Tesla CEO Elon Musk lambasts 'fascist' coronavirus stay-in-place orders..
 

Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk assailed the social distancing measures in place over the past several weeks in the electric car-maker’s home state of California and across the country, which led to a weeks-long closure at the company’s flagship Fremont factory.

“I would call it forcibly imprisoning people in their homes against all their constitutional rights ... breaking people's freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong and not why people came to America,” Musk said during a public call with analysts and investors after reporting first-quarter earnings results Wednesday afternoon, adding an expletive. “It will cause great harm, not just to Tesla, but to any company. And while Tesla will weather the storm, there are many small companies that will not.”

“If somebody wants to stay in their house, that's great,” Musk added. “They should be allowed to stay in the house, and they should not be compelled to leave. But to say that they cannot leave their house, and they will be arrested if they do, this is fascist. This is not democratic. This is not freedom.”

I really do try and stay on top of new events during this time of upheaval, BUT I do NOT recall any governors threatening to arrest people if they leave their house.

Poor, put-upon billionaire. I fear he's been hitting the sauce again. As they say in the Southern states, bless his heart.

Proviso to Tara Reade and women like her
 

It is bothering me, and it keeps coming up inside, so I have to say this:

It's tragic and really unfortunate, but even mad, insane, highly neurotic, delusional and completely dishonest women are sexually assaulted... every day. So, every case must be thoroughly investigated.

Breaking News Events...
 

Elon Musk is part of the Elite and knows what's up. They all know...they have an agenda.

Bill Gates and the WHO want to make it mandatory for everyone to get vaccinated before returning back to 'normal'. Normal as in leaving your home to get groceries, going to the bank, visiting family, etc.

Whether or not that will happen or when it will happen only time will tell...but one thing is for certain if you go against the government and depending on what it is you will either get thrown into a psychiatric ward or arrested.

Anytime anyone stands up for their human rights they get arrested.

What boiled my blood today
 

I would say, especially neurotic, delusional woman are sexually assaulted. Experienced predators often choose victims with credibility issues for obvious reasons. I'm not sure I would characterize Biden as an experienced predator, though.

This is the crazy cycle: Girl/young woman is targeted for her difference, or she just happens to get sexually assaulted. It really f***s her up and she starts acting out. The assault/molestation may lead to promiscuity, depression, substance abuse, difficulties within her personal relationships, etc. Experienced predators see a flashing neon sign on that girl/woman's forehead and they make a bee-line for her. She becomes the ideal victim precisely because she lacks credibility due to how she acts out as a result of previous victimization. Every time she's victimized she loses more credibility. Her family and friends may ask, 'Why are these things always happening to you? What are you doing to bring these things on yourself?' And so it goes...

White House Denies Congressional Request For Dr. Anthony Fauci's Testimony

The White House will not allow the leading immunologist on the coronavirus task force to testify to Congress calling the request "counter-productive" to the administration's efforts to contain the virus. Dr. Anthony Fauci's testimony had been requested by the House Appropriations Committee, as part of an investigation into the White House response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A committee spokesman on Friday said the White House had blocked the doctor from appearing before the panel. "The Appropriations Committee sought Dr. Anthony Fauci as a witness at next week's Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee hearing on COVID-19 response. We have been informed by an administration official that the White House has blocked Dr. Fauci from testifying," spokesman Evan Hollander said in a statement. Fauci has become one of the most well recognized experts in the administration's coronavirus response team, often speaking publicly during task force briefings, and at times, seeming to contradict statements made by President Trump.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
 

U.S. Supreme Court says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized with infection

Any news re: Ginsburg being sick makes me really concerned; but so far, this seems to be a fairly benign intervention, I hope that she lasts at least until after the election.

“Infection caused by non-surgical treatment for gall bladder condition, says top court
“Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Tuesday with an infection caused by a gallstone, the U.S. Supreme Court said.
“The 87-year-old justice underwent non-surgical treatment for what the court described as acute cholecystitis, a benign gall bladder condition, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
“She expects to be in the hospital for a day or two, the court said.
“Ginsburg took part in the court's telephone arguments Monday and Tuesday and plans to do so again Wednesday, the court said.
“She has been treated four times for cancer, most recently in August.
“She initially sought medical care Monday, when the gallstone was first diagnosed.”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-su...tion-1.5557140

Chris Christie Says U.S. Needs to Reopen and Accept More Deaths..
 

