US now has the THIRD most coronavirus infections in the world behind China and Italy, New York State has 6% and NYC has 4%
Daily Mail
March 23, 2020
With more than 39,000 Americans infected with coronavirus, the US is now the third hardest-hit country in the world.
New York alone has more than 20,000 cases, with 12,305 in the Big Apple.
__________
MORE FALLOUT FROM RABBI MAZUZ’S JUDGEMENT
Designer stores in New York including Chanel, Balenciaga and Celine clear out shelves and remove all their merchandise as Governor Cuomo orders all nonessential workers stay at home in coronavirus crisis
Daily Mail
March 23, 2020
Dozens of once-glamorous designer stores in New York are now empty, desolate, and boarded up after Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered all non-essential workers to remain home to combat the spread of the coronavirus sweeping the state.
Upscale stores such as Chanel, Balenciaga and Celina - once the crown jewels of big city shopping - are now eerily empty and forlorn as companies clear the shelves and remove their merchandise.
New York City is reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic with the number of cases in the state climbing to 20,875. New York's cases account for an astonishing five percent of cases worldwide.
EDITOR'S NOTE: In Rabbi Mazuz's view, God must be especially pissed off at NYC because it holds bigger gay pride parades than San Francisco. And if Mayor de Blasio catches coronavirus, that's why too.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
COP SHOP COFFEE
By Trey Rusk
I began a career in law enforcement when I was 18. I went to work as a dispatcher/jailer in a small Texas police department in my hometown. I was taught basic radio terminology, record keeping and operating a tele-type machine. The jail part was fairly easy because I usually released the regretful prisoners in the morning. Most had headaches and just wanted to go home to family waiting in the lobby. Most public intoxication fines were $52.50 or one day of labor.
We had a Bunn-O-Matic two burner coffee machine. One fresh pot of coffee was to be on at all times. The Chief of Police taught me how to make the coffee. He came in one morning and I had made the coffee. He poured a cup then smelled it before tasting it. He said, “This won’t do.” I had followed directions on the side of the machine but those directions didn’t apply at the Cop Shop. The coffee was too weak and I hadn’t put a pinch of salt in the grounds. I was a quick study. No one ever complained about the coffee again.
I tell this story because I went to Starbucks the other day with a friend who ordered for me. It was expensive and tasted like a sweet hot syrupy mess. I couldn’t finish it and I couldn’t lie when he asked me how I liked it. It wasn’t coffee and he paid $14 total. People were standing in line to be ripped off! They were snooty and held out their pinky finger while wiping foam from their upper lip. It just wasn’t for me.
I later stopped at a convenience store and bought a hot cup of coffee for $1.23. It was strong and tasted like coffee should.
My wife doesn’t drink coffee so I make my coffee at home. I bought a one cup brewing device that allows me to fill a small basket with coffee to my taste. I must admit I sometimes using a Pecan blend.
Coffee making was just one of life’s lessons I learned at the Cop Shop. I also learned that there were good cops and better cops and some cops that simply weren’t worth a shit. I learned that most people that were brought in for drunk and disorderly weren’t bad people the next day. But the big lesson I learned was to treat people the way you would want to be treated. Later in my career that would pay dividends when I needed information to clear a case.
That’s the way I see it.
I began a career in law enforcement when I was 18. I went to work as a dispatcher/jailer in a small Texas police department in my hometown. I was taught basic radio terminology, record keeping and operating a tele-type machine. The jail part was fairly easy because I usually released the regretful prisoners in the morning. Most had headaches and just wanted to go home to family waiting in the lobby. Most public intoxication fines were $52.50 or one day of labor.
We had a Bunn-O-Matic two burner coffee machine. One fresh pot of coffee was to be on at all times. The Chief of Police taught me how to make the coffee. He came in one morning and I had made the coffee. He poured a cup then smelled it before tasting it. He said, “This won’t do.” I had followed directions on the side of the machine but those directions didn’t apply at the Cop Shop. The coffee was too weak and I hadn’t put a pinch of salt in the grounds. I was a quick study. No one ever complained about the coffee again.
I tell this story because I went to Starbucks the other day with a friend who ordered for me. It was expensive and tasted like a sweet hot syrupy mess. I couldn’t finish it and I couldn’t lie when he asked me how I liked it. It wasn’t coffee and he paid $14 total. People were standing in line to be ripped off! They were snooty and held out their pinky finger while wiping foam from their upper lip. It just wasn’t for me.
I later stopped at a convenience store and bought a hot cup of coffee for $1.23. It was strong and tasted like coffee should.
My wife doesn’t drink coffee so I make my coffee at home. I bought a one cup brewing device that allows me to fill a small basket with coffee to my taste. I must admit I sometimes using a Pecan blend.
Coffee making was just one of life’s lessons I learned at the Cop Shop. I also learned that there were good cops and better cops and some cops that simply weren’t worth a shit. I learned that most people that were brought in for drunk and disorderly weren’t bad people the next day. But the big lesson I learned was to treat people the way you would want to be treated. Later in my career that would pay dividends when I needed information to clear a case.
That’s the way I see it.
ITALY MAY HAVE PASSED THE HUMP
by Bob Walsh
Yesterday the Italian government announced that new Covid-19 cases were down for two days in a row. That is maybe not wonderful, but it sure as hell is better than the alternative. If new infections keep going in that direction this may give a modest bit of info on how long the infection curve tends to run.
Yesterday the Italian government announced that new Covid-19 cases were down for two days in a row. That is maybe not wonderful, but it sure as hell is better than the alternative. If new infections keep going in that direction this may give a modest bit of info on how long the infection curve tends to run.
PLAGUE REPORT UPDATE FROM STOCKTON
by Bob Walsh
I went out today to buy dog food. While doing so I cruised by my local Raley's Supermarket. Except for paper products and cleaning supplies things were in pretty good shape. Last week you could not get milk, bread, eggs or meat. There is plenty of that now. They are rationing, but it is in there. The parking lot was at normal for a Monday late morning. Maybe, just maybe, things are looking up.
I went out today to buy dog food. While doing so I cruised by my local Raley's Supermarket. Except for paper products and cleaning supplies things were in pretty good shape. Last week you could not get milk, bread, eggs or meat. There is plenty of that now. They are rationing, but it is in there. The parking lot was at normal for a Monday late morning. Maybe, just maybe, things are looking up.
OLYMPICS POSTPONED
by Bob Walsh
The International Olympic Committee announced yesterday that the 2020 games are being postponed. They don't know until when. Smart money is saying 2021.
EDITOR'S NOTE: OMG, I'm going to jump out the window ... OK, so I live in a one-story house.
The International Olympic Committee announced yesterday that the 2020 games are being postponed. They don't know until when. Smart money is saying 2021.
EDITOR'S NOTE: OMG, I'm going to jump out the window ... OK, so I live in a one-story house.
AMERICAN WOMAN RESCUED IN SECRETIVE MILITARY OP, TRUMP SAYS
By Richard Sisk
Military.com
March 22, 2020
President Donald Trump said Sunday that an unspecified military operation had been conducted in a "certain area" overseas to rescue a female U.S. citizen who was being "horribly treated."
Details on the operation and where it was conducted were initially being kept "somewhat private," Trump said, but he added that "we got her out and she's OK, and she's back with her parents."
At the beginning of a White House news conference on the coronavirus, the president spoke to efforts to bring U.S. citizens home from overseas during the pandemic, and cited cooperation from the governments of Peru and Honduras.
"We were able to get a young woman released from a certain area who was being horribly accosted, horribly treated," he then added.
Trump said he consulted with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, who "took care of it. We went in and we got her out, but that was rough stuff."
He thanked Milley "and all the people involved and people who went in to get her."
In a question-and-answer session at the news conference, Trump was asked for details, but said only that "bad things were happening to her in a certain country," adding that "Gen. Milley does not play games."
There was no immediate response from the Pentagon to questions on the operation.
Military.com
March 22, 2020
President Donald Trump said Sunday that an unspecified military operation had been conducted in a "certain area" overseas to rescue a female U.S. citizen who was being "horribly treated."
Details on the operation and where it was conducted were initially being kept "somewhat private," Trump said, but he added that "we got her out and she's OK, and she's back with her parents."
At the beginning of a White House news conference on the coronavirus, the president spoke to efforts to bring U.S. citizens home from overseas during the pandemic, and cited cooperation from the governments of Peru and Honduras.
"We were able to get a young woman released from a certain area who was being horribly accosted, horribly treated," he then added.
Trump said he consulted with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, who "took care of it. We went in and we got her out, but that was rough stuff."
He thanked Milley "and all the people involved and people who went in to get her."
In a question-and-answer session at the news conference, Trump was asked for details, but said only that "bad things were happening to her in a certain country," adding that "Gen. Milley does not play games."
There was no immediate response from the Pentagon to questions on the operation.
THE PRICE POLICE CHIEFS PAY FOR OPPOSING THE CJNG
Police chief in Veracruz killed for refusing to support the CJNG
Borderland Beat
March 21, 2020
Raymundo Elmer Prior Reyes, the municipal police chief of San Juan Evangelista, Veracruz, was murdered by suspected members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a criminal group based in Jalisco but with presence in several states across Mexico, including Veracruz.
According to police reports, Raymundo was killed as he drove his Ford pick-up truck through a highway near La Cerquilla rural community. A group of armed suspects tried to force him to a stop, but the police chief sped up to lose trace of them. He eventually lost control of his vehicle after it drove off the highway. The gunmen finished him off on the side of the road. His bullet-ridden body was found inside the vehicle.
