Merry Christmas to all.
سامح فإنكَ في النهايةِ فانِ
واجعل شعارَكَ كثرةَ الغفرانِ
وابسط يديكَ لرحمةٍ ومودةٍ
حتى تنالَ محبةَ الرحمنِ
ليس التباغضُ من شريعةِ أحدٍ
بل إنَّه لَبضاعةُ الشيطانِ
قابيلُ أغضبَ ربَّه لما قسا
وأخوه كوفئ إذ عفا بجنانِ
سامح أخاك وإنْ توعَّرَ طبعُهُ
إنَّ التسامحَ شيمةُ الشجعانِ
Nearly everything about the process has gone well so far, shepherded by the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed.
The first two vaccines, one from Pfizer-BioNTech and the other from Moderna, were ready well before anyone expected.
Trials showed them to be among the most effective vaccines ever, particularly for a notoriously hard-to-prevent respiratory virus.
And the initial days of the rollout, while far from perfect, have already led to 3 million vaccinations in the U.S., mostly among frontline health care workers.
Good news for the holidays. So far so good. Just a thought.
President Trump’s call Tuesday night for Congress to raise coronavirus stimulus payments to Americans to $2,000 won raves from at least three of his harshest critics.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep. AOC and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders all favored the president’s proposal.
"Despite all of this wasteful spending, and much more, the $900 billion package provides hard-working taxpayers with only $600 each in relief payments and not enough money is given to small businesses -- and in particular restaurants, whose owners have suffered so grievously."
The bill also allows stimulus checks for the family members of illegal aliens, allowing them to get up $1,800 each," the president says. "This is far more than the Americans are given.
The president’s critics quickly voiced their rare support for his point of view.
One New Yorker proved that giving to charity was a better gift than treating himself to a new iPhone and now the Salvation Army wants to find him and say thanks.
Holiday bell ringers manning the group’s new giant red kettle outside the Meatpacking District Apple store were stunned on Dec. 7, when a man walked up and handed a volunteer an envelope stuffed with $1,020, a touching handwritten note and a mask.
“Dear Salvation Army, I walked into the Apple Store today to buy a new phone,” the note said. “Then I saw your kettle and I was reminded of those in need. It was very cold and windy outside. I am lucky I have a warm home. I have hot food. I even have an iPhone from 2017 that works perfectly well. 2020 has been a hard year for millions of families . . . The iPhone was going to be $999. I also planned to visit Starbucks next door. I should go without both this Christmas season. Please accept this $1,020 and put it to better use. P.S. here is a new mask my wife made for a friend. I consider Salvation Army a friend to New York.”
On Sunday, Lindsey Boylan tweeted that Cuomo “sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched."
Boylan, 36, worked for the Cuomo administration from March 2015 to October 2018, as executive vice-president of Empire State Development and then as a special adviser to Cuomo for economic development.
Minnesota State Republican Sen. Jerry Relph has died due to complications from COVID-19.
The 76-year-old began serving in the Minnesota Senate in 2017 and represented the 14th district that includes St. Cloud.
His wife confirmed the news of his death in a statement published on the Minnesota Senate Republicans Caucus' website Friday night.
"I'm heartbroken to share that my husband, Jerry Relph, has passed away and entered his heavenly home. Jerry was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was a Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, an attorney, small businessman, and dedicated public servant in the Minnesota Senate," Pegi Broker-Relph wrote.
Covid=19 is still a dangerous situation. Just a thought.