Melissa's Musings(My opinionated view of life)

COVID correlated to loss of brain tissue

Wondering how to stay cool in a heatwave? Here's what the experts say.

5-minute breathing workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs

Grand jury indicts Trump Organization, CFO on tax crimes, led by New York AG, district attorney : The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the New York Attorney General’s Office have obtained indictments from a New York grand jury against the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News on Wednesday.

What Doctors Should Know About Delta | MedPage Today

Arvada shooting: Good Samaritan in Colorado who took down a gunman was fatally shot by police - CNN : The man hailed as a hero for preventing further bloodshed after a gunman fatally shot a police officer in Arvada, Colorado, on Monday was himself fatally shot by police, Arvada police said in a statement Friday afternoon.

This Company Got a $10 Million PPP Loan, Then Closed Its Plant and Moved Manufacturing Jobs to Mexico — ProPublica

9 Fascinating Facts About “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” | Trivia Genius : Fifty years after it premiered, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" continues to treat kids and adults alike to a deliciously bizarre viewing experience.

Health Canada recommends people with rare blood condition not get AstraZeneca vaccine | Reuters

Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews announces he will return for 2021-22 season | RSN

Gwen Goldman Becomes Yankees Bat Girl For A Day, 60 Years After Being Turned Away – CBS New York : As part of this year's Hope Week, Yankees GM Brian Cashman invited the now-70-year-old to be a bat girl for the day.

Illinois Gas Taxes To Increase Again Thursday | Patch : Illinois Gas Taxes To Increase Again Thursday - Across Illinois, IL - Illinois has some of the highest fuel gas prices in the country, and this week, taxes on fuel will increase. I am NOT happy to hear this.

Homeland Security warns of domestic terror threats and violence as Fourth of July approaches  | Daily Mail Online

Charges expected Thursday for Trump's company, top executive

Elvis Presley Channel Set to Debut in Early 2022 From Cinedigm - Variety

More than half of Australia is now in lockdown - ABC News

Microsoft finds new NETGEAR firmware vulnerabilities that could lead to identity theft and full system compromise | Microsoft Security Blog : We discovered vulnerabilities in NETGEAR DGN-2200v1 series routers that can compromise a network's security—opening the gates for attackers to roam untethered through an entire organization. We shared our findings with NETGEAR through coordinated vulnerability disclosure via Microsoft Security Vulnerability Research (MSVR), and worked closely with NETGEAR security and engineering teams to provide advice on mitigating these issues.

Fox News Pays Record Fine Over #MeToo Violations of NYC Human Rights Law : NPR : Under a settlement with New York City, Fox News will not require staffers to enter secret arbitration in new contracts for the next four years. The process kept harassment claims from public view. Glad to see they're being disciplined for something!

Court overturns Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction Proof that anyone who can pay for a good lawyer can get away with anything.  It's too bad that he didn't get his comeuppance in prison.

Bazzini LLC Voluntarily Recalls Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cup 2-Pak | FDA : Bazzini LLC, Allentown, PA is, out of an abundance, voluntarily recalling three lot codes (SELL BY date codes of APR 05 2022, APR 06 2022, and APR 07 2022) of 1.4 ounce Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups because it may contain peanut protein.

Manna Pro Products LLC Issues Limited Voluntary Recall of Flock Party Quack Snacks Sold in the United States Because of Possible Health Risk Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination | FDA : Manna Pro Products, LLC, St. Louis, Missouri, is voluntarily recalling a single lot of Flock Party Quack Snacks (poultry treat) with a Best By date of 12/2023, packaged in 1.68 pound bags because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Manna Pro Products LLC was informed by the Stat

L.A. County urges indoor mask wearing as Delta variant spreads - Los Angeles Times : With the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus continuing to spread statewide, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is recommending that all residents wear masks in public indoor spaces — regardless of whether they've been vaccinated for COVID-19. I think the CDC should be changing their guidelines to match the WHOs.  Everyone should be wearing a mask.

Three in 10 Americans Think Pandemic Is Over in U.S. It isn't.

All the best new Windows 11 features and how to use them - CNET : We've got instructions on how you'll use Windows 11 Android apps, widgets, Microsoft Teams and more.

Nathan Allen: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com : Nathan Allen was named as the gunman who shot and killed two people after crashing a stolen box truck into a building in Winthrop.

A Teen Was Having Car Trouble. A Sheriff’s Deputy Shot and Killed Him.