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on Monday that the American economy needs to reopen quickly and that tens of thousands of more Americans may die from the novel coronavirus, insisting that Americans are “gonna have to” accept that. Speaking to CNN correspondent Dana Bash on her The Daily DC podcast, Christie—who now works as an ABC News contributor—pushed for the reversal of stay-at-home orders in order to open up businesses and ramp up economic activity.

Confronted with recent models that now show that as many as 135,000 Americans will die due to decreased social distancing amid the pandemic, Christie essentially threw up his hands and said there really wasn’t a choice.
“Of course, everybody wants to save every life they can—but the question is, towards what end, ultimately?” Echoing previous comments he’s made that the country cannot wait to reopen the economy, the former Trump transition team member asserted that “we’re going to destroy the American way of life” if people don’t immediately get back to work.

I often wonder when those politicians, who are so eager to open up the economy at any costs, if they stop to think that perhaps some of the deaths could occur right in their own family? Christie has 4 kids and it's a proven fact that Covid doesn't discriminate when it comes to age! No, I doubt they think of that, in their mind it's always going to be someone else's kid or family member!

They're thinking black people and other people of color will be the first to go because we're dying at a faster rate than others, but this is going to backfire on them. Too bad there aren't journalists who will call them on this instead of sitting back quietly and taking notes.

When politicians say......
 

~~
"The american economy needs to reopen quickly even tho tens of thousands of more Americans may die from coronavirus and insist that Americans are going to have to accept that" I would just once love to have a reporter, especially in Trump's case say something like " so you're willing to accept that Baron or even better yet Ivanka may die in order to get the precious economy open"? You know, like make it up close personal....

I think it's a safe bet that Melania isn't about to let Baron to far out of her sight regardless of what that nincompoop of a husband of hers says!

Trump contradicts nurse he's honoring over PPE availability...
 

(CNN)President Donald Trump contradicted a nurse he was honoring in the Oval Office on Wednesday, insisting there are no personal protective equipment shortages in the US despite her account that availability could be "sporadic." "I think it's sporadic," answered Sophia L. Thomas, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. "I mean, I talk to my colleagues around the country. Certainly there are pockets around the country where PPE is not ideal, but this is an unprecedented time." "The infection control measures that we learned back when we went to school, one gown and one mask for one patient per day -- this is a different time," she said, adding that she has been reusing a single N95 mask for "a few weeks now." "PPE has been sporadic, but it's been manageable. And we do what we have to do," Thomas said. "We are nurses and we learn to adapt and do whatever we can do for our patients to get the job done and the care provided, and that's what we will continue to do as Covid-19 continues."

Despite her firsthand experience, Trump disputed Thomas' account.
"Sporadic for you but not sporadic for a lot of other people," the President told her.

It was unfortunate that she didn't stand up to Trump and contradict him back! Honestly who would know better, some lard ass sitting in the White House OR a nurse on the front-lines!

DOJ drops criminal case against Michael Flynn....
 

Judge Sullivan still has to sign off on this fortunately!

OK WE CAN ALL RELAX NOW

"Insect experts ask people to lower concerns about ‘murder hornets’: The facts are, experts said, two dead hornets were found in Washington last December, a lone Canadian live nest was found and wiped out last September, and no live hornets have yet been seen this year."

Don't want to wear a face mask? OK, your decision.
Don't want to wear a bee/hornet-keeper hat and veil? OK, your decision.

Trump has been seen wearing a full-body beekeeping outfit ...head to toe.

Says that anyone who wants one can get one.

i have one i bought off amazon for Mr. Jenny to wear when i was a bee for halloween

Those cheap motherF*^KERS..........
 

Supermarket chains begin terminating ‘hero’ pay to their workers.

As parts of the country reopen for business amid ongoing coronavirus concerns, the debate about “hero” or “hazard’’ pay for supermarket workers is getting pushed to the forefront. Kroger-owned QFC and Fred Meyer have confirmed they will be ending the $2 hourly bonus added to employee wages by the end of next week after company officials told employees in internal bulletins recently to expect the extra money to be discontinued. Other supermarket chains, including Safeway and Albertson’s, have yet to decide end dates for their $2 hourly bonus plans, while Walmart’s plan for some associates is due to expire in two weeks. “In the coming months, we know that our associates’ needs will continue to evolve and change as our world responds and recovers,” QFC spokeswoman Tiffany Sanders said in confirming that the company’s “Hero Bonus,’’ enacted March 29, will end May 16. “Our commitment is that we will continue to listen and be flexible in order to make decisions that balance what is best for our associates, customers, communities and the sustainability of our business.’’

