PST  Moderna COVID-19 vaccine volunteer, Jack Morningstar, shares trial experience, urges others to take on 'Fox & Friends.'
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| Alaska congressman who ridiculed coronavirus now says he has COVID-19 Posted: 12 Nov 2020 06:59 PM PST  The Alaska congressman who once ridiculed the seriousness of the novel coronavirus, calling it the "beer virus," said on Thursday he is now infected with it. The announcement by Representative Don Young comes as the state's governor on Thursday warned that health-care and public-safety systems were at risk of being overwhelmed by the rapid spread of the virus across Alaska. Young, the 87-year-old Republican who is Alaska's sole U.S. House of Representatives member, made the announcement on Twitter.
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