WD: Disconnect My Book Live drives immediately to avoid malware

Actors steal data of 500K patients during eye clinic ransomware attack

Delta: WHO urges fully vaccinated people to continue to wear masks as variant spreads : "People cannot feel safe just because they had the two doses. They still need to protect themselves," WHO official Dr. Mariangela Simao told reporters.

Ultra-Orthodox MK compares Reform Jews to pigs - The Jerusalem Post : Haredi MKs denounce Labor MK, Reform rabbi Gilad Kariv amid his appointment to chair Knesset Constitution, Law, Justice Committee • UTJ MK Meir Porush compares Reform Jews to "pigs." This MK is a schmuck, a shanda, and is committing a chillul hashem.  Ugh.  This is a good reason why I will not immigrate to Israel.  

Report: Facebook Allows Fake Testimonials In Its Ads : Facebook has long struggled to contain the spread of misinformation, and the advertising that companies place on the site is no different. That’s why Facebook has a specific policy banning ads that feature misleading claims. However, according to a new report from The Independent this week, companies can easily use fake Twitter testimonials in their…

Tiny ancient bird from China shares skull features with Tyrannosaurus rex

Long COVID symptoms likely caused by Epstein-Barr virus reactivation

MLB All Star Game finalists: Top three at each position announced - Sports Illustrated

Breaths, deaths, and missed breaks: A nurse counts through the pandemic

COVID Cases Climb, Positivity Rate Falls After Illinois Reopening | Chicago, IL Patch I don't understand how the "positivity rate is falling," if cases are more than than doubling.  What am I missing here?

What Windows 10 features are removed from Windows 11? | PCWorld

Seinfeld In HD - George Costanza Answering Machine - YouTube : Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Novavax Is Now the Best COVID-19 Vaccine - The Atlantic : Persistent hype around mRNA vaccine technology is now distracting us from other ways to end the pandemic. I want Novavax, and yes, I've already been fully vaccinated.  However, the efficacy drops with each mutation, and some people have received three vaccine dosing.  

Derek Chauvin sentencing: Former police officer sentenced to 22.5 years in death of George Floyd - CNN : Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill ruled Thursday night that Chauvin "failed to demonstrate ... the Court abused its discretion or committed error such that Defendant was deprived of his constitutional right to a fair trial." I don't think that was long enough.  I think he should have been sentenced to the maximum sentence of 40 years, without the possibility of parole and placed in the general population.  When you torture and murder someone, you should pay the price.

He jumped into a bay to save a toddler. This week, he got a special honor - CNN : The Air Force's Thunderbirds honored a man Friday who jumped into an Ocean City, Maryland, bay last month to save a toddler.

Covid: Sydney lockdown extended as Delta outbreak grows - BBC News : Australia's biggest city and surrounding areas enter a two-week lockdown following a jump in cases.

Tesla to Recall 285,000 Cars in China Over Flawed Cruise Control – CBS San Francisco : Tesla is recalling about 285,000 electric vehicles in China because the cruise-control function can be activated accidentally and cause cars to accelerate suddenly, creating a safety hazard, Chinese authorities said Saturday.

'Dragon man' fossil may replace Neanderthals as our closest relative

Second COVID vaccine dose missed by over 10% of Americans : More than 1 in 10 Americans have missed their second dose of a coronavirus vaccine, a troubling trend as the more infectious Delta variant that first crippled India gains a foothold in this country.

SARS-CoV-2 virus can find alternate route to infect cells

Dole Diversified North America, Inc. Announces Limited Recall of Dole™ Fresh Blueberries for Potential Cyclospora Contamination | FDA : Dole Diversified North America, Inc. is recalling a limited number of cases of Dole™ Fresh Blueberries packaged in a variety of clamshell sizes for potential Cyclospora contamination.

Avanti Frozen Foods Recalls Frozen Cooked Shrimp Because of Possible Health Risk | FDA : Avanti Frozen Foods Pvt. Ltd, with an abundance of caution, is recalling certain consignments of various sizes of frozen cooked, peeled, deveined, shrimp (with some packaged with cocktail sauce) sold in various unit sizes, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The frozen s

Windows 11 will be a free update. Here's how you'll download it (and if your device is compatible) - CNET : You'll be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free if you're already a Windows 10 user. Use the PC Health Check app to check your devices now.

