Trump campaign spending at Trump properties

“Trump campaign committees spent $1.1 million at Trump properties in the last days of his losing campaign….Trump has converted $6.7 million from his campaign donors into revenue for his businesses.”
⁦@washingtonpost⁩ https://t.co/DBNL5qH11E
— EJ Dionne (@EJDionne) December 4, 2020

A fundraising committee affiliated with Trump’s 2020 campaign spent a huge amount of money at the president’s businesses in the final days of the campaign, according to The Washington Post https://t.co/4je17VruCr
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) December 4, 2020

JUST POSTED: So just why did Ivanka Trump spend five hours last week answering questions under oath about payments in 2017 to Trump hotel in DC? We take a deep look at the legal fight, as Trump hotel continues to be a center of family cash & controversies https://t.co/6uQayfW9NC
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) December 7, 2020

Trump’s latest bad Department of Defense actions

After firing Esper, he’s getting rid of people and adding anothert unqualified person.

Scott O'Grady: Trump Pentagon nominee spreads debunked conspiracies and tweets suggesting Trump declare martial law – CNNPolitics. BELIEVE YOUR EYES. THIS IS REAL DANGER. TRUMP ACTIONS TO CONTROL DOD ARE A SERIOUS THREAT. https://t.co/rfH5s03SNy
— Barry R McCaffrey (@mccaffreyr3) December 4, 2020

The White House removed nine members of the Pentagon's Defense Business Board on Friday and installed people loyal to President Donald Trump in their place, including presidential allies Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie.https://t.co/lUjUnz0X8l
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) December 4, 2020

The Pentagon today appointed several new members, including Trump campaign advisers Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, to the Defense Business Board. https://t.co/t9tSgwQaBe
— Axios (@axios) December 4, 2020

Another top Pentagon official is out: Christopher Maier, who has been the Director of the Pentagon's Defeat-ISIS Task Force since its inception in 2017, resigned today. His duties and responsibilities "will be absorbed" by the Office of the Assistant SecDef for Special Operations
— Ryan Browne (@rabrowne75) November 30, 2020

ICYMI Scoop from @JackDetsch about quiet Thanksgiving Eve purge by new Trump team of Defense Policy Board – Henry Kissinger, Madeleine Albright and Jane Harman among 11 experts removed. https://t.co/v3oVgznLtO
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 27, 2020

Meet Antony Tata, taking over the duties of acting undersecretary of defense for policy.

Tata’s nomination failed for this post over his anti-Muslim comments, insane conspiracies, and saying Obama was a “Muslim” Manchurian candidate” “terrorist leader.” https://t.co/k6LIka0RQ9
— andrew kaczynski🤔 (@KFILE) November 10, 2020

NEW: #Trump’s Pentagon Purge

• Anti-ISIS task force head Chris Maier resigns, team “absorbed”
• Miller had “personal issues” w him
• Trump loyalists Watnick & Tata gain
• @ColinPClarke : Exacting Revenge
• @Charles_Lister :Undermines Biden transition https://t.co/MdHo1YaxgC
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) December 1, 2020

The ouster of the official, Chris Maier, the head of the Pentagon’s Defeat ISIS Task Force since March 2017, came just three weeks after President Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and three other Pentagon officials https://t.co/tmqSeKW174 w/@EricSchmittNYT
— Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanNYT) December 1, 2020

“After Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper earlier this month, the Pentagon made sweeping changes in leadership and removed several most senior officials, replacing them with perceived loyalists to the President. The move fueled alarm among military” https://t.co/T90kdt37Om
— Cherie Cole (@wildwillow65) November 27, 2020

Trump praises QAnon

A source familiar confirms this anecdote about Trump’ comments on Q’Anon https://t.co/Iy5X3aj84U
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 3, 2020

The QAnon conspiracy is fake. The harm it's doing to child welfare groups is real https://t.co/HQxQliZ2ik pic.twitter.com/XKjcuSIxfY
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) November 28, 2020

41% of Republicans is at most a sixth of Americans. 68% of Republicans is a quarter of Americans.

Ours is a 2-party system, so we tend to think self-identified Republicans are half of us and that every vote for a GOP nominee is by a “Republican.” Both are importantly untrue. https://t.co/G1Cf9e3gbw
— Kurt Andersen (@KBAndersen) November 24, 2020

Probably not enough attention given to the degree to which QAnon insanity softened people up for this conspiracy, which actually seems pretty measured in comparison.
— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) November 22, 2020

More than any other sport, mixed martial arts has been unusually receptive to outlandish conspiracies that benefit Donald Trumphttps://t.co/rm7JlFR8LY
— POLITICO (@politico) November 2, 2020

Climate news update 12/4/20

Under Biden, NOAA’s profile is set to rise as climate change takes center stage https://t.co/pgLLK68w14
— Post Politics (@postpolitics) December 4, 2020

2020’s been a hell of a year — and a year of hell. Our attention has been fixated on the pandemic and partisan politics.