There has been a wave of assassinations of people linked to the municipality of San Juan Evangelista in recent months. Last year, the police chief who proceeded Raymundo as killed. A few days later, the town’s ex-mayor was killed too. Investigators suspect Raymundo and others were killed for refusing to support the CJNG, who holds a stronghold in San Juan Evangelista.
Early life and career
Raymundo Elmer Prior Reyes was born in Ixhuatlán de Madero, Vercruz. In 1995, he was appointed as the mayor of his hometown as a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He held the role until 1997.
After his stint in politics, Raymundo held multiple roles as a police officer in Veracruz. He was an officer of the now-extinct Federal Judicial Police (PJF) and a commander in the Veracruz State Police in multiple cities across the state. Among the notable cases he presided over was the November 2006 murder of Veracruz cattle rancher and cacique (indigenous leader) Cirilo Vázquez Lagunes.
In his latest role before presiding over San Juan Evangelista’s police force, Raymundo was a commander in Veracruz’s Institute of Auxiliary Police and Heritage Protection (IPAX). He held the role until December 2018.
CJNG in San Juan Evangelista
The CJNG first arrived in Veracruz in 2011 and made their first public appearance by carrying out large public acts of violence to intimidate their turf rivals, Los Zetas. Over the years, the CJNG expanded under their leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) and became one of the largest criminal groups in Mexico alongside the Sinaloa Cartel.
In December 2019, Veracruz’s Secretary of Public Safety (SSP) chief Hugo Gutiérrez Maldonado confirmed that the municipalities of Acayucan, Sayula de Alemán, Hueyapan de Ocampo, Oteapan and San Juan Evangelista, were controlled by the CJNG.
The CJNG regional boss of San Juan Evangelista and of the other municipalities mentioned was Abraham Morales Trinidad (“Doble Cero”). He reported directly to José Roberto Sánchez Cortés (“El 80”), the leader of the CJNG in Veracruz. Under Doble Cero was CJNG lieutenant Félix Hernández (“El Garrobo”).
Authorities confirmed the arrests of CJNG members in December 2019 caused a major regrouping in the CJNG and motivated the rival Zetas cartel to push for an incursion in the region.
Murder
At around 11:00 a.m. on 17 March 2020, Raymundo was killed while he drove his Ford Lobo pick-up truck through federal highway Sayula-Ciudad Alemán in the municipality of San Juan Evangelista. Gunmen tried to force him to a stop but the police chief sped up to try to lose trace of the assassins. During the chase, he lost control of his vehicle and drove it the side of the highway. The gunmen finished him off while inside his vehicle. None of them have been arrest.
Raymundo was murdered for not supporting the CJNG’s activities in the area. It is rumored that he refused to allow the CJNG’s cattle theft operations and kidnappings in the area. His dispute with the CJNG dates back to August 2019, when police officers working under him detained 40 CJNG members who were looting ranches in the municipalities of Playa Vicente, Azueta, Isla, Rodríguez Clara (in Veracruz) and several others along the border with Oaxaca.
Raymundo is the second municipal police chief killed in San Juan Evangelista in about a year. On 6 February 2019, police chief Mariano Rodríguez Pérez (age 53) was killed in a drive-by shooting. Raymundo attended his funeral and succeeded him as the town’s police chief. It was suspected that Rodríguez Pérez was killed for not supporting the interests of the CJNG in southern Veracruz just like Raymundo.
A few days after Rodríguez Pérez’s death, on 14 February, former San Juan Evanglista mayor Adalbero Moreno Lara (age 56) was killed by gunmen in a drive-by shooting. His assassins left a written message inside his vehicle. The ex-mayor had survived a previous attempt on his life in 2015, when gunmen tried to kidnap him. It would not have been hard to imagine that Raymundo was probably next on the CJNG’s list.
Borderland Beat
March 21, 2020
Raymundo Elmer Prior Reyes, the municipal police chief of San Juan Evangelista, Veracruz, was murdered by suspected members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a criminal group based in Jalisco but with presence in several states across Mexico, including Veracruz.
According to police reports, Raymundo was killed as he drove his Ford pick-up truck through a highway near La Cerquilla rural community. A group of armed suspects tried to force him to a stop, but the police chief sped up to lose trace of them. He eventually lost control of his vehicle after it drove off the highway. The gunmen finished him off on the side of the road. His bullet-ridden body was found inside the vehicle.
There has been a wave of assassinations of people linked to the municipality of San Juan Evangelista in recent months. Last year, the police chief who proceeded Raymundo as killed. A few days later, the town’s ex-mayor was killed too. Investigators suspect Raymundo and others were killed for refusing to support the CJNG, who holds a stronghold in San Juan Evangelista.
Early life and career
Raymundo Elmer Prior Reyes was born in Ixhuatlán de Madero, Vercruz. In 1995, he was appointed as the mayor of his hometown as a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He held the role until 1997.
After his stint in politics, Raymundo held multiple roles as a police officer in Veracruz. He was an officer of the now-extinct Federal Judicial Police (PJF) and a commander in the Veracruz State Police in multiple cities across the state. Among the notable cases he presided over was the November 2006 murder of Veracruz cattle rancher and cacique (indigenous leader) Cirilo Vázquez Lagunes.
In his latest role before presiding over San Juan Evangelista’s police force, Raymundo was a commander in Veracruz’s Institute of Auxiliary Police and Heritage Protection (IPAX). He held the role until December 2018.
CJNG in San Juan Evangelista
The CJNG first arrived in Veracruz in 2011 and made their first public appearance by carrying out large public acts of violence to intimidate their turf rivals, Los Zetas. Over the years, the CJNG expanded under their leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) and became one of the largest criminal groups in Mexico alongside the Sinaloa Cartel.
In December 2019, Veracruz’s Secretary of Public Safety (SSP) chief Hugo Gutiérrez Maldonado confirmed that the municipalities of Acayucan, Sayula de Alemán, Hueyapan de Ocampo, Oteapan and San Juan Evangelista, were controlled by the CJNG.
The CJNG regional boss of San Juan Evangelista and of the other municipalities mentioned was Abraham Morales Trinidad (“Doble Cero”). He reported directly to José Roberto Sánchez Cortés (“El 80”), the leader of the CJNG in Veracruz. Under Doble Cero was CJNG lieutenant Félix Hernández (“El Garrobo”).
Authorities confirmed the arrests of CJNG members in December 2019 caused a major regrouping in the CJNG and motivated the rival Zetas cartel to push for an incursion in the region.
Murder
At around 11:00 a.m. on 17 March 2020, Raymundo was killed while he drove his Ford Lobo pick-up truck through federal highway Sayula-Ciudad Alemán in the municipality of San Juan Evangelista. Gunmen tried to force him to a stop but the police chief sped up to try to lose trace of the assassins. During the chase, he lost control of his vehicle and drove it the side of the highway. The gunmen finished him off while inside his vehicle. None of them have been arrest.
Raymundo was murdered for not supporting the CJNG’s activities in the area. It is rumored that he refused to allow the CJNG’s cattle theft operations and kidnappings in the area. His dispute with the CJNG dates back to August 2019, when police officers working under him detained 40 CJNG members who were looting ranches in the municipalities of Playa Vicente, Azueta, Isla, Rodríguez Clara (in Veracruz) and several others along the border with Oaxaca.
Raymundo is the second municipal police chief killed in San Juan Evangelista in about a year. On 6 February 2019, police chief Mariano Rodríguez Pérez (age 53) was killed in a drive-by shooting. Raymundo attended his funeral and succeeded him as the town’s police chief. It was suspected that Rodríguez Pérez was killed for not supporting the interests of the CJNG in southern Veracruz just like Raymundo.
A few days after Rodríguez Pérez’s death, on 14 February, former San Juan Evanglista mayor Adalbero Moreno Lara (age 56) was killed by gunmen in a drive-by shooting. His assassins left a written message inside his vehicle. The ex-mayor had survived a previous attempt on his life in 2015, when gunmen tried to kidnap him. It would not have been hard to imagine that Raymundo was probably next on the CJNG’s list.
HAS RUSSIA WON THE WAR ON THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC?
The Russian government has been confident to the point of boastful in ensuring its citizens and the world that the coronavirus is virtually nonexistent within its borders. But the Russian people are skeptical, with good reason
By Ariel Bulshtein
Israel Hayom
March 22, 2020
Ever since coronavirus became an epidemic and spread beyond the borders of China, the state of the virus in Russia has remained a mystery. On one hand, official government figures are so optimistic they border on arrogance. According to reports, only a small number of people in Russia have contracted the virus (slightly over 100 in a country of 150 million?), whereas Russia has more testing kits than it needs.
"We are ready for worse scenarios," say Russian government officials and spokespeople for the state media, claiming that they have about 40,000 ventilators – a veiled comparison to European countries like Italy, where a shortage of that piece of medical equipment has doomed hundreds.
The Russian government's promises should have calmed the population, but the opposite is occurring: The more the official channels promise, the more ordinary Russians worry, and sometimes start panicking. Talk on Russian social media is markedly distrustful of the political system, and horror stories are spreading about thousands across Russia who contracted the virus in the past few months without getting appropriate medical treatment or even being diagnosed.
It's not certain that this has to do with the coronavirus, because every winter Russia sees relatively high mortality from seasonal flu, etc. But if we consider that the Russian authorities, and the Soviet authorities before it, have not proved outstandingly trustworthy, it's not surprising that every rumor gains traction, causing increased fear and a decrease in trust.
The periphery is crying out
Russia's neighbors in the west are also skeptical. Last week, the European Union's foreign service issued an unprecedented document accusing government-aligned Russian news outlets of spreading disinformation about the coronavirus. This doesn't mean that Brussels has discovered anything new about how the Kremlin operates. But if accusations like this one were being voiced behind closed doors, now the EU has decided to air its suspicions publicly.
