Margin...

 

Lockdown..

 

The Netherlands on Sunday began an “unavoidable” lockdown that will last through Christmas to help tackle a COVID-19 surge caused by the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the shut-down on Saturday evening, ordering most essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places to close until at least Jan. 14.

“The Netherlands is again shutting down. That is unavoidable because of the fifth wave that is coming at us with the Omicron variant,” Rutte said at a news conference.

Under the rules, people are urged to stay home as much as possible and households are only permitted to have two guests at a time.

Rutte acknowledged that the lockdown will interfere with holiday plans and business.  Just a thought.

Handout...

 

Much of Manchin's public opposition to the size and scope of the package centers on its investment in landmark social programs child tax credits, a new federal paid family leave program and lower-cost child care.
Manchin's reasoning:

 “I don’t believe that we should turn our society into an entitlement society.”
The senator has been adamant about “no additional handouts,” as he wrote in his memo. He wants many of the social services programs “means tested” to apply only to those at lower-income thresholds.

As a result, the new paid family and medical leave program that Democrats overwhelmingly want could be gutted completely, dashing their hopes of taking the U.S. off the list of remaining countries without any form of national paid leave.

The most recent debate centers around extending the child tax credit, passed earlier this year as part of pandemic relief legislation. The program, a keystone of Democratic efforts to reduce child poverty, has been sending up to $300 per child directly into the bank accounts of families each month.  
 
Manchin now says he wants the child tax credit program extended for the full 10-year budget window, rather than just one year a nonstarter since the price tag would consume most of Biden's bill, crowding out other key initiatives on health care, child care, education and more.

Is Joe Manchin the only Democratic Senator in opposition to Biden's Agenda? I think many more.  But for now, they don't want to take the heat.  Just a thought.

Ban..ana's..

 

Bananas are a staple within longevity category, 

offering a variety of health benefits that can shift according to ripeness:

• Green, or less ripe, bananas contain resistant starch and pectins, which function as prebiotics in the gut.
• Yellow bananas lose some of this starch as it turns into simple sugars (that's why ripe bananas are sweeter). They also contain soluble and insoluble fibers, with about 3 grams per medium banana.
• Lastly, brown bananas contain the highest amount of simple sugars (most of their starch has converted to sugars); they also boast the highest levels of antioxidants.

Nutrition facts aside, the biggest reason to appreciates bananas is because, well, they're convenient. “They come in their own packaging!." 

Bananas are affordable, enjoyable, and accessible. "The best longevity food is the food you're going to eat," so if you have a thing for bananas? Consider them your No. 1 longevity-supporting snack

Blackout..

 

New York City just became the largest city in the US to ban natural gas hookups in new buildings, a step toward the city’s efforts to become carbon neutral by 2050.

The new law, which the city council passed 40-7 on Dec. 15, prohibits new buildings from using gas for heating and cooking beginning in Dec. 2023. Buildings will be wired to power all appliances with electricity. New York City’s law will apply to buildings lower than seven stories beginning in 2023, and buildings taller than seven stories beginning in 2027.

The measure faced fierce opposition from developers and natural gas utilities. National Grid, the region’s natural gas provider, warned that heating buildings with electricity would be more expensive for residents, and could lead to blackouts due to excess demand in the winter.  Nationally, gas utilities have organized campaigns to thwart cities’ efforts to pass gas-ban legislation, and have issued public lobbying campaigns against electrification. Natural gas companies supply 66 million homes (pdf) in the US.

In the summertime, the electric supply is reduced dramatically to all NY City for years. Let us plan for increase the supply before reduce the gas. Just a thought.

De-fund..

 

The Game..

 

Excuse..

 

The Media is trashing this administration for so many reasons.

This may be a repeat of the movie: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Just a thought.. 

Scare..

 

This is a major problem the USA and the world will face in 2022. Inflation is climbing up, much more than anticipated, and to stop it the economy may suffer. 

With President Biden's decision to banned drilling in Federal Land and all other restriction on energy, under the umbrella of Climate Change, the price of energy tripled and or quadrupled. With energy prices going up fast so is many other products associated with it or transported.

Now the same President is asking Russia and the Saudis to increase energy production so the prices in USA decrease. But that is against the interests of the oil producers' countries.

The economy relaxed on free money for few years, with low gas prices, but now, the money may not be too cheap as before and business investment may shrink accordingly. 

The memory of Jimmy Carter's Presidency may scare the world that is much connected today than before.

Just a "scary" thought.

Misfit..