Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Partisan tensions flare among Texans in congressional gun hearing | The Texas Tribune

Source: Partisan tensions flare among Texans in congressional gun hearing | The Texas Tribune

House Democrats’ sweeping gun control package, explained – Vox

As the Senate tries to find a compromise on gun control legislation, the House is moving ahead with its own package on the issue, starting with an emergency markup this week.

Although lawmakers are currently on recess, the House Judiciary Committee returned Thursday for an urgent session focused on multiple bills intended to address the age limit for purchasing guns, the sale of large-capacity magazines, and firearm storage. Following the markup, these bills could be ready for a floor vote as soon as next week.

This legislation — which will inevitably be blocked in the Senate — is an acknowledgment of the importance of this issue, and a way for Democrats to show voters that they are trying to take action in the wake of recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New YorkUvalde, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

As part of this week’s markup, Democrats considered eight bills, which they’ve dubbed the Protect Our Kids Package. This legislation is in addition to votes the House will take on a federal red-flag law sponsored by Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA), which enables law enforcement to confiscate weapons from an individual who’s seen as a threat to themselves or others, as well as a markup it will conduct on an assault weapons ban. House Democrats also previously voted on two bills that would strengthen background checks for guns.

 

Source: House Democrats’ sweeping gun control package, explained – Vox

Monkeypox: Nigeria bans bushmeat to prevent virus spread – BBC News

Six cases have been detected in the country this month bringing to 21 the number of confirmed infections this year, the authorities said.

Experts say it is possible that the virus can be caught by eating meat from an infected animal. But this is not the most common transmission route.

Monkeypox, a mild viral infection, is endemic in Nigeria.

It occurs mostly in remote areas, near tropical rainforests.

The country has had sporadic cases since an outbreak in 2017. The virus was found mainly in the south of the country but, since 2020, it has spread to central, eastern and northern areas, the World Health Organization says.

Out of the 21 confirmed cases this year, there has been one reported death of a person who had underlying conditions. But earlier this week the health authorities said “there has been no evidence of any new or unusual transmission of the virus, nor changes in its clinical manifestation documented”.

 

Source: Monkeypox: Nigeria bans bushmeat to prevent virus spread – BBC News

Paxlovid reduces COVID risk in vaxxed and unvaxxed seniors – study – The Jerusalem Post

Pfizer Inc’s PFE.N antiviral treatment Paxlovid reduces COVID-19 hospitalization and death rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients 65 years and older, according to a new study in Israel conducted during the rise of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The treatment, however, was not found to prevent severe illness among younger adults, according to research from Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest healthcare provider.

Use of Pfizer’s pills, authorized to treat newly infected, at-risk people in order to prevent severe illness, has soared in the United States along with a spike infections. Biden administration officials have pushed for wide use of Paxlovid, which the government purchased and provides free.

Source: Paxlovid reduces COVID risk in vaxxed and unvaxxed seniors – study – The Jerusalem Post

Gun battle at Rialto park during school trip leaves 1 dead – Los Angeles Times (Me: easy access to guns = guns replace fists and everyone at risk)

One man was killed and another injured in a shooting Wednesday at Fergusson Park in Rialto where dozens of elementary school students were on a field trip, authorities said.

Rialto police received a call shortly before 1 p.m. about a shooting in the 2300 block of west Sunrise Drive, officials said in a release.

When officers arrived, they found two men with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to local trauma centers. One of them — Daniel Dexter, 22 — was declared dead at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, according to a spokesperson with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

The other man, identified only as an 18-year-old, is in critical condition, Rialto police spokesperson Natalie Aguirre said Thursday.

The shooting stemmed from an argument between two groups of basketball players that escalated to an exchange of gunfire, authorities said. At the same time, a group of 79 students from Edward Fitzgerald Elementary School, also of Rialto, was on a field trip at the park.

 

Source: Gun battle at Rialto park during school trip leaves 1 dead – Los Angeles Times

Antes del anochecer

Santiago Galicia Rojon Serrallonga

SANTIAGO GALICIA ROJON SERRALLONGA

Derechos reservados conforme a la ley/ Copyright

Antes del anochecer, quiero tomar los pinceles de la mañana y de la tarde con el objetivo de deslizarlos en los lienzos de mi existencia y de los demás -tú, ella, él, nosotros, ustedes, ellos-, para así, antes de que lleguen las sombras, cubrir de luces y de matices las palabras, los rostros, los detalles y las sonrisas. Antes del anochecer, me interesa recorrer senderos, trepar escarpas, saltar cercas, sentir el pulso de la natureza al caminar descalzo y mojarme con las gotas de la lluvia, porque más tarde, quizá, podrían no alumbrar las estrellas. Antes del anochecer, quiero asolearme, permitirle al viento que me acaricie y que murmure secretos a mis oídos, y compartir con la hoja que se desprende del árbol y con el pájaro de bello plumaje, en su vuelo inalcanzable, la sensación de libertad. Antes…

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Beyond Words

Filosofa's Word

May 14th – 10 killed, 3 injured in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York

May 15th – 1 killed, 5 injured at a church in Laguna Woods, California

May 24th – 19 children, 2 teachers killed, 17 injured in a school in Uvalde, Texas

June 1st – 4 killed at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Two weeks.  These are just the ones that made the headlines.  In the two weeks following the Buffalo shooting, there have been 36 other mass shootings in the U.S.  With the exception of the church shooting, the incidents I mention above were all carried out with military-style assault weapons … weapons that civilians have no business even owning.

A grocery store, a church, a school, and a hospital.  American Exceptionalism?  Oh yeah, we’re #1 alright … the only nation on the planet where it’s no longer safe to buy food…

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This Will Never… #flashfiction #scifi #reenasxplorationchallenge

penned in moon dust

Reena’s Absolutely challenging Challenge –> Welcome back! RXC PROMPT #233 ravaged inner space unable to account for entries and exits who came, who destroyed, who left? a soul transformed forever 

It had happened. The event that all of us had trained for.

“This will never happen…” Our O.T. said loudly to our group.

“Why are we doing this then?” An intern very young, very inexperienced had asked.

“They always ask us to do things that they cannot explain the rationale for…” A very seasoned staff person chimed in.

We went through the drill. Most of it was what you would expect; it was the immediate shut-down no matter who was in the facility that bothered us.

“What happens to civilians?” One of my co-workers whispered.

“Hopefully they are in the unit when close-down initiates or they will be radiated.”

“Even kids?”

I gulped not wanting to answer the affirmative.

“But…

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