IMHO, with still so many states in lock-down, this is pure horse shit to do this to their employees who showed their dedication by staying on the job!
And it brings to mind that old saying "no good deed goes on unpunished"!

Elon Musk says Tesla will 'immediately' leave California after coronavirus shutdowns forced the company to close its main car factory

Oh you whining little bitch!

Elon Musk
 

Maybe, he, Grimes & little X Æ A-12 can move to Mars, through his company SPACEX. :)

And, he can take Jeff Bezos & Mark Zuckerberg with him, as they are also interested in going to Mars. :)

Trump and Pence should go into self-quarantine for the next 2 weeks — according to the government's own coronavirus guidelines.


More than a dozen people who may work near President Trump and Vice President Pence have tested positive for the coronavirus this week. On Friday, Pence's press secretary Katie Miller tested positive for the virus. Eleven Secret Service agents have also tested positive for COVID-19, along with one of President Trump's valets.

This being said and with Trump vigorously promoting the opening of states back up for purely economical reasons, what do you think the chances of either of them self-quaranting? My money is on SLIM to NONE!

Dr Fauci enters ‘modified quarantine’ after contact with White House staffer who tested positive for Covid-19.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has entered a “modified quarantine” after coming into contact with a White House staffer who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to CNN. Dr Fauci, a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, told the news organisation he would work from home and wear a mask for 14 days after making "low risk" contact with the staffer. A low-risk contact means he "was not in close proximity to the person who tested positive during the time when that person was known to be positive for the virus," CNN's Jake Tapper reported.

Dr Fauci joins two other members of the coronavirus task force who are already self-quarantining: Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration Commissioner, and Director Robert Redfield, head of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lorena Gonzalez a California State assemblywoman tweeted "F--- Elon Musk" on Saturday night, hours after the Tesla CEO announced was considering moving his company out of the state amid ongoing lockdown restrictions.

Good for her!

White House enacts new safety precautions as coronavirus moves closer to Trump's inner circle..
 

WASHINGTON – With coronavirus exposure arriving in the West Wing, the White House is taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of the president and his staff after two administration aides tested positive for the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence will be tested daily for the virus, as will every staff member in close proximity to them. White House guests will be tested, workspaces will undergo regular deep cleaning, and staff will follow social distancing guidelines, undergo daily temperature checks and have their symptom histories reviewed, White House spokesman Judd Deere said Sunday.

“The president’s physician and White House operations continue to work closely to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the president, first family and the entire White House complex safe and healthy at all times,” Deere said.

What idiots! Shouldn't they have been doing all this during this time!?

Mark Cuban Hired Secret Shoppers to Evaluate Reopening Businesses and the Results Were Not Good..
 

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has put the state on a path to reopen nonessential businesses on a rolling schedule. It began May 1, when restaurants and retail stores were allowed to open again to 25 percent capacity. Soon after he announced that hair salons could open with a limited capacity on May 8 and that 10 days after that, gyms would be allowed to operate at quarter capacity.

Businesses that choose to reopen have mandatory guidelines they must follow to help stop the spread of Covid-19. For instance, restaurants need to sit groups six feet from each other, tables should be actively disinfected, employees should wear masks and more. But how many shops and restaurants were following those rules? Billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wanted to find out, so he hired secret shoppers to spread out across Dallas and evaluate. Unfortunately, only 4 percent of all businesses they evaluated were fully compliant, according to a study Cuban released on his blog. “Bigger picture, I wanted to know if these are places that I would feel safe taking my family to,” Cuban wrote.

Texas governor caught on mic saying reopening businesses will increase spread...
 

Leaked audio has captured the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, conceding that overwhelming scientific evidence is that reopening businesses will increase the spread of coronavirus – even as he himself authorises a phased relaxation of his state’s lockdown measures. The audio was released as Texas’s Covid-19 death count approached 1,000, with some counties reporting their highest daily numbers of new cases so far.

On the conference call with state legislators, Mr Abbott made no bones about the implications of allowing businesses to resume operations. “How do we know reopening businesses won’t result in faster spread of more cases of Covid-19? “Listen, the fact of the matter is pretty much every scientific and medical report shows that whenever you have a reopening – whether you want to call it a reopening of business, or just a reopening of society – in the aftermath of something like this, that it actually will lead to an increase in spread.

“So it’s almost ipso facto, the more that you have people out there, the greater possibility there is for transmission.”

Trump Abruptly Ends News Conference........
 