Why officials are particularly concerned about unvaccinated population in the South - ABC News

New Details Suggest Senior Trump Aides Knew Jan. 6 Rally Could Get Chaotic — ProPublica

America’s Mayor is the Most Full of Bull | Center for Inquiry

Study: Facebook’s Top Three Apps Tie For Least Respect For Privacy : Facebook’s entire business model is built on hoovering up as much user data as possible in order to monetize it with advertisers. However, it’s always shocking to see just how little Facebook respects our privacy. For example, a recent study from Surfshack analyzed the web’s top apps to see which ones were the most data-hungry,…

What we know about the Capitol riot arrests - CBS News

Zach Davies, 3 Cubs Relievers Throw Combined No-Hitter vs. Dodgers | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights

Making healthy choices may reduce Alzheimer's risk : No effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease exists, even though more than 5 million Americans have it.

Starting the day off with chocolate could have unexpected benefits

When did the first COVID-19 case arise?

From Windows 1.0 to Windows 10: A history of Microsoft's signature PC software : On Thursday, PC owners got a first look at the future of Windows.

Microsoft issues warning about a malware campaign involving a call center

Genome study reveals East Asian coronavirus epidemic 20,000 years ago

Nesher Ramla Homo: New fossil discovery from Israel points to complicated evolutionary process

Nearly all COVID deaths in US are now among unvaccinated

COVID-19 origins still a mystery: Study finds virus was 'highly human adapted'

Covid can infect brain cells: study

Microsoft's Windows 11 reveal event: Every upgrade announced - CNET : The tech giant is making Windows 11 work with as many apps and devices as possible, including Xbox technology, Android apps and more.

Unvaccinated Missourians fuel COVID: 'We will be the canary'

New Metric Identifies Coronavirus Hotspots in Real Time – NIH Director's Blog

Mitigation strategies for airborne disease transmission in orchestras using computational fluid dynamics | Science Advances

CanIndia News | Chinese researchers removed key Covid-19 gene data from NIH database

US life expectancy: COVID widened gap between US, other countries

Feds Adding Warning to Pfizer, Moderna Shots Over Rare Heart Condition : The CDC has so far confirmed 323 cases of the condition in people ages 12 through 29, but patients generally recovered from the symptoms.

Giuliani's Law License Is Suspended Over Trump Election Lies - The New York Times

Eva Schloss: 'Why I took Austrian citizenship aged 92' - BBC News : Eva Schloss has accepted Austrian citizenship, more than 80 years after she fled the country. Why?

US children pay high price for gun violence

One vaccine dose enough for COVID-19 survivors : Two mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 have proven safe and effective in clinical trials, as well as in the millions of people who have been vaccinated so far. But how prior SARS-CoV-2 infection affects vaccine response, and how long that response lasts, are still uncertain. Now, a new study in ACS Nano supports increasing evidence that people who had COVID-19 need only one vaccine dose, and that boosters could be necessary for everyone in the future.

Saudi Operatives Who Killed Khashoggi Received Paramilitary Training in U.S. - The New York Times : The training, approved by the State Department, underscores the perils of military partnerships with repressive governments.

Covid Rebounds in U.S. South, With Many Shunning Vaccines - Bloomberg

Vaccinated Israelis may need to quarantine because of Delta variant | Reuters

Report: Facebook Promoted Content Urging Violence Against Protesters : Facebook has long struggled with controlling its content recommendation algorithm. This simple tool intended to connect users often has harmful effects, from serving up hate speech to white supremacists to bringing together radical groups abroad. And according to the rights group Global Witness, that is exactly what’s happening in the country of Myanmar. A recent…

New infectious disease model from Johns Hopkins projects COVID-19 resurgence in 3 months - ABC7 San Francisco

Should I Ask My Friends If They Are Vaccinated? - COVID-19 - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health : Guidance for individuals and families navigating a half-vaxxed life.

Drinking any type of coffee associated with reduced risk of chronic liver disease

First wave COVID-19 data underestimated pandemic infections

It's true: Stress does turn hair gray (and it's reversible)

Too many older Americans are taking daily aspirin : (HealthDay)—Many older adults are still taking a daily baby aspirin to ward off first-time heart problems—despite guidelines that now discourage it, a new study finds.

Israeli PM warns of new virus outbreak as cases rise

Tree pollen carries SARS-CoV-2 particles farther, facilitates virus spread

Tornado That Hit Woodridge, Naperville Had 140 MPH Winds | Across America, US Patch If it was a hurricane, it would be equivalent to a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.  See here: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php

Bea Lydecker’s Naturals, Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Soy Lecithin in Living Free Dietary Supplement | FDA : Bea Lydecker’s Naturals, Inc. of Oregon City, Oregon is recalling six Living Free brand dietary supplement products because labels declare lecithin but do not declare soy lecithin. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy should not consume these products.

