Husband on leash breached Quebec's Covid curfew

BBC

A couple in Canada have been fined for breaking Covid curfew rules after the woman was caught "walking" her husband on a leash, according to local media.

The woman reportedly told police that she was just out "walking her dog" near their home in the city of Sherbrooke, in Quebec province.

On Saturday the province imposed a nightly curfew between 20:00 and 05:00.

Walking a dog close to home is one of the only acceptable reasons to be outside between those times.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55631198

Pramila Jayapal demands House Sergeant at Arms remove GOP lawmakers who refuse masks after positive

Common Dreams via Raw Story
January 12, 2021
Jake Johnson, Common Dreams

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal late Monday castigated Republican lawmakers for their life-threatening refusal to wear face coverings and demanded that they be held to account after the Washington Democrat tested positive for Covid-19, a diagnosis that came after she was forced to hide in a room with GOP colleagues who declined to wear masks as a violent pro-Trump mob rampaged through the U.S. Capitol last week.

"This is not a joke. Our lives and our livelihoods are at risk, and anyone who refuses to wear a mask should be fully held accountable for endangering our lives because of their selfish idiocy."

In a furious statement, Jayapal slammed Republican lawmakers for "cruelly and selfishly" refusing to "take the bare minimum Covid-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic—creating a superspreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack."

"Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them," said the Washington Democrat, who was holed up for hours in a secured room with more than 100 people during the mob attack.

https://www.rawstory.com/pramila-jayapal/

Trump Officials Try to Keep Away From the 'Violent Toddler'

Daily Beast

Erin Banco National Security Reporter
Asawin Suebsaeng White House Reporter
Published Jan. 12, 2021 4:49AM ET

In the closing days of the Trump era, some of the president’s top political lieutenants have embarked on a clear mission: to distract Trump from the parts of the job that they believe could cause more pain to the country if the president pays too much attention to them.

And while Trump is increasingly isolated—and some aides hope, distracted—some of the most important members of his administration are cleaning up loose ends, pursuing their personal agendas, and trying to keep Trump from sparking yet another crisis.

One senior Trump administration official described the activity around the outgoing president as a prolonged act of “babysitting” a “violent toddler” that aides and chief advisers hope to get through in the next week without Trump triggering any more history-making disasters.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-officials-try-to-keep-away-from-the-violent-toddler?ref=home

Southwest Flight Diverted at BWI After Suspicious Note Found

NBC4Washington
By Associated Press • Published 4 hours ago • Updated 3 hours ago

A Southwest Airlines flight arriving from Phoenix was taken to a remote area of Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Monday after the crew discovered a threatening note, authorities said.

Airport spokesman Jonathan King said Southwest Flight 2104 arrived around 5:15 p.m. before it was taken to the remote location.

According to the statement from Southwest, the 95 passengers and six crewmembers on board the Boeing 737-800 were taken to the terminal by bus. The aircraft has a capacity of 175.

The statement didn’t say what the note contained or where on the plane the note was found. A spokeswoman for Southwest said authorities cleared the aircraft and the passengers were allowed to claim their luggage.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/southwest-flight-diverted-at-bwi-after-suspicious-note-found/2538113/

CNN and MSNBC Both Beat Fox News in Total Viewers for First Time Since 2000

Daily Beast
Justin Baragona
Contributing Editor
Published Jan. 11, 2021 9:09PM ET

Fox News finished third to both CNN and MSNBC across the board in the ratings on Friday for the third straight day—the first time since September 2000.

In the wake of President Donald Trump inciting an insurrectionist mob to storm the Capitol to stop Congress from certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s election, cable news viewers flocked to CNN and MSNBC for live coverage of the riots and fallout.

On Wednesday, CNN averaged 5.941 million total viewers and 2.074 million in the key 25-54 demographic for the entire day, compared to MSNBC’s 4.543 million viewers overall and 1.106 million demo audience and Fox News’ total audience of 3.464 million and 852,000 in the demo.

The disparity increased on Thursday, with CNN drawing 3.854 million total viewers, MSNBC averaging 3.321 million, and Fox pulling in 1.935 million for the day. CNN also led in the demo, nabbing 1.193 million with MSNBC finishing second at 653,000 and Fox bringing in the rear at 384,000.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/cnn-and-msnbc-both-beat-fox-news-in-total-viewers-for-first-time-since-2000?ref=home

Trump's nonprofit inaugural committee improperly paid a $49,000 bill incurred by his company, D.C. a

Trump’s nonprofit inaugural committee improperly paid a $49,000 bill incurred by his company, D.C. attorney general alleges

Washington Post
By David A. Fahrenthold
Jan. 11, 2021

President Trump’s private business failed to pay a $49,000 hotel bill incurred during Trump’s 2017 inaugural — and then, after the bill went to a collections agency, Trump’s nonprofit inaugural committee agreed to pay the charge instead, according to a new filing from the D.C. attorney general.

D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D) had already sued Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee, alleging it had wasted donors’ money on an overpriced, barely used ballroom at Trump’s own D.C. hotel.

On Monday, Racine added an allegation to that suit. He said the president’s inaugural committee — a tax-exempt charity — had improperly paid a bill it did not owe, using nonprofit funds to pay a bill owed by a for-profit business.

“The Trump Organization was liable for the invoiced charges,” Racine’s office said in the filing. “The [Inaugural Committee’s] payment of the invoice was unfair, unreasonable and unjustified and ultimately conferred improper private benefit to the Trump Organization.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-nonprofit-inaugural-committee-improperly-paid-a-49000-bill-incurred-by-his-company-dc-attorney-general-alleges/2021/01/11/18fdf6da-5427-11eb-a08b-f1381ef3d207_story.html

Comcast suspends contributions to lawmakers who voted against Electoral College certification

CNN
From CNN's Alison Kosik

Comcast says it is suspending all of its political contributions “to those elected officials who voted against certification of the electoral college votes, which will give us the opportunity to review our political giving policies and practices.”

In a statement to CNN on Monday, the telecommunications company called the rioting at the US Capitol “appalling,” adding that the transition of power this year “will take place among some of the most challenging conditions in modern history.”

Comcast said its “focus needs to be on working together for the good of the entire nation.”

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-impeachment-news-01-11-21/index.html

New coronavirus advice

Mice. Any suggestions?

Cat died a few months ago.

Now mouse poop appearing in several places around the house.

Dogs don't seem to care.

Isn't it a wonderful relief to be spared the Dotard's daily spews of poison?

The air feels fresher and cleaner.