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Got an invitation by mail from the Ipsos Research Center. They offered internet access and a tablet for answering their surveys. Today I accepted their invitation. I want to get feedback and experiences from any FReepers that have used Ipsos. Thanks in advance!

In all the discussions of the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, enormous scientific attention has been paid to the molecular character of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including its novel genome sequence in comparison with its near relatives. In stark contrast, virtually no attention has been paid to the physical provenance of those nearest genetic relatives, its presumptive ancestors, which are two viral sequences named BtCoV/4991 and RaTG13. This neglect is surprising because their provenance is more than interesting. BtCoV/4991 and RaTG13 were collected from a mineshaft in Yunnan province, China, in 2012/2013 by researchers from the lab of Zheng-li Shi at...

Abstract: There are outstanding evolutionary questions on the recent emergence of human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 including the role of reservoir species, the role of recombination and its time of divergence from animal viruses. We find that the sarbecoviruses—the viral subgenus containing SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2—undergo frequent recombination and exhibit spatially structured genetic diversity on a regional scale in China. SARS-CoV-2 itself is not a recombinant of any sarbecoviruses detected to date, and its receptor-binding motif, important for specificity to human ACE2 receptors, appears to be an ancestral trait shared with bat viruses and not one acquired recently via recombination. To employ phylogenetic...

The governor explained while there have been positive signs statewide several regions across the state, including Baton Rouge and Monroe, new cases and hospitalizations continue to increase or to plateau, according to data from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). “Thanks to the commitment of the people of Louisiana, our state has made progress in flattening the curve and reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Unfortunately, we still have a little work to do before we meet the criteria to safely move to the next phase of reopening, so I will extend the state’s Stay at Home order until...

I want to add a signature (quote) that is displayed after my FR user name on replies. I have looked through my profile settings, but can't see where I can do that. Any help would be much appreciated!

Today is the LA “jungle primary”. The top ballot item is the Governor’s race. Incumbent Edwards (D) can be forced into a runoff election if he can’t get over 50% of the vote total. LA republicans, go vote for Abraham or Rispone if you haven’t early voted already. Even if you are undecided between the two Rs, please vote for one anyway to force a runoff. Thanks so much for POTUS Trump, VP Pence, and DT Jr coming to LA to rally GOP voters. The polls are open from 7AM till 8PM. Election vote counts will start coming in after...

SHREVEPORT, La. -- The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear an appeal by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in their fight to keep the Confederate monument on the Caddo Parish Courthouse grounds. Said spokeswoman Jackie Nichols: "Our petition was denied today by the Supreme Court. Although we are disappointed by this news, we are not dissuaded in our fight to protect our monument. We fight on!" The denial of the writ upholds the previous decision of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed the trial court’s ruling in favor of the Parish, dismissing the lawsuit. “The parish is...

From Wednesday, August 28, through Monday, September 2, the information provided by NOAA and the National Hurricane Center to President Trump and the wider public demonstrated that tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama. This is clearly demonstrated in Hurricane Advisories #15 through #41, which can be viewed at the following link. The Birmingham National Weather Service’s Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time.

Democrats’ attacks on Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh have fired up the Republican base, helping to erase Democrats’ advantage in voter enthusiasm and potentially giving the GOP an edge in several tight Senate races. Republican Senate candidate Josh Hawley said Thursday that voter backlash against Democrats for the rough treatment of Judge Kavanauagh gave his run in Missouri a “huge boost.” The phenomenon also is emerging in other battleground states. Mr. Hawley, who is in a neck-and-neck race with Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill, told The Washington Times that Senate Democrats’ no-holds-barred fight to stop Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation had galvanized...

<p>DETROIT (AP) — At least 31 people could face criminal charges after voting twice in Michigan in the fall election, an official said Thursday.</p>

ORANGE, Calif. (AP) -- A student from Egypt is facing deportation after being investigated by federal agents for posting on his Facebook page that he was willing to kill Donald Trump and the world would thank him.

The Supreme Court announced yesterday that it will have to rehear a free-speech case that was argued before the justices in October, the first sign of an alteration in its normal flow of business because of the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. In a one-sentence order, the court said that it will restore Garcetti v. Ceballos , No. 04-473, to its calendar for reargument. The court did not say why. Historically, however, one reason for such a relatively unusual move has been that the court's preliminary vote in a case was 5 to 4 and one of the justices...

SHREVEPORT, La. - The man who brought a concealed handgun into a military recruiting station in southwest Shreveport on Tuesday had no intention of hurting anyone, police said, but instead was upset over a shooting at a Tennessee military facility and brought the gun in a misguided attempt to be helpful.

NEW YORK (AP) — Dr. Craig Spencer, the physician now being treated for Ebola in New York City, is the kind of globe-trotting do-gooder who could walk into a small village in Africa and, even though he didn't know the language, win people over through hugs alone, according to people who worked with him.

It was likely the most terrifying manhunt in Boston history. With the city under lockdown and armored vehicles rolling through Watertown, the alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had seemingly vanished. While the rest of Greater Boston experienced the unfolding dragnet on April 19 as a series of indirect glimpses, Sergeant Sean Murphy, in his assignment as a tactical photographer with the Massachusetts State Police, was behind police lines, documenting the day’s events. Months later, Murphy walked into our offices and told us he was furious with the way Tsarnaev was being portrayed on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine....

UPDATE: MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - KNOE 8 News has learned that LaDean McDaniel has passed away today. Rapides Regional Medical Center confirmed the death to our sister station KALB this morning. McDaniel was shot on Tuesday at the Tensas State Bank branch in St. Joseph in a hostage situation involving Fuaed Abdo Ahmed that lasted over 12 hours. KNOE 8 News has also repeatedly asked for new information from Louisiana State Police and the FBI about the investigation. The FBI told KNOE 8 News that a release was pending yesterday morning. No release has been made available, and...

ST. JOSEPH, La. (AP) - Fuaed Abdo Ahmed was angry and hearing voices, authorities said, when he wrote the letter detailing his plan to take employees hostage at a rural Louisiana bank. The slain hostage was identified by the sheriff as Jay Warbington.

KSLA TV – Local CBS affiliate in Shreveport, Louisiana. Do you agree with the Obama administration's decision to stop deporting and begin granting work permits to younger illegal immigrants? FReep this poll! Scroll down a little, the poll is in the center of the page.