Why are the official numbers out of Russia worthy of doubt? First of all, we need to remember that Russia has a very long border with China (over 4,000 km or nearly 2,500 miles) and that crossings on both sides were very heavy and were not closed when the virus first spread beyond China. The Chinese have a notable presence in southeast Russia, but an astonishing number of Chinese tourists visit Russia's two main cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg, something that has remained almost unchanged since the inception of the coronavirus. When airlines all over the world stopped service to China, Russia's Aeroflot continued to fly to Beijing, possibly for political reasons.
A senior Russian official who asked to remain anonymous told me that on every fast train between Moscow and St. Petersburg – a line that carries thousands of passengers – "more than half the passengers are Chinese tourists."
"There are more than 10 of these trains in each direction each day, so draw your own conclusions. We could, of course, assume that only healthy Chinese visited Russia, while the sick ones might have preferred Italy or France, but what are the chances that is correct?" the official asked.
Secondly, Russia was very late compared to other countries in taking steps to issue closure regulations. Only last week was a decision made to shut museums and issue a statement that Lenin's mausoleum would be closed "for repairs." But with all due respect to the resting place of the communist proletarian leader, many more people use Moscow's subway (up to 9 million per day) than visit his tomb, and the subway is operating as usual and is as crowded as you might expect of a major metropolis.
Third, we are hearing more reports about attempts by Russian officials to acquire equipment to treat the coronavirus. The fact that these reports are coming out of relatively wealthy areas in Russia, like St. Petersburg, raises the question: if there are equipment shortages in well-to-do areas, what is happening in the periphery, where medical care is poor even in normal times? Despite the suspicions, Russia is not changing its certain, boastful tone.
Dmitri Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, has avoided giving any direct answers to journalists' questions about whether Putin himself had been tested for the virus. "The president's publicly available schedule is the best evidence of his health," Peskov declared in the manner that is so typical of Putin's Kremlin. However, all administrative workers who come into contact, direct or indirect, with the "command" are now regularly tested.
The conspiracy against the US
Despite the dangers, Russia's leaders see geopolitical opportunities in the pandemic, or at least opportunities for propaganda. They see events unfolding in Europe as proof of their ideological rivals' weakness -- the same rivals who preach at Russia to change its ways and apply sanctions against it.
The Kremlin's mouthpieces in the media haven't stopped repeating a message that aims to fault western democracies and the way they are handling the threat, which is portrayed as either too soft or too harsh. "Look at how everything in the West is collapsing," they say, not without some schadenfreude. "The democracies can't handle the challenge, so why bother to play with democracy?"
A few of the government propagandists go a step further and predict that the world will never return to what it was prior to coronavirus and that western society will learn the hard way that its principles of individual liberty should give way to Russia's traditional collectivism. Every drop on the New York and London stock exchanges are offered up as proof of this theory without any mention of how weaker economies – such as Russia's – could suffer even a worse blow from the pandemic.
One need only look at what is happening to oil prices, and the Russian ruble's continued slide against the dollar, to begin worrying about Russia's economy. Remember, President Putin has proposed constitutional changes that give him an exemption to the two-term limit. The vote on these amendments is scheduled for April 22, and we can assume that the authorities will try to send a message of "business as usual" to increase voter turnout.
Authoritarian China's success in stopping the virus, compared to the desperate situation in Europe, has sparked deep feelings of identification among the Russians. When a Chinese government representative accused the US of spreading the coronavirus, the accusation was immediately backed up by Russia. Franz Klintsevich, a member of Russia's Senate from the ruling party, claimed that the Americans created the virus to "wipe out geopolitical competitors." He didn't ask the Chinese for any proof of their claim, but predicted that the US would exploit its tools and geographic position to repair the American economy and rule the world without interference while other countries fell into "economic slavery." Conspiracy theories have always been in demand in the space between Kaliningrad and Vladivostok.
By Ariel Bulshtein
Israel Hayom
March 22, 2020
Ever since coronavirus became an epidemic and spread beyond the borders of China, the state of the virus in Russia has remained a mystery. On one hand, official government figures are so optimistic they border on arrogance. According to reports, only a small number of people in Russia have contracted the virus (slightly over 100 in a country of 150 million?), whereas Russia has more testing kits than it needs.
"We are ready for worse scenarios," say Russian government officials and spokespeople for the state media, claiming that they have about 40,000 ventilators – a veiled comparison to European countries like Italy, where a shortage of that piece of medical equipment has doomed hundreds.
The Russian government's promises should have calmed the population, but the opposite is occurring: The more the official channels promise, the more ordinary Russians worry, and sometimes start panicking. Talk on Russian social media is markedly distrustful of the political system, and horror stories are spreading about thousands across Russia who contracted the virus in the past few months without getting appropriate medical treatment or even being diagnosed.
It's not certain that this has to do with the coronavirus, because every winter Russia sees relatively high mortality from seasonal flu, etc. But if we consider that the Russian authorities, and the Soviet authorities before it, have not proved outstandingly trustworthy, it's not surprising that every rumor gains traction, causing increased fear and a decrease in trust.
The periphery is crying out
Russia's neighbors in the west are also skeptical. Last week, the European Union's foreign service issued an unprecedented document accusing government-aligned Russian news outlets of spreading disinformation about the coronavirus. This doesn't mean that Brussels has discovered anything new about how the Kremlin operates. But if accusations like this one were being voiced behind closed doors, now the EU has decided to air its suspicions publicly.
Why are the official numbers out of Russia worthy of doubt? First of all, we need to remember that Russia has a very long border with China (over 4,000 km or nearly 2,500 miles) and that crossings on both sides were very heavy and were not closed when the virus first spread beyond China. The Chinese have a notable presence in southeast Russia, but an astonishing number of Chinese tourists visit Russia's two main cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg, something that has remained almost unchanged since the inception of the coronavirus. When airlines all over the world stopped service to China, Russia's Aeroflot continued to fly to Beijing, possibly for political reasons.
A senior Russian official who asked to remain anonymous told me that on every fast train between Moscow and St. Petersburg – a line that carries thousands of passengers – "more than half the passengers are Chinese tourists."
"There are more than 10 of these trains in each direction each day, so draw your own conclusions. We could, of course, assume that only healthy Chinese visited Russia, while the sick ones might have preferred Italy or France, but what are the chances that is correct?" the official asked.
Secondly, Russia was very late compared to other countries in taking steps to issue closure regulations. Only last week was a decision made to shut museums and issue a statement that Lenin's mausoleum would be closed "for repairs." But with all due respect to the resting place of the communist proletarian leader, many more people use Moscow's subway (up to 9 million per day) than visit his tomb, and the subway is operating as usual and is as crowded as you might expect of a major metropolis.
Third, we are hearing more reports about attempts by Russian officials to acquire equipment to treat the coronavirus. The fact that these reports are coming out of relatively wealthy areas in Russia, like St. Petersburg, raises the question: if there are equipment shortages in well-to-do areas, what is happening in the periphery, where medical care is poor even in normal times? Despite the suspicions, Russia is not changing its certain, boastful tone.
Dmitri Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, has avoided giving any direct answers to journalists' questions about whether Putin himself had been tested for the virus. "The president's publicly available schedule is the best evidence of his health," Peskov declared in the manner that is so typical of Putin's Kremlin. However, all administrative workers who come into contact, direct or indirect, with the "command" are now regularly tested.
The conspiracy against the US
Despite the dangers, Russia's leaders see geopolitical opportunities in the pandemic, or at least opportunities for propaganda. They see events unfolding in Europe as proof of their ideological rivals' weakness -- the same rivals who preach at Russia to change its ways and apply sanctions against it.
The Kremlin's mouthpieces in the media haven't stopped repeating a message that aims to fault western democracies and the way they are handling the threat, which is portrayed as either too soft or too harsh. "Look at how everything in the West is collapsing," they say, not without some schadenfreude. "The democracies can't handle the challenge, so why bother to play with democracy?"
A few of the government propagandists go a step further and predict that the world will never return to what it was prior to coronavirus and that western society will learn the hard way that its principles of individual liberty should give way to Russia's traditional collectivism. Every drop on the New York and London stock exchanges are offered up as proof of this theory without any mention of how weaker economies – such as Russia's – could suffer even a worse blow from the pandemic.
One need only look at what is happening to oil prices, and the Russian ruble's continued slide against the dollar, to begin worrying about Russia's economy. Remember, President Putin has proposed constitutional changes that give him an exemption to the two-term limit. The vote on these amendments is scheduled for April 22, and we can assume that the authorities will try to send a message of "business as usual" to increase voter turnout.
Authoritarian China's success in stopping the virus, compared to the desperate situation in Europe, has sparked deep feelings of identification among the Russians. When a Chinese government representative accused the US of spreading the coronavirus, the accusation was immediately backed up by Russia. Franz Klintsevich, a member of Russia's Senate from the ruling party, claimed that the Americans created the virus to "wipe out geopolitical competitors." He didn't ask the Chinese for any proof of their claim, but predicted that the US would exploit its tools and geographic position to repair the American economy and rule the world without interference while other countries fell into "economic slavery." Conspiracy theories have always been in demand in the space between Kaliningrad and Vladivostok.
TEXAS GOVERNOR ABBOT MUST BE WAITING FOR THE SKY TO FALL IN
LIST: States that have issued stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic
By Nexstar Media Wire
Nexstar
March 22, 2020
DALLAS -- Thirteen states have issued orders restricting movement of residents in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Current restrictions include the three biggest cities in the United States — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of the current lockdown orders:
California
Californians awoke Friday to a new reality after the governor issued stay-at-home orders for nearly 40 million people amid the coronavirus outbreak. The move by Gov. Gavin Newsom was the first in the country in the effort to curb the pandemic.