By the time this occurred most stations, even Fox, had broken away from the news conference so their pundits could blather...

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...-angela-merkel
Does Germany have to lock down again?

Trump's tax returns, bank records
 

I am eagerly awaiting the Supreme Court's decision on Trump's tax returns & bank records, which his lawyers, in several lower cases, have lost, and now they have all been combined into one case, and the lawyers have finished their arguments with intense questioning by justices for this entire case as of today.

For an MSNBC discussion of what's at stake (i.e. no one is above the law, etc.), pls. check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pwOXie637w

If Trump loses, it will mean the end of Trump (as all his finances will be revealed, at least to prosecutors, and special committees) !!!

(There is a 5-4 conservative majority - two of the justices, Neil Gorsuch & Brett Kavanaugh, are Trump appointees.)

WHAT KIND OF DELUDED MONSTERS DO THIS?????
There is no God worth believing in: Muslim, Christian or anything else, that demands THIS from its believers.


Death toll from attack on Kabul maternity hospital rises to at least 24, officials say

Afghan officials on Wednesday raised the death toll from a militant attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul the previous day, saying that 24 people were killed, including two newborn babies, their mothers and an unspecified number of nurses.

Militants stormed the hospital in Dashti Barchi, a mostly Shiite neighbourhood in the western part of Kabul, on Tuesday morning, setting off an hours-long shootout with the police. As the battle raged, Afghan security forces struggled to evacuate the facility, which is supported by the aid group Doctors Without Borders, carrying out babies and frantic young mothers.

The Interior Ministry spokesman, Tareq Arian, said on Tuesday that 16 people were killed in the attack and over 100 women and babies were evacuated from the building under fire. The new death toll of 24 came from Wahid Majroh, the deputy public health minister, who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday. He said 16 were wounded in the attack.

Biden & Stacey Abrams
 

Biden and Abrams will appear together tomorrow on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell. Will not miss that ... :)

~
 

Collette was this Taliban related ?

Whoopi Goldberg Confronts Chris Christie on ‘The View’: Who Are You Willing to ‘Sacrifice?’ Unfortunately I didn't get to see this on Friday, but I'm so happy someone asked one of these idiots who are saying we need to open America back up this question...

Judge tosses coronavirus restrictions by Oregon governor...
 

SALEM, Ore. — A county judge has declared Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s coronavirus restrictions “null and void” because she didn’t have her emergency orders approved by the Legislature.

Baker County Circuit Judge Matthew Shirtcliff made the ruling Monday in a lawsuit brought by churches that had sued saying the social-distancing directives were unconstitutional. The suit had also argued that emergency powers only last for a month and after that Brown would have needed legislative approval. The judge agreed.

Brown said she would immediately appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court to try to keep the emergency orders in effect. “This will ensure we can continue to safeguard the health of all Oregonians — including frontline health care workers, those living in nursing homes, workers in agriculture and food processing plants, and Oregonians with underlying health conditions — while the legal process moves forward,” Brown said.

Ray Hacke, the attorney who represented the plaintiffs in the case, said in a phone interview Monday the ruling invalidates Brown’s ban on churches gathering for worship but also the entire stay-at-home order, Hacke said.

Common Sense intervened after the Sacramento-based Pacific Justice Institute filed the case earlier this month on behalf of Oregon businesses, expanding the scope, he said. “The stay-at-home order is no longer in effect. It is invalidated. If people want to get their haircut, they can. They can leave their home for any reason whether it’s deemed essential in the eye of the state or not,” he said. He added that the ruling was a vindication not just for freedom of religion, but for all Oregonians’ freedoms. “Praise God. I’m excited, and I’m glad that the judge saw that there are limitations on the governor’s power, even in the midst of emergencies,” he said.

IMHO who cares what decisions courts hand down, it's going to boil down to what the residents of a given state decide! They ultimately will decide when they feel safe getting a haircut, going to a dentist, etc etc

Nancy Pelosi fears for 'morbidly obese' Trump after hydroxychloroquine admission...
 

Nancy Pelosi has led a chorus of surprise and alarm after Donald Trump said he was taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus.

Trump’s own government has warned that the drug should only be administered for Covid-19 in a hospital or research setting due to potentially fatal side effects.

The US House Speaker did not mince her words when she was asked on CNN about the president’s decision.

“He’s our president, and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and his, shall we say, weight group ... morbidly obese, they say,” she said.

No doubt our thin-skinned President will be tweeting something "nasty" soon!

