May 13, 2021

Masks will still be required on the House floor per Pelosi

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1392941810557784068?s=20


Speaker Nancy Pelosi told me “no” she isn’t changing the rule requiring masks on the House floor.

“No,” Pelosi said. “Are they all vaccinated?”

May 13, 2021

J.D. Vance (Hillbilly Elegy) launches an exploratory committee for Ohio US Senate seat

He’s a total RWNJ. It’s only being reported by National Review and Fox News. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/j-d-vance-launches-exploratory-committee-for-ohio-u-s-senate-seat-report/ Isn’t Tim Ryan running for that seat or am I wrong?

May 13, 2021

Tech audit of Colonial Pipeline found 'glaring' problems

BOSTON (AP) — An outside audit three years ago of the major East Coast pipeline company hit by a cyberattack found “atrocious” information management practices and “a patchwork of poorly connected and secured systems,” its author told The Associated Press.

“We found glaring deficiencies and big problems,” said Robert F. Smallwood, whose consulting firm delivered an 89-page report in January 2018 after a six-month audit. “I mean an eighth-grader could have hacked into that system.”

How far the company, Colonial Pipeline, went to address the vulnerabilities isn’t clear. Colonial said Wednesday that since 2017, it has hired four independent firms for cybersecurity risk assessments and increased its overall IT spending by more than 50%. While it did not specify an amount, it said it has spent tens of millions of dollars.

“We are constantly assessing and improving our security practices — both physical and digital,” the privately held Georgia company said in response to questions from the AP about the audit’s findings. It did not name the firms who did cybersecurity work but one firm, Rausch Advisory Services, located in Atlanta near Colonial’s headquarters, acknowledged being among them. Colonial’s chief information officer sits on Rausch’s advisory board.

Colonial has not said how the hackers penetrated its network. How vulnerable it was to compromise is sure to be intensely scrutinized by federal authorities and cybersecurity experts as they consider how the most damaging cyberattack on U.S. critical infrastructure might have been prevented.

https://apnews.com/article/va-state-wire-technology-business-1f06c091c492c1630471d29a9cf6529d

May 12, 2021

Mysterious Ailments Are Said to Be More Widespread Among U.S. Personnel

WASHINGTON — Mysterious episodes that caused brain injuries in spies, diplomats, soldiers and other U.S. personnel overseas starting five years ago now number more than 130 people, far more than previously known, according to current and former officials.

The number of cases within the C.I.A., the State Department, the Defense Department and elsewhere spurred broad concern in the Biden administration. The initial publicly confirmed cases were concentrated in China and Cuba and numbered about 60, not including a group of injured C.I.A. officers whose total is not public.

The new total adds cases from Europe and elsewhere in Asia and reflects efforts by the administration to more thoroughly review other incidents amid concern over a spate of them in recent months.

Since December, at least three C.I.A. officers have reported serious health effects from episodes overseas. One occurred within the past two weeks, and all have required the officers to undergo outpatient treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or other facilities. And in one case in 2019 that has not previously been reported, a military officer serving overseas pulled his vehicle into an intersection, then was overcome by nausea and headaches, according to four current and former officials briefed on the events. His 2-year-old son, sitting in the back seat, began crying. After the officer pulled away from the intersection, his nausea stopped, and the child stopped crying.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/12/us/politics/havana-syndrome.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

May 5, 2021

U.S. backs Covid vaccine intellectual property waivers to expand access to shots worldwide

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it supports waiving intellectual patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines, as countries struggle to manufacture the life-saving doses.

“This is a global health crisis, and the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures. The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines,” United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai wrote in a statement.

“As our vaccine supply for the American people is secured, the Administration will continue to ramp up its efforts – working with the private sector and all possible partners – to expand vaccine manufacturing and distribution. It will also work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those vaccines,” the statement added.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/05/us-backs-covid-vaccine-intellectual-property-waivers-to-expand-access-to-shots-worldwide.html



This is great news! Of course CNBC had to point out that pharmaceutical stocks immediately dropped when the news was released, lol.

May 5, 2021

Well, I'll be damned. Board ruled FB ban will stay in place for now.

https://twitter.com/JesseRodriguez/status/1389928749005672453?s=20


https://twitter.com/KFaulders/status/1389929150631272453?s=20

The board punting this back to FB: "In applying a vague, standardless penalty and then referring this case to the Board to resolve, Facebook seeks to avoid its responsibilities. The Board declines Facebook’s request and insists that Facebook apply and justify a defined penalty. "


Stephanie Ruhle just pointed out on MSNBC that Trump has just been suspended not expelled from Facebook. Suspensions usually have term limits. We'll see.

May 5, 2021

I predict Facebook will reinstate Trump.

Zuckerburg is using the Facebook Oversight Board to give him cover for the decision but ultimately it IS Zuckerburg’s decision as owner.

January 21, 2021

Christopher Wray isn't going anywhere- Senior WH official

https://twitter.com/lauraajarrett/status/1352264176840929287?s=21


Senior WH official says FBI Director Chris Wray not going anywhere — @jeffzeleny reporting

January 20, 2021

Real patriots don't need a million flags to prove they are patriots.

Republicans have completely ruined the word patriot for me.

January 19, 2021

General Austin is appearing before the Armed Services Committee and is very impressive

Retired U.S. Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, President-elect Biden's nominee to be the next defense secretary, pledged to Congress Tuesday that he will maintain civilian control after concerns had been raised that the nomination of another retired general was eroding civilian oversight of the military.

"If you confirm me, I am prepared to serve now -- as a civilian -- fully acknowledging the importance of this distinction," Austin said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I understand and respect the reservations some of you have expressed about having another recently retired general at the head of the Department of Defense," he said. "The safety and security of our democracy demands competent civilian control of our armed forces, the subordination of military power to the civil."

Austin said his first major challenge would be dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, and said that if confirmed he will quickly review the Pentagon's contributions to the nationwide distribution of vaccines. Another top priority for Austin will be to ensure Defense Department employees have "a working environment free of discrimination, hate and harassment. "

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/austin-pledges-ensure-civilian-control-military-defense-secretary/story?id=75345619&cid=social_twitter_abcn


He'll get confirmed.