The order was a stunning development and further blow to businesses and workers.
California is one of the hardest-hit states with 1,185 confirmed cases and 23 deaths as of Friday, reported KTLA.
Residents have been told to stay 6 feet away from others, not gather in groups and wash their hands frequently.
Connecticut
In his daily address Friday, Governor Ned Lamont announced a “Stay safe, stay at home” policy, telling all “non-essential” businesses and not-for-profit entities to stay closed for an indefinite time period, beginning at 8 p.m. on Monday, March 23.
He is asking that all businesses that can have employees work from home do so, according to WTNH.
Delaware
Gov. John Carney has issued a stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Delaware Public Media.
The order goes into effect Tuesday morning. It requires all non-essential businesses to close.
Illinois
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s “stay-at-home” order is set to begin Saturday afternoon and go until April . According to WGN, the order will mean residents can still go to the grocery stores, put gas in their cars, take walks outside and make pharmacy runs.
All local roads, including the interstate highways and tollways, will remain open to traffic, as well. Delivery works should still report to work, the governor said.
Businesses such as gyms, spas, salons, barber shops and tattoo parlors must close by Saturday.
Indiana
Governor Eric Holcomb is ordering citizens to stay home from March 25 to April 7.
People must remain home except for essential work duties or for permitted activities such as taking care of others, obtaining necessary supplies and for health and safety, according to Fox 59.
Louisiana
On Sunday, Governor John Bel Edwards issued a statewide “stay at home” order.
The order itself is slated to go into effect at 5 p.m. on March 23, according to WGNO. The order will stay in place through Monday. April 13.
Massachusetts
Governor Charlie Baker has ordered all non-essential businesses to close, effective noon Tuesday, March 24.
The governor also announced Monday that he and state health officials are issuing a stay at home advisory for the residents of Massachusetts.
Both will remain in effect until April 7, according to WWLP.
Michigan
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued a stay-at-home order for Michigan residents.
The order is expected to last at least three weeks, according to WOOD-TV.
New Jersey
On Saturday, Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order telling all residents to stay at home until further notice.
The order includes some exceptions like obtaining essential goods, seeking medical attention, visiting family, reporting to work or enjoying outdoor activities.
The order mandates work from home arrangements when possible and prohibits all social gatherings.
New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering all workers in nonessential businesses to stay home and banning gatherings statewide. Cuomo announced the restrictions Friday that take effect Sunday, according to WTEN in Albany.
He also says nonessential gatherings of individuals of any size or for any reason are canceled or postponed. The Democratic governor took the dramatic actions as confirmed cases in New York climbed to more than 10,000 as of Saturday.
Cuomo says people can still go out for solitary exercise to protect their physical and mental health.
The steps to contain the virus come as Southern Europe’s medical system is buckling. The pandemic marked a grim milestone with a global death toll that now surpasses 10,000. In Spain and Italy, patients are filling up sick wards and field hospitals are going up in hotels and a convention center in Madrid.
Ohio
Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health has issued a stay-at-home order for all of Ohio.
DeWine made the announcement Sunday during his daily news conference to update on the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, stating that ODH Director Dr. Amy Acton has signed the order.
“There is really nothing in that order, that we have not already been talking about,” said DeWine. “There’s nothing in that order, that I have not been asking you to do for the last week or so.”
The order will go until at least April 6, when it will be reevaluated, according to DeWine.
West Virginia
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice says he has declared a stay-home order to go into effect at 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 24th. He also declared Wednesday, March 25th a day of state prayer.
Justice says people will be able to leave their homes to receive essential services, go to work at essential businesses, or go outdoors as long as they remain as a six-foot distance. Further details will be available on the governor’s website.
Wisconsin
Governor Tony Evers says he’ll sign an order that closes all non-essential businesses and urges people to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19.
This order will be executed Tuesday, according to WFRV.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Texas Governor Abbott may be trying to avoid the economic impact a lockdown will have on the state … but at what cost?
By Nexstar Media Wire
Nexstar
March 22, 2020
DALLAS -- Thirteen states have issued orders restricting movement of residents in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Current restrictions include the three biggest cities in the United States — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of the current lockdown orders:
California
Californians awoke Friday to a new reality after the governor issued stay-at-home orders for nearly 40 million people amid the coronavirus outbreak. The move by Gov. Gavin Newsom was the first in the country in the effort to curb the pandemic.
The order was a stunning development and further blow to businesses and workers.
California is one of the hardest-hit states with 1,185 confirmed cases and 23 deaths as of Friday, reported KTLA.
Residents have been told to stay 6 feet away from others, not gather in groups and wash their hands frequently.
Connecticut
In his daily address Friday, Governor Ned Lamont announced a “Stay safe, stay at home” policy, telling all “non-essential” businesses and not-for-profit entities to stay closed for an indefinite time period, beginning at 8 p.m. on Monday, March 23.
He is asking that all businesses that can have employees work from home do so, according to WTNH.
Delaware
Gov. John Carney has issued a stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Delaware Public Media.
The order goes into effect Tuesday morning. It requires all non-essential businesses to close.
Illinois
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s “stay-at-home” order is set to begin Saturday afternoon and go until April . According to WGN, the order will mean residents can still go to the grocery stores, put gas in their cars, take walks outside and make pharmacy runs.
All local roads, including the interstate highways and tollways, will remain open to traffic, as well. Delivery works should still report to work, the governor said.
Businesses such as gyms, spas, salons, barber shops and tattoo parlors must close by Saturday.
Indiana
Governor Eric Holcomb is ordering citizens to stay home from March 25 to April 7.
People must remain home except for essential work duties or for permitted activities such as taking care of others, obtaining necessary supplies and for health and safety, according to Fox 59.
Louisiana
On Sunday, Governor John Bel Edwards issued a statewide “stay at home” order.
The order itself is slated to go into effect at 5 p.m. on March 23, according to WGNO. The order will stay in place through Monday. April 13.
Massachusetts
Governor Charlie Baker has ordered all non-essential businesses to close, effective noon Tuesday, March 24.
The governor also announced Monday that he and state health officials are issuing a stay at home advisory for the residents of Massachusetts.
Both will remain in effect until April 7, according to WWLP.
Michigan
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued a stay-at-home order for Michigan residents.
The order is expected to last at least three weeks, according to WOOD-TV.
New Jersey
On Saturday, Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order telling all residents to stay at home until further notice.
The order includes some exceptions like obtaining essential goods, seeking medical attention, visiting family, reporting to work or enjoying outdoor activities.
The order mandates work from home arrangements when possible and prohibits all social gatherings.
New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering all workers in nonessential businesses to stay home and banning gatherings statewide. Cuomo announced the restrictions Friday that take effect Sunday, according to WTEN in Albany.
He also says nonessential gatherings of individuals of any size or for any reason are canceled or postponed. The Democratic governor took the dramatic actions as confirmed cases in New York climbed to more than 10,000 as of Saturday.
Cuomo says people can still go out for solitary exercise to protect their physical and mental health.
The steps to contain the virus come as Southern Europe’s medical system is buckling. The pandemic marked a grim milestone with a global death toll that now surpasses 10,000. In Spain and Italy, patients are filling up sick wards and field hospitals are going up in hotels and a convention center in Madrid.
Ohio
Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health has issued a stay-at-home order for all of Ohio.
DeWine made the announcement Sunday during his daily news conference to update on the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, stating that ODH Director Dr. Amy Acton has signed the order.
“There is really nothing in that order, that we have not already been talking about,” said DeWine. “There’s nothing in that order, that I have not been asking you to do for the last week or so.”
The order will go until at least April 6, when it will be reevaluated, according to DeWine.
West Virginia
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice says he has declared a stay-home order to go into effect at 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 24th. He also declared Wednesday, March 25th a day of state prayer.
Justice says people will be able to leave their homes to receive essential services, go to work at essential businesses, or go outdoors as long as they remain as a six-foot distance. Further details will be available on the governor’s website.
Wisconsin
Governor Tony Evers says he’ll sign an order that closes all non-essential businesses and urges people to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19.
This order will be executed Tuesday, according to WFRV.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Texas Governor Abbott may be trying to avoid the economic impact a lockdown will have on the state … but at what cost?
HAMAS WIELDS CORONAVIRUS TO EXTORT MORE MONEY
Threatens to double number of infected in Israel if Arab states don’t pay up
By Ryan Jones
Israel Today
March 23, 2020
It was just a matter of time before Palestinian terror groups like Hamas exploited the coronavirus as part of their ongoing conflict with Israel.
Over the weekend, senior Hamas officials notified Egypt and Qatar that they would dramatically increase the number of Israelis infected with COVID-19 if those two Arab states failed to continue to financially support the terror group during the current global crisis.
That according to Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, which has ties to Hamas.
It was unclear from the report, translated by the Tazpit Press Service (TPS), if Hamas intended to further spread the coronavirus to Israel through infected persons, or to help it proliferate by forcing Israelis into crowded bomb shelters.
Israel reportedly responded that it would not tolerate rocket attacks from Gaza at this time, though it is difficult to imagine the IDF launching any kind of serious military retaliation during the coronavirus crisis for fear of global condemnation.
Al Akhbar also claimed that Hamas wants Qatar and Egypt to pressure Israel to send more medical equipment to Gaza.
Israel aids Palestinians
The Palestinian-ruled territories are woefully unprepared to handle a pandemic, and this is particularly true of the Gaza Strip, which has been isolated for well over a decade due to Hamas’ violent behavior.
Israel has stepped up by earmarking for the Palestinians a sizeable portion of the supplies being imported to the Jewish state aboard Air Force planes.
