All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

LabCorp CEO: Coronavirus is spreading faster than testing expansion

LabCorp CEO Adam Schechter told CNBC on Tuesday that the coronavirus is spreading faster in the U.S. than the company can expand testing capacity, leading to slower turnaround time for results.  “We need all states to ensure we’re doing everything we can to better control the virus. If we can do that, then we’ll be able to have the tests that we need,” Schechter said on “Closing Bell.”  LabCorp is currently processing about 165,000 tests for Covid-19 per day, translating to more than 1 million per week, he said. In late March during the early stages of the pandemic, LabCorp was running about 20,000 tests per day.  “We’re continuing to increase capacity every single week over week,” he said. “The problem is that the number of tests being asked to be performed each week is growing faster than the capacity that we can build.”

Source: LabCorp CEO: Coronavirus is spreading faster than testing expansion

Former Bush DHS secretary rips Trump for treating department like ‘the president’s personal militia’ – referencing Portland

“The department was established to protect America from the ever-present threat of global terrorism. It was not established to be the president’s personal militia,” Ridge said, alluding to the department’s creation after the 9/11 attacks. Ridge did say he would “welcome the opportunity to work with any federal agency to reduce crime or lawlessness in the cities” if he were governor. But “it would be a cold day in hell before I would consent to an uninvited, unilateral intervention into one of my cities,” he added, specifically calling out how the federal authorities were unwelcome in Portland.

Source: Former Bush DHS secretary rips Trump for treating department like ‘the president’s personal militia’

Trump blasts Beijing in public, but privately Trump org imports tons of Chinese goods – CNNPolitics

Since September of last year, Trump properties in the US have imported more than eight tons of goods from China, CNN has learned by reviewing US customs data compiled by ImportGenius, which tracks information companies are legally bound to provide to US customs when they import goods to the US. The imports have arrived to decorate his properties while the President has sought to dress down China.
More than six tons of tables were delivered to Trump International Hotel in New York last fall. On the same day, Trump tweeted, “We are doing very well in our negotiations with China.”

‘Pawns’ of China

A shipment of two tons of wooden and glass showcase cabinets arrived at the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles from Shanghai just two months ago. Meanwhile Trump has increasingly gone after China for the country’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump tweeted about the “incompetence of China” and accused them of “mass Worldwide killing” two days after the cabinets arrived in LA.

Source: Trump blasts Beijing in public, but privately Trump org imports tons of Chinese goods – CNNPolitics

Ohio House speaker, 4 others arrested in $60M bribery case

The defendants appeared in court and were not required to enter a plea. The judge ordered Householder released on his own recognizance and directed him not to obtain a passport, to restrict his travel to the southern half of Ohio and not to contact any other defendants. The judge also ordered him to remove any guns from his home.

Similar restrictions were imposed on Longstreth. The next hearing was tentatively set for Aug. 6.

 

Source: Ohio House speaker, 4 others arrested in $60M bribery case

The New Humanitarian | Emotional labour and #BlackLivesMatter

Experiencing racism is a violent experience. It’s having persons – strangers and people you may trust – trying to take something away from you. It can be your identity, the result of years of work, your pride, your voice, your power, your comfort, your choices, your safety. Regardless of whether you’ve been able to push back or had to restrain yourself, you’re left simmering in some level of powerlessness. There is no closure, no happy ending, no wrong righted.

When racism happens in the workplace, you can’t just walk away. I personally choose to compartmentalise. It allows me to function, thrive, and ensure that my work, well-being, and social interactions are not solely defined by race relations or my Black experience.

 

Source: The New Humanitarian | Emotional labour and #BlackLivesMatter

Hagia Sophia’s Christian icons to be covered with curtains during prayers

The Hagia Sophia will cover some of its Christian mosaics with curtains, Turkey’s presidential spokesperson said, ahead of the contested landmark’s reopening as a working mosque this week.

“Our goal is to avoid harming the frescoes, icons and the historic architecture of the edifice,” Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said during a TV interview Sunday.

“Currently, we are working on covering them with a curtain [during prayers],” he said.

 

Source: Hagia Sophia’s Christian icons to be covered with curtains during prayers

UK buses are getting air purifiers to protect passengers from viruses

The ‘AirBubbl’ filters more than 95 percent of airborne viruses and contaminated particulate matter and floods the vehicle with over 30,000 liters of clean air every hour. AirLabs, which was founded in 2014, is also developing related technology – AiroSafe – which it says will create a “personal air space” for every passenger seat.

Stephen Stringer, Head of Engineering at Warrington’s Own Buses, which is owned by Warrington Council, said: “The priority for us is to protect the health and safety of our employees, who provide an essential service, and of course for our customers, the people of Warrington.

“By installing the AirBubbl devices we’re ensuring that we can reduce the risk of exposure for our staff, who have done a fantastic job in serving Warrington during this crisis.”

 

Source: UK buses are getting air purifiers to protect passengers from viruses