California
Music, TV, and Film Production Can Resume in California on June 12th
After months of shutdowns crippled the entertainment industry, governor Gavin Newsom has announced guidelines to resume music, film, and television production in California. Via The Hollywood Reporter, work can begin again on June 12th, as the Golden State transitions into Stage 3 of its coronavirus recovery plan. Stage 3 allows for the re-opening of some “higher-risk workplaces.” Concerts won’t return until stage 4 (and even then, it might not be a typical concert experience) but most recording studios should be back after next Friday. Additionally, many of the film and television productions that paused during the pandemic seem likely to resume. However, the guidelines are purposefully vague, and several questions remain. In a statement, the California Department of Public Health sa...
White House organizes harassment of Twitter employee over fact-checking of Donald Trump’s tweets
The White House has set its sights on a single Twitter employee after the company attached a fact-checking link to two of the president’s tweets containing lies and misinformation related to voter fraud. The charge was led on Fox News Wednesday morning, with Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway targeting Twitter’s head of site integrity, Yoel Roth, after digging up some tweets that were critical of Trump, Conway, and the administration. Conway called the employee “horrible” and directed listeners to go after him. “Somebody in San Francisco go wake him up and tell him he’s about to get a lot more followers,” she said on air. Immediately, the call was picked up by right-wing personalities and Trump supporters, who began sharing screenshots of the employee’s tweets. Roth is already facing a torrent...
Donald Trump threatens to cut China ties over coronavirus spread
US President Donald Trump threatened to cut ties with China over its role in the spread of the coronavirus, as the global death toll from the disease topped 300,000. Despite fears of a second wave of infections, national and local governments around the world are easing lockdown orders as they try to get stalled economies moving again. But there were warnings Friday that some of the world’s poorest people remain the most vulnerable, with predictions that a quarter of a billion Africans could be infected without urgent action. The nexus of poverty and risk was highlighted by the discovery of cases in the world’s biggest refugee camp, where upwards of a million Rohingya live in squalor. “We are looking at the very real prospect that thousands of people may die from COVID-19” in these camps, ...
Joe Rogan Threatens to Move to Texas over California’s Coronavirus Policies
On the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the polemical comedian complained about California’s coronavirus policies and threatened to move to Texas. The discussion was part of a broader conversation about the decision by LA County officials to extend stay-at-home orders through July. Other counties in California are cleared to reopen, though Rogan isn’t considering a same-state relocation. He said, “If California continues to be this restrictive, I don’t know if this is a good place to live. First of all, it’s extremely expensive — the taxes are ridiculous. If they really say we can’t do stand-up until 2022 or something, I might jet. I’m not kidding. I don’t need to be here.” Afterwards, Rogan called MADtv alum Bryan Callen, who quickly advanced a conspiracy theory that stay-at-ho...
Pfizer, BioNTech dose U.S first participants of trial coronavirus vaccine
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE announced on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, that the first participants have been dosed in the U.S in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial for the BNT162 vaccine program to prevent COVID-19. The trial is part of a global development program, and the dosing of the first cohort in Germany was completed last week. The Phase 1/2 study is designed to determine the safety, immunogenicity and optimal dose level of four mRNA vaccine candidates evaluated in a single, continuous study. The dose level escalation portion (Stage 1) of the Phase 1/2 trial in the U.S will enrol up to 360 healthy subjects into two age cohorts (18-55 and 65-85 years of age). The first subjects immunized in Stage 1 of the study will be healthy adults 18-55 years of age. Older adults will only be immunized with ...
California Governor Allows Some Retail Reopening With Limits
Some Los Angeles County retailers can reopen with curbside pickup only — including stores that sell music, toys, books, clothing and sporting goods. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued the broadest loosening of his stay-at-home order so far, allowing some retailers to reopen but not have customers in stores. The guidelines were made “with an eye on turning the page and moving into a new phase in terms of our economic recovery,” Newsom said. The announcement was the result of improvement in battling the coronavirus. It moves California into the second phase of a methodical four-step process to full reopening. It covers only a sliver of retail businesses as well as manufacturers’ warehouses considered low risk for the virus. Stores that will be allowed to open with curbside...