“Our efforts against this virus stem not merely from a legal duty, but from a humanitarian and moral one, with an understanding that this pathogen does not care about national borders,” Col. Sharon Biton, head of civilian affairs at the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, told Israel’s Ynet news portal.
Catastrophe waiting to happen
Gaza on Sunday confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus. The infected are local Palestinians who attended a conference in Pakistan earlier in the month. Everyone who has come into contact with them since their return has been put in quarantine.
Gaza’s isolation was at first seen as a positive as the world struggled to contain COVID-19. For weeks, the coastal enclave was referred to as the safest place in the world, at least as far as the pandemic was concerned.
But with the coronavirus now rearing its head in Gaza, there is serious concern that it could spread rapidly in the densely-populated territory. And were that to happen, Hamas’ systematic mismanagement would result in the near-immediate collapse of the local health care system.
By Ryan Jones
Israel Today
March 23, 2020
It was just a matter of time before Palestinian terror groups like Hamas exploited the coronavirus as part of their ongoing conflict with Israel.
Over the weekend, senior Hamas officials notified Egypt and Qatar that they would dramatically increase the number of Israelis infected with COVID-19 if those two Arab states failed to continue to financially support the terror group during the current global crisis.
That according to Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, which has ties to Hamas.
It was unclear from the report, translated by the Tazpit Press Service (TPS), if Hamas intended to further spread the coronavirus to Israel through infected persons, or to help it proliferate by forcing Israelis into crowded bomb shelters.
Israel reportedly responded that it would not tolerate rocket attacks from Gaza at this time, though it is difficult to imagine the IDF launching any kind of serious military retaliation during the coronavirus crisis for fear of global condemnation.
Al Akhbar also claimed that Hamas wants Qatar and Egypt to pressure Israel to send more medical equipment to Gaza.
Israel aids Palestinians
The Palestinian-ruled territories are woefully unprepared to handle a pandemic, and this is particularly true of the Gaza Strip, which has been isolated for well over a decade due to Hamas’ violent behavior.
Israel has stepped up by earmarking for the Palestinians a sizeable portion of the supplies being imported to the Jewish state aboard Air Force planes.
“Our efforts against this virus stem not merely from a legal duty, but from a humanitarian and moral one, with an understanding that this pathogen does not care about national borders,” Col. Sharon Biton, head of civilian affairs at the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, told Israel’s Ynet news portal.
Catastrophe waiting to happen
Gaza on Sunday confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus. The infected are local Palestinians who attended a conference in Pakistan earlier in the month. Everyone who has come into contact with them since their return has been put in quarantine.
Gaza’s isolation was at first seen as a positive as the world struggled to contain COVID-19. For weeks, the coastal enclave was referred to as the safest place in the world, at least as far as the pandemic was concerned.
But with the coronavirus now rearing its head in Gaza, there is serious concern that it could spread rapidly in the densely-populated territory. And were that to happen, Hamas’ systematic mismanagement would result in the near-immediate collapse of the local health care system.
Monday, March 23, 2020
PLAGUE UPDATE FROM SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
by Bob Walsh
For those of you who may be absolutely dying for news from CA here comes the unvarnished truth on the Covid-19 impact locally.
There are 53 known infected persons including two deaths.
Fortunately the infection has had little impact on the unlicensed pharmaceutical salesmen, commercial sex workers and irregular property acquisition agents who are the small-business backbone of the local economy.
The book stores are indeed closed. However, the WiFi and Barnes and Noble is still up and since there is nobody there you can download books faster than a cat with its tail on fire. Normally their WiFi runs like a 3-legged cow.
Gun stores are still open. I am guessing that is because CA does not have instant background checks so there is a 10-day waiting period. After a 20-day window you have to reapply. I suspect the gun stores can justify staying open because of that. I have, however, noticed that they are letting only very few people in at a time and there is a holding pattern outside the stores. I am NOT seeing panic buying of ammo here. That does not mean it isn't happening. I buy very little ammo in gun stores. Mostly I hijack trucks to get mine.
The local community college has a large nursing program and other medical-technical programs, largely to feed into the CA prison system. There is some worry that those folks may not be able to get their clinic hours in and therefore may not get their cert at the end of this semester.
Buttwipe, hand sanitizer and spray disinfectant is still in short supply. Very short.
Tuesday morning I am going to try to hit Safeway during their old-farts only hours and see how well that works. I will let you know.
I am thinking of ordering a T-shirt with a representation of a plague flag on it. What do you think? I mean, how many people will even know what the hell it is any more?
For those of you who may be absolutely dying for news from CA here comes the unvarnished truth on the Covid-19 impact locally.
There are 53 known infected persons including two deaths.
Fortunately the infection has had little impact on the unlicensed pharmaceutical salesmen, commercial sex workers and irregular property acquisition agents who are the small-business backbone of the local economy.
The book stores are indeed closed. However, the WiFi and Barnes and Noble is still up and since there is nobody there you can download books faster than a cat with its tail on fire. Normally their WiFi runs like a 3-legged cow.
Gun stores are still open. I am guessing that is because CA does not have instant background checks so there is a 10-day waiting period. After a 20-day window you have to reapply. I suspect the gun stores can justify staying open because of that. I have, however, noticed that they are letting only very few people in at a time and there is a holding pattern outside the stores. I am NOT seeing panic buying of ammo here. That does not mean it isn't happening. I buy very little ammo in gun stores. Mostly I hijack trucks to get mine.
The local community college has a large nursing program and other medical-technical programs, largely to feed into the CA prison system. There is some worry that those folks may not be able to get their clinic hours in and therefore may not get their cert at the end of this semester.
Buttwipe, hand sanitizer and spray disinfectant is still in short supply. Very short.
Tuesday morning I am going to try to hit Safeway during their old-farts only hours and see how well that works. I will let you know.
I am thinking of ordering a T-shirt with a representation of a plague flag on it. What do you think? I mean, how many people will even know what the hell it is any more?
ICE HOCKY AND FORMULA 1 ARE MY FAVORITE SPORTS, BUT I CANNOT WATCH THEM ON TV BECAUSE OF THE CORONA CRISIS
Coronavirus and F1: Delayed start or no season at all? What happens next in Formula 1?
By Andrew Benson
Formula 1
March 20, 2020
The global coronavirus crisis has sent shockwaves through sport and Formula 1, like all other major organisations, is grappling with the question of how to move forward.
The season has been thrown into disarray. The first six races have been postponed - or cancelled completely in the case of the Monaco Grand Prix, the jewel in F1's crown - and as coronavirus spreads, no-one is quite sure what happens next.
But tentative plans are already being discussed by the sport's bosses, so let's look at the situation in detail and analyse how F1 might get its show back on the road later this year.
Will there even be a 2020 F1 season?
Let's start with the worst-case scenario: that F1 cannot happen this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
That might sound alarmist - and it is not something F1 is considering at this stage - but it has to be at least a possibility because it is impossible to predict how the global situation will develop.
Some countries - such as South Korea and Singapore - have had success in containing the virus; others have not. In some, outbreaks have barely started, but will inevitably spread, extending the timeline over which the world is dealing with the problem.
There remains a debate about the various approaches to slowing coronavirus down, and no certainty as to which countries will deal with it best.
The point is that an F1 season cannot start until the world has a grasp of the virus. The sport requires international travel, and it's impossible to know at what point countries will start to ease restrictions on that.
So, realistically, there will be no F1 until there are clear signs the virus is suppressed. And that is likely to take months. The question is: how many?
When might the season start?
Over the past week, a working plan for a revamped 2020 season was circulating among F1's teams in the immediate aftermath of the cancelled Australian Grand Prix.
The idea was to try to start the season with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 7 June, and then carry on from there, slotting in as many of the abandoned races as possible on the way.
If that proves possible, then the Dutch Grand Prix would move to be twinned with either the Hungarian or Belgian races which bookend August, and perhaps Spain could be crammed into the summer as well.
After that, once the long-haul races start, the hope would be to continue with Singapore, Russia, Japan, USA and Mexico on their existing dates. The season finale in Abu Dhabi - which contracts dictate must be the final race - would move back a week or two and Vietnam and Bahrain slipped into the space created. Brazil looks vulnerable, more on that in a moment.
In that scenario, the season could be in the region of 17 races long and it would look much like a normal - albeit delayed - championship.
But will the world be ready for Azerbaijan to host a race in early June? Or Canada a week later? Or France and Austria in late June and early July? And so on. No-one knows.
What if there are no races until the autumn?
It is entirely feasible that F1 will not even be able to start until the Singapore race in mid-September.
Even then, it would be possible to complete the criterion set out in the rules that a season must have at least eight races to count as a World Championship.
The sports bosses are keeping all options open, including extending the 2020 season into early 2021, and then starting the 2021 championship a little later than normal.
And one of the key takeaways from the series of decisions made in the past week is that the teams have waived their normal consultation rights over the calendar to allow F1 to do what is necessary to salvage the season.
Of course, teams will still be asked for their views, but there is an acceptance throughout the sport that, once the season starts, the schedule will be brutal - but that is just the way it has to be.
What races are likely to be left out?
A truncated season inevitably means some races that were initially on the 2020 calendar will have to be cancelled.
Monaco has already fallen on its sword, announcing shortly after it was postponed by F1 on Thursday that there would be no race this year because it would be impossible to find another date.
Even before the Australian Grand Prix was called off on 13 March, F1 already had a list of events that were deemed 'expendable' this season - and they were Bahrain, Brazil, Monaco and Spain.
The last three were on the list because they either pay no fees - in the case of Monaco, and Brazil under its existing contract - or a relatively small one, in the case of Spain.
