Yesterday, I got an email from visitation staff that they are changing visitation dates and can I come on the 16th instead of the 17th. So that has changed. Considering how early I have to start, morning traffic will probably be not too bad. The afternoon may be a different story.
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
The Guardian – Henrietta Lacks’ estate sues drug company that sold her cells
Quote – The lawsuit asks the court in Baltimore to order Thermo Fisher Scientific to “disgorge the full amount of its net profits obtained by commercializing the HeLa cell line to the Estate of Henrietta Lacks”. It also seeks an order permanently enjoining Thermo Fisher Scientific from using the HeLa cell line without the estate’s permission.
Click through for story. I hope the estate takes the company to the cleaners. Yes, I have benefitted from this crime – we all have – the polo vaccine is just one way – but most of us in complete ignorance. Thermo Fisher Scientific can’t claim that.
Two related stories:
HuffPost – FBI Raids NYPD Union Office And Home Of Its Right-Wing Leader
Quote – Mullins, a police sergeant detached to full-time union work, is in the middle of department disciplinary proceedings for tweeting NYPD paperwork last year regarding the arrest of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daughter during protests over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Mullins’ department trial began last month but was postponed indefinitely after one of his lawyers suffered a medical emergency.
Click through for more on the raid, and see the next story for at least one consequence.
CBS News – New York City police union leader resigns after FBI raids his office and home
Quote – Mullins has previously been accused of violating policy when he posted the police report from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daughter’s arrest during the George Floyd protests last year. He is currently facing a departmental trial over the accusation. “Ed Mullins dishonored his uniform, his city and his union more times than I can count. It was just a matter of time before his endless hatred would catch up with him. That day has come,” de Blasio tweeted late Tuesday following news of Mullins’ resignation.
Click through for some details. Knowing MAGAts, I’m sure there is far more left unsaid than has yet been said.
Food for Thought –
16 Responses to “Open Thread for October 7, 2021”
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It’s good that they are keeping you in the know on your dates to see Virgil. Have a good day, Joanne.
Cartoon: U.G.H.!
Guardian: Good and glad news to see them in suing for the estate re: Thermo Fisher Scientific. I read the book about Ms. Lacks, a few years back. A mesmerizing book filled with info and facts.
CBS/HP: He has lost any iota of decency and ethics. He (also) should have known better, what a disgrace.
FFT: Wise words. Al is awesome. I miss him.
THIS JUST IN: “The 2021 Nobel Prize in literature is awarded to Zanzibar born novelist Abdulvazak Gurnah for his compromising and compassionate portrayals of the effect of colonialism”. ~ Rob Picheta, CNN ~
2. “Be a Voter. Find everything you need to vote in your state’s next election.” ~ The Democrats ~
3. “Southwest Airlines becomes latest airline to require all US employees to get vaccinated.” ~ Karl Evers Hillstrom ~
4. “President Biden left the South Lawn headed for Howell, MI to talk about his agenda for infrastructure, climate and social spending. He met with House moderates by video call earlier today trying to secure support for legislation.” ~ Kelly O’Donnell ~
5. “A judge rules against Alex Jones in two law suits filed by Sandy Hook parents finding him liable for calling them ‘crisis actors’. Jone’s Infowars will now have to pay whatever damages the jury panel deems appropriate.”
TJI #5 – Here’s a video of Alex Jones screaming at a pile of horse poop during a Cruz/Trump rally in 2018. (It think it captures one of his more lucid moments – which are few and far between.):
LOL! Thanks for this—-what a combo.
TJI #1 – Good.
TJI #2 – Just did that (the prep). Details tomorrow.
TJI #3 – Good.
TJI #4 – Fingers crossed.
TJI #5 – I hope the jury is packed with parents, preferably parents of grade school age children. They will understand. (I don’t mean packed by anyone, just filled by the luck of the draw.)
John Pavlovitz – 2 hours ago
“One of my nurses was ending her shift today and said, “I just came in to thank you for being a very kind patient.”It made my week.It takes so little not to be a jerk, even when you’re hurting.Everyone around you is hurting, too.Everyone needs care.Give it to them.
That is so John Pavlovitz! Bless him.
Henrietta Lacks’ estate sues drug company that sold her cells
Given the standards of medical care in 1951 and the fact that the family reached an agreement with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) back in 2013 on use of the genomic data from the HeLa cells, it is highly doubtful they will prevail.
Combined with the fact that “In 2018, the family attempted to apply for guardianship of the cells, but that failed. “We’ve been through numerous lawyers throughout the years with no success,” Lacks told The Daily Beast.
Additionally:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/immortal-henrietta-lacks-family-says-biotech-firms-are-still-using-her-cells-like-chattel
No matter how incensed we may feel about other racial injustices, this particular issue was not inherently racial. And despite their claims, a cervical biopsy would not have caused her to become sterile. It was her cancer.
I personally would like to see them receive some type of compensation – but I doubt there is any legal foundation for it being granted by the courts.
FBI Raids NYPD Union Office And Home Of Its Right-Wing Leader
So this is NYC’s “finest”?
New York City police union leader resigns after FBI raids his office and home
Good riddance!
Yeah, you’re probably – almost certainly – right. It’s too bad though.
Oops – wrong place
So, I have figured out a way to dent the Open Thread to Mitch. We tried it today and it works. Here is his comment:
I am still working out the Video Thread, (because it’s easy to include jpgs, but not so easy for videos, or I assume slideshows) and I’m not even sure he wants it. But we (all of us) can aat least keep in touch this way.
Thank you, Joanne for helping Mitch with the PP.
Appreciate all you do.
Need some help to be sure I understand correctly: Does “dent” in ” … figured out a way to dent the Open Thread to Mitch” mean “send”?
Yes, it does. Cut me a little slack, I was pretty excited.
I wasn’t trying to be snarky. Since he’s asked me to do the same, I wanted to be sure I got it right.
I hoped you wold see the wink and realize I wasn’t tying eithr to be snarky or to accuse you of it. Honest. I’ll CC you. Promise.
If your email client doesn’t cooperate, I’ll be happy to do it. This week you don’t have a slide show, but I am guessing the slideshows are, in the copies, just going to show whichever one was up when you hit Ctrl+C and not change. I hope I’m wrong. A gif may possibly animate, but I haven’t tried that yet.
I’m glad your visit with Virgil wasn’t cancelled but only switched around, Joanne. The guys at the prison are very considerate; they also gave you enough time to prepare.
Cartoon: A black page in the history of Media.
TG: If Henrietta Lacks’ family would win this claim, this might have far-reaching repercussions for the pharmaceutical industry. Not that I think that industry shouldn’t be reigned in as much as possible. Also, any racial acts on its part should be condemned and punished. But asking for its full revenue? That sounds incredibly greedy and over the top and very likely so specific that the case is doomed to fail.
HP and CBS: Amen to Nameless’ remark.
FFT: Al Franken sure knows how to put his finger on the sore spot, doesn’t he?