Prairie Wolf Spirits, Inc. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Prairie Wolf Distillery Hand Sanitizer Packed in 16.9 Oz. and 20 Oz Bottles Because They Resemble Drink Containers | FDA : Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Prairie Wolf Spirits, Inc. is voluntarily recalling all lots of Prairie Wolf Distillery hand sanitizer packaged in 16.9 fluid ounce and 20 fluid ounce containers that resemble water bottles to the consumer level. The recall does not affect any other hand sanitizer product

Sanit Technologies Adds Label Clarification to Existing Voluntary Hand Sanitizer Recall | FDA : Sanit Technologies LLC d/b/a Durisan, is providing an additional 5 label illustrations and product sizes for customers that might not have been able to clearly identify containers of Non-Alcohol Hand Sanitizer products that were added to the voluntary recall initiated on March 24, 2021, and expanded

What it means to be a ‘Jew of No Religion’ — it’s not what you think – J.

Cuisine Solutions Issues Voluntary Recall of Flavored Plant-Based Bites | FDA

Smiths Medical Issues Worldwide Notification Regarding the Recall of Jelco® Hypodermic Needle-Pro® Fixed Needle Insulin Syringe With Skewed Graduation Markings | FDA : Smiths Medical has become aware of specific models and lots of Jelco® Hypodermic Needle-Pro® Fixed Needle Insulin Syringes that may exhibit skewed odd number line graduation markings on their syringe barrels. Markings skewed approximately 20 degrees upward have been identified.

Germany gets 1st military rabbi in over a century : BERLIN (AP) — The German military got its first rabbi in over a century Monday, with the inauguration to the post of Hungarian-born Zsolt Balla at a synagogue in Leipzig. The German government in 2019 approved a proposal by the Central Council of Jews to restore religious counseling for Jews serving in the armed forces. “This was unthinkable for decades and still can't be taken for granted,” the head of the Central Council, Josef Schuster, said....

Negev Desert archaeological site illuminates an important chapter in modern humans' origin

The Rosenbergs were executed for spying in 1953. Can their sons reveal the truth? | Espionage | The Guardian I believe they were innocent, and should have never been executed.  I believe they were scapegoated due to antisemitism.  Their deaths are a strong reason for abolishing the federal death penalty.

America's broken PPE supply chain must be fixed now - STAT  

Are five decades of progress in women's health in peril? - STAT

FDA inaction is holding back 3D bioprinting of transplantable organs - STAT

6 ways the FDA's approval of Aduhelm does more harm than good - STAT

The FDA Is Failing the American People | MedPage Today I wholeheartedly agree.

Illinois Governor Signs Bill to Make Official Titles Gender-Neutral : Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker (D.) signed a bill this week to change the titles for elected officials in the state from “alderman” and “congressman” to “alderperson” and “congressperson” to be more gender-inclusive. Meanwhile, his office has done nothing for me when I keep asking about my thousands owed to me for unemployment....

Florida Man Angry About Cheese Pulls Gun on Drive-Thru Worker Who Happens to Be Police Chief's Daughter : "It really was upsetting to me that someone would go to that extreme reference just not having cream cheese in their bagel," said Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt. The USA  is out of control.  It's become the "Wild West."  We need stricter gun laws.  Some people should never be able to own, use, or have access to a firearm.  We need federal legislation, because states like Texas, who now has done away with any kind of curb on guns.  I'm sick of hearing about stories like this.  They need strict penalties for people who misuse firearms. 

FBI asks Jan. 6 suspect about ties to Congress, extremists groups

Health officials tracking new COVID-19 variant in Wisconsin | WGN-TV : MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is tracking a new variant of COVID-19 with more than two dozen cases in the state. The Delta strain has been elevated to a “variant of concern” in Wisconsin. The strain is fueling the coronavirus surge in the United Kingdom and according to the Centers […]

How US Abortion Politics Distorts Women’s Lives in Conflict Zones | by Jill Filipovic | The New York Review of Books

US Supreme Court Throws Out Slavery Case Against Nestlé, Cargill | Modern Farmer That's immoral.  The party of the morality police think it's okay to try to legislate morals here, but it's okay to let US companies allow their partner companies to use slave labor as long as its overseas.  Children as young as five years old are being used by these "partner" companies, sometimes enslaved literally.  But let's just try to legislate an embryo's right-to-life, shall we?  People who already have been born do not have the equal right-to-life condition as long as they're not in the USA.  This SCOTUS disgusts me.