April 20 in History

2010 - US Deepwater Horizon explodes
2010 : The Transocean / BP Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible offshore oil drilling rig explodes and is followed by a fire that engulfed the platform, the platform is located 40 miles southeast of the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers and injured 17 others. Following the explosion a sea-floor oil gusher began pumping oil directly into the water, by the time the gusher was capped in mid July more than 200 million gallons of crude oil were released into the environment, causing an environmental disaster including extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats as well as the Gulf's fishing and tourism industries. Investigations are still ongoing to define who is exactly to blame with the guilty parties including Transocean, BP, Halliburton Energy Service. Questions are also asked over the cozy relationship between Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. BOEMRE and the oil and gas industry.  The Gulf will NEVER be the same.  

1999 - Columbine High School Shooting
1999 : Two students ( Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold ) wearing balaclavas go through Columbine High School in Denver, Colorado, firing automatic weapons and throwing homemade bombs killing 13 people and wounded 24 others before the two students committed suicide. They had originally planted two home made bombs in the cafeteria and were planning on murdering the students as they ran from the building, when the bombs failed to go off they went into the school and began the massacre.  The first of many, although today's Covid Virus has put a pause on this activity.

1871 - Third Force Act also known as the "Ku Klux Act" Passed
1871 : Congress authorizes President Ulysses S. Grant to declare martial law, impose heavy penalties against terrorist organizations, and use military force to suppress the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).  A lot of good this did, based on what's going on today.

Monday Morning Smile

Minnesota Covidiots

We Need Each Other

A Little Ditty

Trust Gone Wrong

DIY Mask

Lunacy in the Afternoon

What started out as Corona Virus update briefing has turned into drumpf's re-election rally.  Today - April 13, 2020 - he went into full meltdown mode, as illustrated by the videos below.  Just watch.  

Here is one reporter's story (who was at the briefing): https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/04/13/trump-defense-coronavirus-briefing-becomes-campaign-rally/2986422001/

Monday Morning Smile

Elizabeth Warren on Future Voting

From Elizabeth Warren  4/12/20

No American should have to choose between participating in our democracy and keeping themselves safe. In the next coronavirus relief package, I’m fighting for a plan to protect the health and safety of voters and strengthen our democracy for the long haul.

As federal, state, and local governments rightfully issue stay-at-home orders and encourage residents to practice social distancing to combat the virus, large-scale, in-person voting on election day could present serious risks to public health. 

We must ensure that Americans can register to vote safely and easily. States must prevent voter purges and restore any voter whose name has been removed from the rolls since the pandemic began. Online and same-day registration should also be made available for everyone. 

Next, we need to make the process of casting a ballot easier and more accessible. States should mail every registered voter a ballot with pre-paid postage and waive requirements that undermine social distancing guidelines. 

While badly needed, these reforms will put additional stress on the already teetering United States Postal Service. Congress needs to act swiftly to shore up USPS so that as many Americans as possible can vote from home. 

States must also enhance the safety of in-person voting, as many voters may face greater obstacles to voting from home. All states should provide at least 30 days of early voting and extend voting hours to help prevent overcrowding and promote social distancing. 

We must also protect the integrity of our elections during this time of crisis by countering disinformation and bolstering election security. Congress must provide states with funding to guard against foreign threats, and voters should be able to track their ballot at every step. 

Finally, we must provide states with the resources they need to administer the vote and to keep poll workers safe. That means at least $4 billion for election administration, conditioned on states adopting specific measures that will protect voters and reduce barriers to voting. 

Our government needs to act immediately to ensure elections can proceed safely, securely, and on-time. But Donald Trump and right-wing Republicans are already using the crisis to disenfranchise millions. 

The task of protecting our democracy has never been more vital. Congress must do its part—and governors and state officials must also step up to protect our elections. Join our fight to make sure every American can vote safely in November:

Protect Our Elections: Demand Safe VotingWe’re organizing to hold our government accountable - because no American should have to choose between voting and staying safe and healthy.http://elizabethwarren.com/safe-voting?source=soc-PET-ew-tw-safe-voting-april7

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