But another crisis has been unfolding right before our eyes: Countless climate nightmares have become reality.
— The Recount (@therecount) December 4, 2020

“There was never a ‘normal’ growing season, but there’s really no normal now.

It’s the hottest this, and the driest that, and that’s what we are seeing and what the growers are tackling.”https://t.co/LxhHEDPYYc
— Sarah Kaplan (@sarahkaplan48) November 18, 2020

The Federal Reserve for the first time today formally highlighted climate change as a potential threat to the stability of the financial system and said it is working to better understand that danger
https://t.co/EDdNTkjdse
— POLITICO (@politico) November 10, 2020

NYT: Trump Administration Removes Scientist in Charge of Assessing Climate Change https://t.co/Jkx38MuF0v
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 10, 2020

“The Arctic is in crisis largely because of existing emissions,” said Gail Whiteman, founder of Arctic Basecamp. “Any new drilling goes again a science-based approach to climate change and is at grave odds with Norway’s image as a leading green economy.” https://t.co/Jb9csKqEGn
— NYT Climate (@nytclimate) November 8, 2020

A Biden victory positions America for a 180-degree turn on climate change https://t.co/DBbumkCT0U
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 7, 2020

1/ Trump has rolled back more than 125 environmental and energy policies since taking office, according to an analysis I did with @brady_dennis and @JohnMuyskens – with nearly 40 more underway. Here's what we found: https://t.co/2u9jaCd5yV pic.twitter.com/AlqAPsC53Z
— Juliet Eilperin (@eilperin) October 30, 2020

Just another reason to vote for Joe Biden if for some insane reason you were thinking of not voting for voting third party.

As Election Nears, Trump Makes a Final Push Against Climate Science https://t.co/Ke0zsCwLtA via @YahooNews
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) October 28, 2020

In @NYTopinion: "Why can’t we abide an honest discussion about climate change?" asks @fmanjoo https://t.co/R79PhxbE6l
— NYT Climate (@nytclimate) October 28, 2020

Coronavirus stats update 12/4/20

Troubling stat: Gov. Cuomo says even though #StatenIsland makes up just 5% of #NYC population, 25% of #covid deaths in the city coming from the borough. This is also where we are seeing the strongest resistance to restrictions.
— CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) December 9, 2020

This is wild https://t.co/Hhbn3ddwSE
— Ameshia Cross (@AmeshiaCross) December 9, 2020

US coronavirus surge since October 2020. #MaskUp folks.

We haven’t even seen the worst yet. We are so damn screwed. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/98j7UETOMU
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 4, 2020

Looks like we're again starting to see a big rich-poor gap in COVID spread in New York City.

Wealthy parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn have fairly low positivity rates. Other parts of the city are struggling more.https://t.co/FzTtPAVIGR pic.twitter.com/PTIqIYKzF8
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) December 2, 2020

So disturbing and destructive. https://t.co/n87Qw828q5
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) November 6, 2020

About 4 percent of the country has contracted the coronavirus. Perhaps 10 percent of the Senate has. The rate among Republican senators? 15 percent. https://t.co/60b8osWV2W
— Philip Bump (@pbump) November 24, 2020

The COVID cases continue to grow in Congress.

Rep. @Robert_Aderholt of AL today became the latest.

Here are some stats I've complied…

1/
— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) December 4, 2020

last 2 million cases in under two weeks https://t.co/EjCY0ccSwA
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) November 21, 2020

what are people doing https://t.co/gRwbmJujDu
— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) November 18, 2020

NYC has zip-code level data on positivity, which clearly demonstrates that politics>>population density. Neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, 60K/sq mile, far less dangerous than Trump country/aka Staten Island, with 8K/sq mi pic.twitter.com/1USmB0thDE
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 18, 2020

Coronavirus polls update 12/4/20

Americans who will get coronavirus vaccine via new Pew Research poll:

83% Asian
75% Postgrad
75% Over 65
71% Upper income
69% Democrats
67% Men
66% College
63% Hispanic
61% White
60% Middle income
56% HS or less
55% Under 30
55% Lower income
54% Women
50% Republicans
42% Black
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) December 4, 2020

Gender gap on COVID vaccine is especially notable because it doesn't track with usual partisan gender gap. Per new Pew poll, men (67%) & Democrats/leaners (69%) are more likely to say they'll take the vaccine than women (54%) & Republicans/leaners (50%).https://t.co/2Vst8ge4y5 https://t.co/JFNDJkphVS
— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) December 4, 2020

A majority of Americans, 54%, now say they personally know someone who has been hospitalized or died from COVID-19 via new Pew Research survey.
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) December 4, 2020

Coronavirus vaccines face trust gap in Black and Latino communities, study finds https://t.co/mEUAeJc5ty
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 24, 2020

In a sign that Americans are becoming less hesitant to take a coronavirus vaccine, a Gallup poll showed that 58% of the adults who were surveyed were willing to be vaccinated. From The New York Times: https://t.co/21LDjAezcE
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) November 21, 2020

Based on what you know right now about the coronavirus outbreak in the area where you live, would you feel comfortable or not comfortable returning to your regular routine today?

