Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Man bit tip off officer’s nose during a struggle

A Georgia man who struggled with police while being taken into custody has been accused of biting the tip off of a police officer’s nose, authorities say. Gainesville Police said the 31-year-old man ran from officers as they tried to make a drug-related arrest. When they caught up with the local man, he resisted, biting one of the officers in the face, police said. The officer was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for treatment and was “in good spirits.” He did not elaborate on the officer’s condition. Meanwhile, the man was held at a county jail on charges of aggravated battery, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug-related objects and felony obstruction. Bond was set at $7,000. (ABC News)

UK Offers Hong Kong Residents Citizenship In Response To China’s New Law

Britain extended Hong Kong residents a broader path to citizenship in response to China’s sweeping new security law for the former UK territory. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement represents the most direct international response to legislation that has been roundly condemned by Western allies. It comes during a review of its entire range of relations with Beijing that includes a reassessment of the role China’s Huawei is playing in the buildup of Britain’s 5G data network. “We stand for rules and obligations,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament just hours after China made its first arrests in Hong Kong under the new legislation. “The enactment and deposition of this national security law constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.” (NDTV)

Lee button found in time capsule under Confederate monument

A button that experts believe was from Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s dress coat and a strand of hair from his horse are among the items found inside a time capsule discovered when workers removed the base of a Confederate statue from the grounds of the North Carolina State Capitol. Workers found the time capsule while dismantling a 75-foot Confederate statue that stood on the state Capitol grounds for 125 years. Also among the discoveries reported by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources were Confederate money, songbooks, and flags and a stone believed to be from Gettysburg. (WFMY)

Walmart transforming 160 parking lots into drive-in movie theaters

Walmart is transforming 160 of its store parking lots into drive-in movie theaters starting next month. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, drive-in theaters have been making a comeback as many theaters have had to close. Walmart is partnering with Tribeca Enterprises for the films, but they haven’t announced where the theaters will pop up or which movie titles will be shown. The family-friendly nights will include hit movies, special appearances from filmmakers and celebrities and concessions delivered to customers in their vehicles. They will run through October and include more than 300 showings. (https://walmartdrive-in.com/)

Property taxes are not color blind

Black families pay 13% more in property taxes each year than a White family would under the same conditions, according to an analysis of more than a decade’s worth of tax assessments and sales data for 118 million homes across the U.S. Two economists found deep-seated patterns of housing discrimination in almost every state, with unfair property assessments in areas where Black and Hispanic homeowners live, creating “an additional impediment to minority wealth building.” Researchers also say Black homeowners who filed tax appeals were less likely to win. (Washington Post)

Crying at work: A field guide

We’re all humans, even at work. So, crying is pretty much inevitable. It’s a part of life. How we respond to our coworkers’ tears can make all the difference, according to experts. The key is to show compassion and make sure that the person crying is in control. Approaching the situation with curiosity and compassion can go a very long way. Giving your coworker the option to take a break, versus telling them to do so, also helps. If handled with care, tears can build stronger bonds at work. (Harvard Business Review)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has ended trials of hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, and ritonavir

After it saw the drugs failed to reduce the mortality of patients with COVID-19, they shut down the trials. WHO researched the drugs, which initially showed promise, as potential treatments against the virus. The WHO said the decision has not ended trials where the drug is being used as a preventative measure or on non-hospitalized patients. The Trump administration reportedly acquired 66 million doses of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, drugs used often to treat malaria, to add to the national stockpile. Trump said he had taken hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure, as the White House continues to promote studies that find some effectiveness of the drug. The FDA cautioned against the usage of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine outside of a clinical trial or hospital setting. (Reuters)

Both a man and a woman set world records at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest on July 4

The man ate 75 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes in the men’s competition, while the woman ate 42 hot dogs and buns in the women’s contest. This year’s event went on without its usual fanfare, held indoors without spectators, and with all competitors respecting physical distancing guidelines. Only five men and five women competed in the contests. The man beat a world record he set in 2018, while the woman beat a world record she set in 2017. The annual competition, which has become a Fourth of July tradition, started in 1972. In 1972, the winner ate just 14 hot dogs and buns in 10 mins.  Finishing second to the man in the men’s competition was another male competitor with 42 hot dogs and buns. The man has won the “Mustard Belt” for the 13th time in 14 years. His one loss was in 2015. (ESPN)

The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill that would implement sanctions on Chinese officials that threaten Hong Kong’s limited autonomy

This comes days after Beijing’s government implemented a national security law, which will likely quash political activism. The bill would also affect international businesses and banks that work with these officials. It also includes a clause that would allow Congress to override the elimination of sanctions by a president, with a two-thirds majority vote from both the House and Senate. President Trump has not indicated whether he would sign the bill. (The Wall Street Journal)

Trump signed a bill that would extend the application deadline for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds

Both the Senate and House approved the extension that would give businesses until August 8th, an additional five weeks, to apply for the forgivable loans. PPP gives payroll, rent, and other assistance to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans are forgivable if the business uses 60% of the funds for payroll. This is despite reports of not-so-small businesses also receiving the loans. About $130b remains in the PPP fund, out of $660b allocated. Despite the loans, some small businesses continue to struggle. (NPR)

As public firework displays were canceled throughout the U.S., demand for consumer fireworks in 2020 skyrocketed by 115% over 2019

The CEO of Phantom Fireworks, Bruce Zoldan, told CNN 50% of the company’s 2020 customers had never purchased fireworks in the past. Increased demand, plus a reduced number of Chinese fireworks exports to the U.S., led to empty fireworks warehouses. COVID-19 shut down Chinese factories that produce fireworks during the winter. In Los Angeles, authorities received over 1,000 reports of illegal fireworks. LAPD urged residents to only call 911 for life-threatening emergencies. (CNN)

President Trump signed executive order to create a statuary park honoring “American heroes”

The order specifies 31 Americans that need to be honored at the site, including conservative figures like Ronald Reagan, Antonin Scalia, and Billy Graham. The list also includes John Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Frederick Douglass, Amelia Earhart, Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, Douglas MacArthur, Christa McAuliffe, George S. Patton, Jr., Betsy Ross, Booker T. Washington, George Washington, and the Wright brothers. Mr. Trump’s order, which does not put a price tag on the project, says only that it should be located near a population center “on a site of natural beauty that enables visitors to enjoy nature, walk among the statues, and be inspired to learn about great figures of America’s history.” It also notes that all statues in the garden “be lifelike or realistic representations of the persons they depict, not abstract or modernist representations,” echoing prior efforts within the Trump administration to reject modernist designs for federal projects. (The New York Times)

‘Meltdown proof’ nuclear power?

Nuclear power has incredible energy potential with disconcerting safety risks. A different approach to nuclear power generation may remove virtually all risk of a meltdown. It’s all about going small. The coming generation of smaller reactors will use tiny grains of uranium, each with a multi-layered protective shell. The shell, made up of graphite and silicon carbide, keeps the uranium from melting, even if things get extremely hot (we’re talking 3,000+ degrees Fahrenheit hot). The approach is currently under regulatory review in the U.S. (Wired)

Tuesday Is Coming At You With:

• Chocolate Day
• Dive Bar Day
• Father-Daughter Take A Walk Together Day
• Global Forgiveness Day
• Macaroni Day
• Strawberry Sundae Day
• Tell The Truth Day
• Victims of The Dallas, Texas Attack Day