Bahrain is one of the best-paying races, but the Crown Prince, the de facto boss of the race, is amenable to deal with and would be prepared to accept his race not happening this year on the basis that he would receive a quid pro quo further down the line.
Since then, things have moved on. And it is now likely that F1 will try to squeeze Bahrain in towards the end of the season on consecutive weekends with nearby Abu Dhabi.
As for which other races disappear, that depends entirely on logistics. An attempt will be made to organise the calendar by geography as much as possible. And if the championship cannot start until September, for example, the chances of European races surviving reduce because of the change of seasons.
China - in the context of it being where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged, the likelihood of the country not being keen on external visitors even once it is under control, and the general unpopularity of the race among F1 personnel - could well also miss out.
What will the financial impact be?
The coronavirus pandemic poses a serious threat to the financial stability of F1.
The vast majority of the sport's $1.8bn (£1.5bn) income comes from two places: race-hosting fees and broadcast rights. Both will be reduced this year.
This explains why, for now, races are being postponed. And the reluctance to call off races in the first place. Because contracts dictate that if the race promoter cancels the race, they still pay their fee. If F1 does it, the sport loses the money.
Contracts with television companies complicate the matter further, in that there must be a minimum of 16 races to guarantee full payment of rights-holding fees.
But that does not mean TV money will disappear if there are fewer than 16 races, because payments are subject to a sliding scale as the number of grands prix drops below that.
It is inevitable that the sport will take a financial hit this year, which means teams will too, because they are paid via a complicated formula based on F1's income.
The big, well-funded teams such as Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Renault should be able to absorb this without too much pain. But for those at the other end of the grid, such as Williams and Alfa Romeo (which is the Swiss privately owned Sauber team with a new name thanks to a cash injection from Fiat), this could be a difficult time.
F1 is aware of this and has already started conversations about how they can help if needed.
But there is also the wider question of the sport itself. The F1 Group is leveraged with a significant amount of debt. So how big a risk is the inevitable drop in income to the company that runs the sport?
What will be the impact on the history books?
This is a potentially historic F1 season, with Lewis Hamilton favourite to win a championship that would see him equal Michael Schumacher's all-time record of seven drivers' titles.
With a reduced number of races, some might question whether the championship - whoever wins it - means as much as it would have done had it run its planned course.
But that is to disregard F1 history. This would have been the first year F1 had held so many races - and making the season that long is controversial in itself. Many feel it should be shorter.
It is only in the past decade that we have crept up to 20 races and more. Back in the 2000s, it was more usual to have 17 or 18 races. In the 1990s, 16 or 17 was common.
The number has been going up throughout F1 history. In the 1950s, there were fewer than 10 grands prix in a season.
When the great Juan Manuel Fangio won the last of his five titles in 1957, there were only eight races - and no-one questions his right to be called a champion.
As long as F1 can hold eight races this year, there will be a world champion. All the rest will simply be how and why.
By Andrew Benson
Formula 1
March 20, 2020
The global coronavirus crisis has sent shockwaves through sport and Formula 1, like all other major organisations, is grappling with the question of how to move forward.
The season has been thrown into disarray. The first six races have been postponed - or cancelled completely in the case of the Monaco Grand Prix, the jewel in F1's crown - and as coronavirus spreads, no-one is quite sure what happens next.
But tentative plans are already being discussed by the sport's bosses, so let's look at the situation in detail and analyse how F1 might get its show back on the road later this year.
Will there even be a 2020 F1 season?
Let's start with the worst-case scenario: that F1 cannot happen this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
That might sound alarmist - and it is not something F1 is considering at this stage - but it has to be at least a possibility because it is impossible to predict how the global situation will develop.
Some countries - such as South Korea and Singapore - have had success in containing the virus; others have not. In some, outbreaks have barely started, but will inevitably spread, extending the timeline over which the world is dealing with the problem.
There remains a debate about the various approaches to slowing coronavirus down, and no certainty as to which countries will deal with it best.
The point is that an F1 season cannot start until the world has a grasp of the virus. The sport requires international travel, and it's impossible to know at what point countries will start to ease restrictions on that.
So, realistically, there will be no F1 until there are clear signs the virus is suppressed. And that is likely to take months. The question is: how many?
When might the season start?
Over the past week, a working plan for a revamped 2020 season was circulating among F1's teams in the immediate aftermath of the cancelled Australian Grand Prix.
The idea was to try to start the season with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 7 June, and then carry on from there, slotting in as many of the abandoned races as possible on the way.
If that proves possible, then the Dutch Grand Prix would move to be twinned with either the Hungarian or Belgian races which bookend August, and perhaps Spain could be crammed into the summer as well.
After that, once the long-haul races start, the hope would be to continue with Singapore, Russia, Japan, USA and Mexico on their existing dates. The season finale in Abu Dhabi - which contracts dictate must be the final race - would move back a week or two and Vietnam and Bahrain slipped into the space created. Brazil looks vulnerable, more on that in a moment.
In that scenario, the season could be in the region of 17 races long and it would look much like a normal - albeit delayed - championship.
But will the world be ready for Azerbaijan to host a race in early June? Or Canada a week later? Or France and Austria in late June and early July? And so on. No-one knows.
What if there are no races until the autumn?
It is entirely feasible that F1 will not even be able to start until the Singapore race in mid-September.
Even then, it would be possible to complete the criterion set out in the rules that a season must have at least eight races to count as a World Championship.
The sports bosses are keeping all options open, including extending the 2020 season into early 2021, and then starting the 2021 championship a little later than normal.
And one of the key takeaways from the series of decisions made in the past week is that the teams have waived their normal consultation rights over the calendar to allow F1 to do what is necessary to salvage the season.
Of course, teams will still be asked for their views, but there is an acceptance throughout the sport that, once the season starts, the schedule will be brutal - but that is just the way it has to be.
What races are likely to be left out?
A truncated season inevitably means some races that were initially on the 2020 calendar will have to be cancelled.
Monaco has already fallen on its sword, announcing shortly after it was postponed by F1 on Thursday that there would be no race this year because it would be impossible to find another date.
Even before the Australian Grand Prix was called off on 13 March, F1 already had a list of events that were deemed 'expendable' this season - and they were Bahrain, Brazil, Monaco and Spain.
The last three were on the list because they either pay no fees - in the case of Monaco, and Brazil under its existing contract - or a relatively small one, in the case of Spain.
Bahrain is one of the best-paying races, but the Crown Prince, the de facto boss of the race, is amenable to deal with and would be prepared to accept his race not happening this year on the basis that he would receive a quid pro quo further down the line.
Since then, things have moved on. And it is now likely that F1 will try to squeeze Bahrain in towards the end of the season on consecutive weekends with nearby Abu Dhabi.
As for which other races disappear, that depends entirely on logistics. An attempt will be made to organise the calendar by geography as much as possible. And if the championship cannot start until September, for example, the chances of European races surviving reduce because of the change of seasons.
China - in the context of it being where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged, the likelihood of the country not being keen on external visitors even once it is under control, and the general unpopularity of the race among F1 personnel - could well also miss out.
What will the financial impact be?
The coronavirus pandemic poses a serious threat to the financial stability of F1.
The vast majority of the sport's $1.8bn (£1.5bn) income comes from two places: race-hosting fees and broadcast rights. Both will be reduced this year.
This explains why, for now, races are being postponed. And the reluctance to call off races in the first place. Because contracts dictate that if the race promoter cancels the race, they still pay their fee. If F1 does it, the sport loses the money.
Contracts with television companies complicate the matter further, in that there must be a minimum of 16 races to guarantee full payment of rights-holding fees.
But that does not mean TV money will disappear if there are fewer than 16 races, because payments are subject to a sliding scale as the number of grands prix drops below that.
It is inevitable that the sport will take a financial hit this year, which means teams will too, because they are paid via a complicated formula based on F1's income.
The big, well-funded teams such as Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Renault should be able to absorb this without too much pain. But for those at the other end of the grid, such as Williams and Alfa Romeo (which is the Swiss privately owned Sauber team with a new name thanks to a cash injection from Fiat), this could be a difficult time.
F1 is aware of this and has already started conversations about how they can help if needed.
But there is also the wider question of the sport itself. The F1 Group is leveraged with a significant amount of debt. So how big a risk is the inevitable drop in income to the company that runs the sport?
What will be the impact on the history books?
This is a potentially historic F1 season, with Lewis Hamilton favourite to win a championship that would see him equal Michael Schumacher's all-time record of seven drivers' titles.
With a reduced number of races, some might question whether the championship - whoever wins it - means as much as it would have done had it run its planned course.
But that is to disregard F1 history. This would have been the first year F1 had held so many races - and making the season that long is controversial in itself. Many feel it should be shorter.
It is only in the past decade that we have crept up to 20 races and more. Back in the 2000s, it was more usual to have 17 or 18 races. In the 1990s, 16 or 17 was common.
The number has been going up throughout F1 history. In the 1950s, there were fewer than 10 grands prix in a season.
When the great Juan Manuel Fangio won the last of his five titles in 1957, there were only eight races - and no-one questions his right to be called a champion.
As long as F1 can hold eight races this year, there will be a world champion. All the rest will simply be how and why.
DOJ REQUEST MAY BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Department of Justice asks to keep suspects behind bars indefinitely WITHOUT trial under 'terrifying' emergency powers amid coronavirus pandemic
By Hannah Skellern
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
Chief judges could detain suspects indefinitely without putting them on trial in a push for emergency powers as the coronavirus continues to spread through the US.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked Congress to grant use of the controversial powers during emergencies like the current pandemic – in a move that critics condemned as ‘terrifying’ and an infringement on people’s constitutional rights.