Comfortable 50%
Not comfortable 48%

(CNN Poll, 10/23-26/20)
— PollingReport.com (@pollreport) October 29, 2020

94% of Republicans "who rely most on Trump for coronavirus news say his messaging on the outbreak has been completely or mostly right, and virtually the same portion of the Republicans who cite Fox News or talk radio as major sources (96%) say the same" https://t.co/97dkfbNPE4
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 12, 2020

Record in U.S. Name COVID-19 as Most Urgent Health Problem (Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup) https://t.co/0Aue6rTqxm
— OpinionToday.com (@OpinionToday) December 4, 2020

Coronavirus slang

New words and phrases for the COVID-19 era

It's 2020. It happens 😉.

(Psst … you might notice someone familiar in our round-up of corona slang too!) https://t.co/jC5jXiM0o3
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) December 3, 2020

Coronavius research update 12/4/20

CNN’s @drsanjaygupta says the US is at a “breaking point” as the country reports the highest single-day total since the pandemic began.

“This is starting to defy the models — even the aggressive ones — in terms of how bad things could get.” https://t.co/VEYwMuLwOp pic.twitter.com/BanAxk9OTj
— New Day (@NewDay) December 3, 2020

Many patients survive Covid only to find that long-term symptoms are “as real and possible as dying from the virus itself.” Now, federal health officials say it’s urgent to understand and address these problems. https://t.co/GJsa3pViON
— Pam Belluck (@PamBelluck) December 4, 2020

Five places where most transmissions occur

They are: restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels and houses of worship

Researchers hunt for clues in our blood to discover COVID-19 vaccines of the future https://t.co/0KiDlhfetW pic.twitter.com/yfCsXwNgkb
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) December 4, 2020

A study from Korea showing why indoor dining is unsafe and why airborne transmission matters. Case B infected case A from 6.5m (~21 feet!) away in *just five minutes*, and case C from 4.8m (15 feet!). Footage shows no interaction—and only those in line of air flow got infected. pic.twitter.com/Yw3Gb8INWP
— zeynep tufekci (@zeynep) December 3, 2020

Very helpful guidance from @CDCgov that explains the rationale for cutting quarantine period for #covid19 to 10 days or 7 days + test.

Note that people must remain symptom-free.

Shorter period should increase compliance with quarantine guidelines.https://t.co/b8HqBP2w1C pic.twitter.com/4o50gR8JhF
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) December 3, 2020

With Pfizer’s vaccine being granted authorization in the UK and the prospect of a Covid-19 vaccine EUA here in the US, I wanted to take a moment to answer some of the most common questions surrounding these vaccines. (1/16) pic.twitter.com/GQrt73tXfd
— Dr. Sanjay Gupta (@drsanjaygupta) December 2, 2020

The covid-19 symptoms to watch out for https://t.co/dxqD5pySZD
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 3, 2020

An interview with Pfizer's CEO raises the question. Here's what we know—and what we don't. https://t.co/c8J7qEQbMu
— Men's Health Mag (@MensHealthMag) December 4, 2020

Health experts on COVID-19 vaccine: Americans have ‘a lot of distrust’ https://t.co/Tr3ut1Q4nz pic.twitter.com/DELgM5gb5x
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) December 4, 2020

TV commercials during the coronavirus era

I assume that the commercials we see now (December 2020) have been filmed since widespread awareness of the coronavirus began in February and March 2020. Yet, few of the ones I have seen show people wearing masks. Why is that?

Here’s my theory:

I think advertisers don’t want to offend the large minority of people who oppose mask wearing. If they show commercials with people without masks (in places where they should wear them), they probably figure that people who support mask wearing will just think the ads are old.

One company that tries to have it both ways is AT&T. Here’s one of their current ads. The people are not wearing masks but the ad says you should wear a mask in their stores.

AT&T Wireless TV Commercial, ‘Word of Mouth Advertising: iPhone 12 Mini’ – iSpot.tv

Here’s an ad with no masks or social distancing:

Here’s an American Express ad with masks