Recently a friend of mine complained that she couldn't get CNN anymore. So I sent her my recap of what she missed. Hopefully, no one will be offended.

OK here’s a recap:
"Here’s Dr Fauci…. thank you Dr Fauci….ooops….here’s Dr Fauci again….here’s Dr Sanjai Gupta…thank you Dr. Gupta…Here’s Dr Fauci again…oh wait, that’s Dr Gupta …apologies Dr Fauci…please fix Dr.Fauci’s mic…ok let’s just go to Dr Gupta….ooops that’s Dr Fauci…ok that’s better, we can hear you now Dr Fauci….10,000 deaths in the time it took to fix your mic Dr Fauci…Dr Gupta please wait your turn. Dr Gupta bids 15,000 deaths….your bid Dr Fauci. Ok, that’s a bully bid Dr Fauci. Dr Gupta, Dr Fauci bid 1,000,0000 deaths in the next 60 seconds….Dr. Gupta just died, condolences to the family…Tune in tonight for our special “Black People Dropping Like Flies.

Pelosi: 'Morbidly obese' was taste of Trump's 'own medicine'..
 

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that she called President Donald Trump “morbidly obese” because he's put down women for their weight. And besides, she suggested, the president could lose a few pounds himself as the coronavirus bears down on the nation's capital.

“I gave him a dose of his own medicine. He’s called women one thing or another over time, and I thought he thinks that passes off as humor in certain cultures," Pelosi told reporters at her weekly press conference. "I was only quoting what doctors had said about him, so I was being factual in a very sympathetic way.”

For the record, the president is obese, but not morbidly so. Pelosi on Monday called Trump “morbidly obese.” He responded by dismissing her as “a waste of time.”

Pelosi's level of sympathy is unclear. Even as the virus ravages Americans and the U.S. economy, the two are barely speaking to each other.

They have sparred since the beginning of the Trump presidency and more sharply since Pelosi ascended to the speakership in 2019, for the second time. The topics have ranged from the historic — a government shutdown and Trump's impeachment — to playground-quality name-calling and who has the last word.

Breaking News Events
 

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Is About To Launch Humans For NASA. Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The Historic Mission

On Wednesday, May 27, SpaceX is set to achive a goal 18 years in the making – launching humans to space.

In 2002, Elon Musk founded the company with his sights set on human spaceflight. Now in a matter of days, the Demo-2 mission will see the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida with two astronauts on board, NASA's Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, for the first time.

It will be the first launch of humans to orbit from American soil since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in July 2011, and the beginning of an exciting new era of human spaceflight.

Here’s how it’s all going to go down.

What's happening?

This is the first launch of a private spacecraft carrying astronauts to orbit in history. SpaceX was funded by NASA to build the spacecraft, called Crew Dragon, over the past decade.

When is the launch?

Crew Dragon is scheduled to lift-off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 4.33 P.M. Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 27. Backup launch opportunities are available on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31.

Where is the mission going?

The spacecraft will head for the International Space Station (ISS), about 400 kilometers above Earth. After the launch it will take Crew Dragon about 19 hours to reach the ISS.

Who are the two people on board?

Both are NASA astronauts. Doug Hurley is the mission’s commander, while Bob Behnken is the joint operations commander for the mission. They have both flown to space several times before.

Why are they launching during the coronavirus pandemic?

It's just unfortunate timing. People have been waiting years for the launch, and it just so happens that it is ready to go now. NASA and SpaceX have both been keen to keep the launch on track despite the pandemic.

The two astronauts have been in quarantine for weeks prior to the launch, and have adhered to strict social distancing measures to avoid catching COVID-19 or carrying the virus to the space station.

How can I watch the launch?

You will be able to watch it live on NASA TV, and on SpaceX’s website. NASA is advising people not to travel in person to Florida to watch, owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Excitingly, people in the U.K. and Europe should have a chance to see the spacecraft. It is expected to fly past the Moon in the night sky about 20 to 30 minutes after launch, appearing as a dot of light moving across the sky.

What will happen after the launch?

It will take about 12 minutes for Crew Dragon to reach its initial orbit, before it then gradually raises its orbit and flies autonomously towards the ISS.

The spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously with the space station at 11.29 A.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 28, although Hurley will briefly control the spacecraft manually to test it beforehand.

The astronauts will open the hatches and enter the ISS at 1.55 P.M. Eastern Time. They will join NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, who are currently on the ISS.

What will happen to the rocket?

The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket will come back for a landing on SpaceX’s drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly eight minutes after the launch.