The department, led by Attorney General William Barr, asked lawmakers to allow chief district court judges to pause court proceedings if the court is closed because of ‘any natural disaster, civil disobedience, or other emergency situation,’ documents obtained by POLITICO reveal.
Fears have been raised that the Trump administration is using the outbreak of the deadly virus to bring about policy changes sought by Republicans such as clamping down on asylum seekers, strengthening border restrictions and cutting taxes.
The move by the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General William Barr, has been condemned by civil liberties advocates as ‘terrifying’ and an infringement on people’s constitutional rights
President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency on March 13 to fight the coronavirus crisis.
The amount of cases in the US soared above 26,000 on Sunday.
Civil liberties advocates have condemned the move by the DOJ – which would be unlikely to be approved by the House of Representative where the Democrats hold the majority – as a breach of constitutional rights.
The right to seek release from a judge is known as habeas corpus.
The request for the power to apply ‘pre-arrest’ was criticized by Norman L. Reimer, the executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
‘That means you could be arrested and never brought before a judge until they decide that the emergency or the civil disobedience is over,’ he said.
More than 26,000 people have tested positive to Covid-19 in the United States, and 346 people have died
‘I find it absolutely terrifying. Especially in a time of emergency, we should be very careful about granting new powers to the government.’
‘That is something that should not happen in a democracy.’
The DOJ also asked Congress to pause the statute of limitations in national emergencies and for a year after.
It requested that video conference hearings take place without defendants’ consent, according to the documents.
‘If it were with the consent of the accused person it would be fine,’ Reimer said.
‘But if it’s not with the consent of the accused person, it’s a terrible road to go down. We have a right to public trials. People have a right to be present in court.’
Lawmakers were also asked to ban people with coronavirus from applying for asylum.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The DOJ request, if enacted, could allow persons arrested for being drunk in public or for failing to pay a fine to be kept jailed indefinitely.
By Hannah Skellern
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
Chief judges could detain suspects indefinitely without putting them on trial in a push for emergency powers as the coronavirus continues to spread through the US.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked Congress to grant use of the controversial powers during emergencies like the current pandemic – in a move that critics condemned as ‘terrifying’ and an infringement on people’s constitutional rights.
The department, led by Attorney General William Barr, asked lawmakers to allow chief district court judges to pause court proceedings if the court is closed because of ‘any natural disaster, civil disobedience, or other emergency situation,’ documents obtained by POLITICO reveal.
Fears have been raised that the Trump administration is using the outbreak of the deadly virus to bring about policy changes sought by Republicans such as clamping down on asylum seekers, strengthening border restrictions and cutting taxes.
The move by the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General William Barr, has been condemned by civil liberties advocates as ‘terrifying’ and an infringement on people’s constitutional rights
President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency on March 13 to fight the coronavirus crisis.
The amount of cases in the US soared above 26,000 on Sunday.
Civil liberties advocates have condemned the move by the DOJ – which would be unlikely to be approved by the House of Representative where the Democrats hold the majority – as a breach of constitutional rights.
The right to seek release from a judge is known as habeas corpus.
The request for the power to apply ‘pre-arrest’ was criticized by Norman L. Reimer, the executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
‘That means you could be arrested and never brought before a judge until they decide that the emergency or the civil disobedience is over,’ he said.
More than 26,000 people have tested positive to Covid-19 in the United States, and 346 people have died
‘I find it absolutely terrifying. Especially in a time of emergency, we should be very careful about granting new powers to the government.’
‘That is something that should not happen in a democracy.’
The DOJ also asked Congress to pause the statute of limitations in national emergencies and for a year after.
It requested that video conference hearings take place without defendants’ consent, according to the documents.
‘If it were with the consent of the accused person it would be fine,’ Reimer said.
‘But if it’s not with the consent of the accused person, it’s a terrible road to go down. We have a right to public trials. People have a right to be present in court.’
Lawmakers were also asked to ban people with coronavirus from applying for asylum.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The DOJ request, if enacted, could allow persons arrested for being drunk in public or for failing to pay a fine to be kept jailed indefinitely.
SUPREME LEADER BRANDS US LEADERS AS ‘CHARLATANS AND LIARS’
Iran's Khamenei rejects U.S. help offer, vows to defeat coronavirus
By Parisa Hafezi
Reuters
March 22, 2020
DUBAI -- The United States’ offer to help Iran in its fight against the new coronavirus pandemic is strange, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech on Sunday, describing U.S. leaders as “charlatans and liars”.
Washington has offered humanitarian assistance to its longtime foe, the Middle Eastern country most affected by the coronavirus, with 1,685 deaths and 21,638 people infected.
Tensions between the two countries have been running high since 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump exited Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.
“Several times Americans have offered to help us to fight the pandemic. That is strange because you face shortages in America. Also you are accused of creating this virus,” said Khamenei, an anti-U.S. hardliner who has the final say in Iran.
“I do not know whether it is true. But when there is such an allegation, can a wise man trust you and accept your help offer? ... You could be giving medicines to Iran that spread the virus or cause it to remain permanently.”
Frictions increased when Trump ordered a U.S. drone strike that killed the top commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Qassem Soleimani, on Jan. 3. Iran retaliated by hitting U.S. targets in Iraq on Jan. 8.
“Our number one enemy is America. It is the most wicked, sinister enemy of Iran ... its leaders are terrorists ... Liars and charlatans,” said Khamenei.
Iranian authorities have blamed U.S. sanctions for hampering its efforts to curb the outbreak and President Hassan Rouhani has urged Americans to call on their government to lift sanctions as Iran fights the coronavirus.
China, a party to Iran’s nuclear deal, has urged the United States to lift sanctions on Iran immediately amid Tehran’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.
But the United States sent Iran a blunt message this week: the spread of the virus will not save it from U.S. sanctions that are choking off its oil revenues and isolating its economy.
Khamenei, who canceled his annual speech for Persian new year from the holy Shi’ite Muslim city of Mashhad on March 20 because of the outbreak, said Iran would triumph over the virus.
“The Islamic Republic has the capability to overcome any kind of crisis and challenges, including the coronavirus outbreak,” said Khamenei, who called on people to stay at home.
While many Iranians avoided traveling during the Persian new year holiday, police said millions have defied warnings issued by officials to avoid unnecessary trips aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
The office of Tehran’s governor said all shopping centers will be closed in the capital from Sunday.
“Only pharmacies and shops that provide essential goods will remain open in Tehran,” Iranian state TV reported.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Khamenei was right in calling our leaders liars. Our offer of help was as phony as a nine-dollar bill and was made to make the US look good. We knew that Iran’s leadership would never accept any help from the Great Satan.
By Parisa Hafezi
Reuters
March 22, 2020
DUBAI -- The United States’ offer to help Iran in its fight against the new coronavirus pandemic is strange, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech on Sunday, describing U.S. leaders as “charlatans and liars”.
Washington has offered humanitarian assistance to its longtime foe, the Middle Eastern country most affected by the coronavirus, with 1,685 deaths and 21,638 people infected.
Tensions between the two countries have been running high since 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump exited Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.
“Several times Americans have offered to help us to fight the pandemic. That is strange because you face shortages in America. Also you are accused of creating this virus,” said Khamenei, an anti-U.S. hardliner who has the final say in Iran.
“I do not know whether it is true. But when there is such an allegation, can a wise man trust you and accept your help offer? ... You could be giving medicines to Iran that spread the virus or cause it to remain permanently.”
Frictions increased when Trump ordered a U.S. drone strike that killed the top commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Qassem Soleimani, on Jan. 3. Iran retaliated by hitting U.S. targets in Iraq on Jan. 8.
“Our number one enemy is America. It is the most wicked, sinister enemy of Iran ... its leaders are terrorists ... Liars and charlatans,” said Khamenei.
Iranian authorities have blamed U.S. sanctions for hampering its efforts to curb the outbreak and President Hassan Rouhani has urged Americans to call on their government to lift sanctions as Iran fights the coronavirus.
China, a party to Iran’s nuclear deal, has urged the United States to lift sanctions on Iran immediately amid Tehran’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.
But the United States sent Iran a blunt message this week: the spread of the virus will not save it from U.S. sanctions that are choking off its oil revenues and isolating its economy.
Khamenei, who canceled his annual speech for Persian new year from the holy Shi’ite Muslim city of Mashhad on March 20 because of the outbreak, said Iran would triumph over the virus.
“The Islamic Republic has the capability to overcome any kind of crisis and challenges, including the coronavirus outbreak,” said Khamenei, who called on people to stay at home.
While many Iranians avoided traveling during the Persian new year holiday, police said millions have defied warnings issued by officials to avoid unnecessary trips aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
The office of Tehran’s governor said all shopping centers will be closed in the capital from Sunday.
“Only pharmacies and shops that provide essential goods will remain open in Tehran,” Iranian state TV reported.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Khamenei was right in calling our leaders liars. Our offer of help was as phony as a nine-dollar bill and was made to make the US look good. We knew that Iran’s leadership would never accept any help from the Great Satan.
WEAPONIZING CORONAVIRUS
White supremacists discussed using the coronavirus as a bioweapon, explosive internal DHS document reveals
By Sonam Sheth
Business Insider
March 22, 2020
Federal investigators have learned that white supremacists in the US discussed plans to use the coronavirus as a bioweapon, Yahoo News reported, citing a weekly intelligence brief from a division of the Department of Homeland Security.
The brief covered the week of February 17-24 and was written by the Federal Protective Service.
It said violent extremists "continue to make bioterrorism a popular topic among themselves," adding: "White Racially Motivated Violent Extremists have recently commented on the coronavirus stating that it is an 'OBLIGATION' to spread it should any of them contract the virus."
