Car and Driver,
by
Colin Beresford
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/29/2020 8:53:25 AM
Post Reply
As it turns out, automakers giving customers the option to extend leases by a month during the coronavirus pandemic was more than a gesture of good faith—a lot of dealers don't want the cars back right now. A USA Today report found 10 people who have expired leases who, when they went to return their vehicles to the dealership, learned that the dealer wouldn’t take them or made returning the vehicle difficult. Several of the customers were told that they could return their vehicle if they leased another one. But the resounding message was that the dealer lots were full
The Week,
by
Tim O'Donnell
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/28/2020 5:13:39 PM
Post Reply
No experts are remotely advocating for people to take up smoking to prevent COVID-19, but some researchers have theorized nicotine may be playing some role in keeping the virus at bay, Vice reports. That's because there's a surprisingly low rate of smokers among coronavirus hospitalizations. In France, for example, 25 percent of the population smokes, but only 5.3 percent of coronavirus patients have been recorded as smokers, and studies have found low rates in China and New York City, as well.
Greek cardiologist and tobacco harm-reduction specialist Konstantinos Farsalinos thinks nicotine (crucially, not tobacco) might be lessening the intensity of
Guardian [U.K.],
by
Oliver Milman
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/28/2020 4:59:15 PM
Post Reply
A new Michael Moore-produced documentary that takes aim at the supposed hypocrisy of the green movement is “dangerous, misleading and destructive” and should be removed from public viewing, according to an assortment of climate scientists and environmental campaigners. The film, Planet of the Humans, was released on the eve of Earth Day last week by its producer, Michael Moore, the baseball cap-wearing documentarian known for Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine. Describing itself as a “full-frontal assault on our sacred cows”, the film argues that electric cars and solar energy are unreliable and rely upon fossil fuels to function. It
Washington Examiner,
by
Susan Ferrechio
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/28/2020 1:17:11 PM
Post Reply
Democratic leaders Tuesday backtracked on a plan to reconvene the House next week after rank-and-file lawmakers called the move “dangerous.” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, told reporters Tuesday the decision was based on several factors, including a recommendation from healthcare officials. “The House physician's view is that there is a risk to members that is one he would not recommend taking,” Hoyer said. Hoyer told reporters leaders will wait until a second economic aid package is ready for a vote. The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Monday, and the House had planned to return. Now, its next
CBS News,
by
Staff
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/28/2020 1:10:07 PM
Post Reply
Police over the weekend broke up rowdy house parties in Chicago and said they were aware of video of one party that went viral, CBS Chicago reports. The violations of the stay-at-home order to fight the coronavirus outbreak came as Illinois reported 2,126 new COVID-19 cases and 59 additional deaths Sunday. Chicago is at the center of one of the worst outbreaks in the U.S. One video posted online shows a packed house at an undisclosed location, apparently in Chicago. The party appeared so crowded that the person recording the footage chose not to wade into the crowd on the
USA Today,
by
Jeff Zillgitt
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/27/2020 8:10:18 PM
Post Reply
The Los Angeles Lakers applied for and received $4.6 million from the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program but returned the money “so that financial support would be directed to those most in need,” the Lakers said in a statement. (Snip) The Lakers are worth $4.4 billion and were No. 1 in operating income at $178 million, according to the latest ‘Forbes’ NBA team valuations. The NBA also recently extended its line of credit to $1.2 billion for teams in need of cash. The SBA’s initial $349 billion program allowed business with less than 500 employees to borrow up $10-million
PennLive [Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania],
by
Jan Murphy
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/27/2020 11:23:39 AM
Post Reply
Michael and Karin Long stood in line at Highland Gardens waiting to check out with their two wagons full of plants. A hydrangea tree stood tall in their cart with lavender, geraniums and beard tongue plants rounding out the rest of their purchase. They were elated that unlike other garden centers in Pennsylvania, this one in Lower Allen Township received a waiver from Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration to be open for business. (Snip) Many owners of garden centers across the state, many of which are small family-run operations, want to provide that same sense of hope to their own customers
New York Times,
by
Shaila Dewan
&
Vanessa Swales
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/27/2020 8:45:40 AM
Post Reply
Facing the same competing pressures between keeping people safe in a pandemic and reviving some elements of a more functioning society, governors around the country Sunday made their case for steps they were taking — or not taking — to begin reopening. Their efforts reflected the halting patchwork of attempts by several states to begin moving past severe restrictions in the face of the coronavirus, as a cascade of stay-at-home orders began to expire. As Colorado’s order ended, Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, defended his moves to relax some social distancing restrictions, allowing curbside retail deliveries and soon allowing the
MSN Lifestyle,
by
Laurie Baratti
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/26/2020 8:37:23 PM
Post Reply
The pandemic is prompting Hawaii's authorities to consider some extreme measures to contain the spread of contagion. The Aloha State was among the earliest to adopt some aggressive policies to curb COVID-19 transmission on the islands and already requires all arrivals, be they visitors or returning residents, to self-quarantine for two weeks. Hawaii News Now has reported that state authorities are considering using personal tracking devices to ensure compliance with the rules of quarantine. Failure to comply with the conditions set forth by the governor’s office already bears a hefty penalty—a fine of up to $5,000, a year in prison
Reuters,
by
Linda So
&
Grant Smith
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/26/2020 12:07:59 PM
Post Reply
When the first cases of the new coronavirus surfaced in Ohio’s prisons, the director in charge felt like she was fighting a ghost. “We weren’t always able to pinpoint where all the cases were coming from,” said Annette Chambers-Smith, director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. As the virus spread, they began mass testing. They started with the Marion Correctional Institution, which houses 2,500 prisoners in north central Ohio, many of them older with pre-existing health conditions. After testing 2,300 inmates for the coronavirus, they were shocked. Of the 2,028 who tested positive, close to 95% had no
New York Times,
by
Alexander Burns
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/26/2020 9:52:03 AM
Post Reply
Joseph R. Biden Jr. usually rises before 8 a.m. at his home in Wilmington, Del., and starts his day with a workout in an upstairs gym that contains a Peloton bike, weights and a treadmill. He often enjoys a protein shake for breakfast and puts on a suit or blazer much of the time. In the evenings, he and his wife, Jill, sit down together for dinner, a ritual that was absent for much of the last frenzied year on the campaign trail. In the intervening hours, Mr. Biden attempts to win the presidency without leaving his house. With the
Politico,
by
Andy Blatchford
Original Article
Posted by
NorthernDog
—
4/25/2020 9:38:28 PM
Post Reply
OTTAWA — Canada's public health authority says around 1 million KN95 respirators acquired from China have failed to meet federal Covid-19 standards for use by front-line health professionals. As a result, the federal government did not dispense the noncomplying masks to equipment-hungry provinces and territories, said Eric Morrissette a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada. The failure of these respirators to meet Canadian requirements is yet another challenge for the country as it fights to secure PPE and medical supplies amid what has become a ferocious global competition. The KN95 is a Chinese model similar to the N95, which
Comments:
People are getting bored and restless. The first 90-degree Friday night should be real interesting.