“The woke movement faces a similar debacle. As they become more hyper-liberal in their values, formerly liberal societies are becoming more fearful and authoritarian. Renouncing the idea of truth for the sake of some hopeful political project isn’t just immoral. It doesn’t work.”
– John Gray, July 2020

A cautionary tale for today’s ‘woke’ movement
A superb film about the NYT man who lied for Stalin casts light on today’s cultural convulsions
BY JOHN GRAY

 

Saturday,  July 25th, 2020

Coronavirus vaccine: The first Phase 3 vaccine trial in the US is expected to begin next week

Fauci: Vaccine likely won’t be ‘widely available’ until ‘months’ into 2021  Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, on Friday said a COVID-19 vaccine likely won’t be widely available until months into next year. “I think as we get into 2021, several months in, that you would have a vaccine that would be widely available to people in the United States,” Fauci told The Washington Post. Fauci said he believes it is “likely” there will be “tens of millions of doses” of a potential vaccine available by the beginning of next year, however, adding that he expects answers about whether one is safe and effective by the end of 2020 or by early 2021. Source: CNBC

Two statues of Christopher Columbus are removed from Chicago’s Grant Park and Arrigo Park, in the city’s Little Italy. Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot said these temporary removals are a response to demonstrations that became unsafe for both protesters and police. Injuries and arrests resulted when, last Friday, July 17, police officers clashed with protesters who attempted to topple the Grant Park statue. Activists have argued that monuments of Columbus, blamed for the genocide and exploitation of Americas’ Indigenous people, should not be on public display. Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police criticized these removals. (BBC)

Hong Kong reports 123 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. The new cases include 115 cases that were locally transmitted, making it another record for three consecutive days. (Reuters)

India reports 49,310 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, another record high since pandemic began. (Hindustan Times)

Victoria reports its highest one-day increase in COVID-19 deaths, with seven new deaths reported in the last 24 hours. (The Age)

China orders the closure of the United States Consulate in Chengdu, in retaliation for the United States closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston, Texas. (BBC)

Vietnam bans the import of wildlife and wildlife products in an effort to prevent new pandemics. (BBC)

Republicans wrap week’s unemployment renewal debate with no agreement  Republicans wrapped a week of coronavirus relief bill discussions on Friday seemingly no closer to an agreement. The GOP has spent the week discussing the next CARES Act and the unemployment boost that expires at the end of the month, but haven’t agreed with a party-wide approach to replace it. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Tuesday that the party would seek another round of $1,200 stimulus payments and leave out the $600/week unemployment boost. However, a meeting of Senate GOP leaders and Trump administration officials signaled there was still disagreement within the party and with the administration. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the lack of consensus “simply unacceptable.” McConnell said he hoped to reach an agreement “in the next few weeks.” Source: Bloomberg

Federal agents continue to police Portland protests  At least 18 people in the past week have been arrested as federal agents continue to crack down on protests in Portland, Oregon, the Department of Justice said Friday. People protesting racism and police brutality have been met with tear gas, rubber bullets, and alleged “kidnapping” by federal agents, some of them unidentified. Agents were recently recorded shoving volunteer medics to the ground as they tried to aid injured protesters. Homeland security officials have defended the agents by showing pictures of a trash can shield and gas masks some protesters were apparently carrying. Former department officials have roundly decried DHS’s actions. President Trump has announced he’s deploying more agents to other cities, but to help with routine crime fighting instead of protest crackdowns. Source: CNN

The End

Template
Massachusetts

Days since beginning of lock-down:
Cases per day:
Peak new cases per day:
Deaths per day:
Peak deaths per day:
Percent of population that has been infected:
Highest percent of infected in population in world for a region above 5 million people-
New York state:

Massachusetts

Days since beginning of lock-down: 130
Cases per day (average): under 200
Peak new cases per day (average): 2200
Deaths per day (average): under 15
Peak deaths per day (average): 170
Percent of population that has been infected: 1.7%
Highest percent of infected in population in world for a region above 5 million people-
New York state: 2.2%

Positive test rate:
tests conducted per million residents per day:

Hospitalized(average): 370
ICU (average): 60
Intubated (average): 30