What happens if something goes wrong during the Demo-2 launch?

Crew Dragon will use emergency thrusters to fire away from the Falcon 9 rocket, known as a launch abort. SpaceX tested this system earlier this year by blowing up a Falcon 9 rocket mid-flight.

The spacecraft would then use its parachutes to safely drop into one of several recovery zones in the Atlantic Ocean stretching from Florida to the western Irish coast.

What will the astronauts do on the ISS?

They will be part of the ISS crew, just like astronauts on any Soyuz launch. They will live and work on the space station with the other astronauts for the duration of their mission.

How long will Crew Dragon stay on the ISS?

That isn’t clear yet. The spacecraft will stay for at least one month, but it could stay for up to four months. The precise time will depend on how the spacecraft handles being in space, and how the next mission to the ISS progresses.

What’s that mission?

That would be the Crew-1 mission. While Demo-2 is in essence a test mission, Crew-1 will be SpaceX’s first fully operational crewed mission to fly to the ISS. On board will be NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

What will happen at the end of the Demo-2 mission?

Crew Dragon will undock from the station, and a day later it will then re-enter our atmosphere after getting rid of its service module and solar arrays. Its heat shield will bear brunt of re-entry and keep the astronauts safe.

The spacecraft will use four parachute to slow its descent, eventually splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean where it and its astronauts will be recovered.

Why is this mission such a big deal?

It’s the culmination of a decade of funding from NASA in an effort to commercialize the transport of astronauts to low Earth orbit (LEO). SpaceX is one of two companies, the other being Boeing, that has been funded in this Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) programme.

It will also return orbital launches to the U.S. since the final Space Shuttle flight, Atlantis, back in July 2011. Since then NASA has been paying Russia for trips to space on its Soyuz spacecraft, at a recent cost of more than $90 million per seat.

How much money did SpaceX get from NASA to develop Crew Dragon?

SpaceX was given $2.6 billion, and Boeing $4.2 billion for its Starliner spacecraft. However, the cost-savings for NASA compared to developing their own comparable spacecraft and rocket is estimated to be in the tens of billions.

What will Crew Dragon be used for in the future?

SpaceX is under contract with NASA to take astronauts to and from the ISS on multiple missions. However, Crew Dragon can seat seven people. Thus, SpaceX plans to let space tourists pay for seats as well.

Already several people have signed up, at a cost of no less than $20 million per seat – including, possibly, Tom Cruise. In the future SpaceX is expected to conduct more and more private flights, including to destinations other than the ISS, such as maybe orbiting space hotels and private space stations.

What’s next?

Well, apart from more Crew Dragon flights in the future, we’re expecting Boeing to launch humans on its Starliner spacecraft for the first time no earlier than spring 2021.

SpaceX, meanwhile, is developing a new spacecraft called Starship to take humans to the Moon and Mars. But first they will need to prove they can safely launch humans to space, starting with Crew Dragon on Wednesday.



Date: May 23, 2020,12:24pm EDT
Source: Forbes.com

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonatha...B#46e8c63e2e5d

Perhaps Elon Musk should hop aboard one of these rockets himself seeing how he's so displeased the way things are being handled down here on earth concerning Covid-19.

It'd be a win win for all IMHO....

A new ad from former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign ripped into President Donald Trump for golfing over the weekend as the coronavirus death toll in the nation approached 100,000. The video, which Biden posted to his Twitter account on Saturday, features a bar graph tracking coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S. The bar on the graph steadily rises as footage of what appears to be Trump golfing plays in the background.

In the past, Trump had repeatedly criticized Obama for playing the sport. In 2014, when the second Ebola case was confirmed in the United States, Trump went on Fox News to bash the then-president for golfing. “There are times to play and times that you can’t play. It sends the wrong signal,” he said.

Well well well, it looks like the Golfstream's on the other foot now doesn't it...:hangloose:

ABC News.....
2 hairstylists with COVID-19 may have exposed 140 people at salon

Two hairstylists potentially exposed 140 customers to COVID-19 at a Great Clips in Missouri, according to alerts from a local health department.The Springfield-Greene County Health Department announced on Friday that a hairstylist who tested positive for COVID-19 had potentially exposed 84 clients at a Great Clips in Springfield. The case is believed to have been contracted through travel to a "high-intensity" area in Missouri, Director of Health Clay Goddard said Friday. Then on Saturday, the health department announced a second hairstylist who tested positive for the virus had potentially exposed 56 clients at the same salon, located in a strip mall.