The World Health Organization designated the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, a pandemic on March 11. To date, the disease has infected 311,989 people worldwide and killed 13,407. In the US there are 26,747 confirmed cases and 340 people have died.
According to Yahoo News, white supremacists used the secure messaging app Telegram to discuss their plans to spread the virus and suggested targeting law-enforcement agents and "nonwhite" people. But they were also open to targeting some "public places in general," the brief said.
The report said that to carry out their plans, white supremacists floated options like leaving "saliva on door handles" at local FBI offices, spitting on elevator buttons, spreading the virus in "nonwhite neighborhoods," and being in public with their perceived enemies.
Yahoo News reported that the discussion primarily took place in a Telegram channel devoted to a neo-Nazi philosophy known as "siege culture," which advocates for racial terrorism to spark a civil war.
President Donald Trump has publicly pledged to fight domestic terrorism and white nationalism. But as Insider's Nicole Einbinder reported last year, the Trump administration has slashed many of the government agencies responsible for fighting domestic terrorism.
That said, US law-enforcement agencies have tried to shift more attention in recent months to combat the issue. Last year, for instance, the FBI zeroed in on conspiracy theories and identified them as a domestic-terrorism threat.
"The FBI assesses anti-government, identity based, and fringe political conspiracy theories very likely motivate some domestic extremists, wholly or in part, to commit criminal and sometimes violent activity," the document said. "The FBI further assesses in some cases these conspiracy theories very likely encourage the targeting of specific people, places, and organizations, thereby increasing the likelihood of violence against these targets."
The vast majority of the conspiracy theories the FBI laid out in its threat assessment resulted in racially motivated violence by right-wing extremists.
A number of those conspiracy theories — and the outlets that publish them — have even found their way into the White House and Trump's Twitter feed.
The president declared a national emergency over the coronavirus last week but has since been criticized for continuing to downplay the virus, falsely touting cures for the disease and blaming the mainstream media and his perceived critics for hyping the crisis up.
Trump also faced sharp backlash for describing the virus as the "Chinese virus," which public-health experts say is a racist and xenophobic term.
Congress is working on passing a relief bill to help people and businesses hit hardest by the disease's spread. As of Sunday night, the Senate was closing in on a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package to shore up the faltering US economy, but there are still several outstanding issues that need to be resolved ahead of a final vote on Monday.
By Sonam Sheth
Business Insider
March 22, 2020
Federal investigators have learned that white supremacists in the US discussed plans to use the coronavirus as a bioweapon, Yahoo News reported, citing a weekly intelligence brief from a division of the Department of Homeland Security.
The brief covered the week of February 17-24 and was written by the Federal Protective Service.
It said violent extremists "continue to make bioterrorism a popular topic among themselves," adding: "White Racially Motivated Violent Extremists have recently commented on the coronavirus stating that it is an 'OBLIGATION' to spread it should any of them contract the virus."
The World Health Organization designated the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, a pandemic on March 11. To date, the disease has infected 311,989 people worldwide and killed 13,407. In the US there are 26,747 confirmed cases and 340 people have died.
According to Yahoo News, white supremacists used the secure messaging app Telegram to discuss their plans to spread the virus and suggested targeting law-enforcement agents and "nonwhite" people. But they were also open to targeting some "public places in general," the brief said.
The report said that to carry out their plans, white supremacists floated options like leaving "saliva on door handles" at local FBI offices, spitting on elevator buttons, spreading the virus in "nonwhite neighborhoods," and being in public with their perceived enemies.
Yahoo News reported that the discussion primarily took place in a Telegram channel devoted to a neo-Nazi philosophy known as "siege culture," which advocates for racial terrorism to spark a civil war.
President Donald Trump has publicly pledged to fight domestic terrorism and white nationalism. But as Insider's Nicole Einbinder reported last year, the Trump administration has slashed many of the government agencies responsible for fighting domestic terrorism.
That said, US law-enforcement agencies have tried to shift more attention in recent months to combat the issue. Last year, for instance, the FBI zeroed in on conspiracy theories and identified them as a domestic-terrorism threat.
"The FBI assesses anti-government, identity based, and fringe political conspiracy theories very likely motivate some domestic extremists, wholly or in part, to commit criminal and sometimes violent activity," the document said. "The FBI further assesses in some cases these conspiracy theories very likely encourage the targeting of specific people, places, and organizations, thereby increasing the likelihood of violence against these targets."
The vast majority of the conspiracy theories the FBI laid out in its threat assessment resulted in racially motivated violence by right-wing extremists.
A number of those conspiracy theories — and the outlets that publish them — have even found their way into the White House and Trump's Twitter feed.
The president declared a national emergency over the coronavirus last week but has since been criticized for continuing to downplay the virus, falsely touting cures for the disease and blaming the mainstream media and his perceived critics for hyping the crisis up.
Trump also faced sharp backlash for describing the virus as the "Chinese virus," which public-health experts say is a racist and xenophobic term.
Congress is working on passing a relief bill to help people and businesses hit hardest by the disease's spread. As of Sunday night, the Senate was closing in on a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package to shore up the faltering US economy, but there are still several outstanding issues that need to be resolved ahead of a final vote on Monday.
AS RABBI MEIR MAZUZ WOULD SAY, THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE GETTING FOR HOLDING GAY PRIDE PARADES
Governor Cuomo slams 'arrogant and insensitive' New Yorkers for going outside, warns 80% of the state will be infected and orders FOUR hospitals for 1,000 coronavirus patients to be built inside the Javits Center
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
Governor Andrew Cuomo slammed 'arrogant' New Yorkers for ignoring social distancing guidelines on Sunday as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state surpassed 15,000.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Cuomo described his horror at visiting New York City on Saturday and seeing parks crowded with people who have been instructed to limit contact as much as possible.
'There is a density level in New York City that is wholly inappropriate,' the governor said.
'You would think there was nothing going on in parts of New York City. You would think it was just a bright sunny Saturday.
'I don't know what I'm saying that people don't get. I don't know what they're not understanding.
'This is not life as usual. None of this is life as usual.'
Cuomo warned that the COVID-19 outbreak is on pace to last nine months and said 80 percent of the state's 19 million residents could become infected.
__________
'If Donald Trump doesn't act, people will die who don't have to die': Bill de Blasio slams the president for 'not lifting a finger' to help his 'hometown of NYC' during the coronavirus crisis and warns hospitals will be depleted in just 10 days
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
Bill de Blasio said Sunday that if Donald Trump doesn't send more aid to New York City to combat coronavirus then 'people will die' of the disease who otherwise would have lived.
'The truth is, and New Yorkers and all Americans deserve the blunt truth, it's only getting worse,' de Blasio said in an interview on NBC News' Meet the Press Sunday morning. 'And, in fact, April and May are going to be a lot worse.' 'Right now, we are a third of the cases in the country - that's going to get worse. We're about two-thirds or more the cases in New York State - that's going to get worse,' The New York City mayor continued.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Sandinista-loving mayor has some nerve in slamming Trump while asking him for help after continually calling for Trump’s ouster during his failed presidential campaign. That’s called chutzpah.
__________
New York governor is praised for his crisis response and is dubbed the 'real wartime president' over Donald Trump and fellow Democrats Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
The hashtag #PresidentCuomo began trending on Twitter on Saturday as users praised Democrat Andrew Cuomo's 'presidential' demeanor in addressing the outbreak both within and outside his home state - which accounts for 11,705 of the more than 25,430 cases in the US.
Cuomo has been holding daily press briefings on coronavirus for the past several weeks as the case count in New York continued to climb.
The governor's direct messaging bears stark contrast to the often haphazard and hyperbolic messages coming from President Donald Trump, who has faced fierce criticism over his administration's handling of the crisis.
Meanwhile, current Democratic 2020 frontrunners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have struggled to secure airtime and subsequently faced criticism for their lack of input on the pandemic gripping the nation.
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
Governor Andrew Cuomo slammed 'arrogant' New Yorkers for ignoring social distancing guidelines on Sunday as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state surpassed 15,000.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Cuomo described his horror at visiting New York City on Saturday and seeing parks crowded with people who have been instructed to limit contact as much as possible.
'There is a density level in New York City that is wholly inappropriate,' the governor said.
'You would think there was nothing going on in parts of New York City. You would think it was just a bright sunny Saturday.
'I don't know what I'm saying that people don't get. I don't know what they're not understanding.
'This is not life as usual. None of this is life as usual.'
Cuomo warned that the COVID-19 outbreak is on pace to last nine months and said 80 percent of the state's 19 million residents could become infected.
__________
'If Donald Trump doesn't act, people will die who don't have to die': Bill de Blasio slams the president for 'not lifting a finger' to help his 'hometown of NYC' during the coronavirus crisis and warns hospitals will be depleted in just 10 days
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
Bill de Blasio said Sunday that if Donald Trump doesn't send more aid to New York City to combat coronavirus then 'people will die' of the disease who otherwise would have lived.
'The truth is, and New Yorkers and all Americans deserve the blunt truth, it's only getting worse,' de Blasio said in an interview on NBC News' Meet the Press Sunday morning. 'And, in fact, April and May are going to be a lot worse.' 'Right now, we are a third of the cases in the country - that's going to get worse. We're about two-thirds or more the cases in New York State - that's going to get worse,' The New York City mayor continued.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Sandinista-loving mayor has some nerve in slamming Trump while asking him for help after continually calling for Trump’s ouster during his failed presidential campaign. That’s called chutzpah.
__________
New York governor is praised for his crisis response and is dubbed the 'real wartime president' over Donald Trump and fellow Democrats Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
The hashtag #PresidentCuomo began trending on Twitter on Saturday as users praised Democrat Andrew Cuomo's 'presidential' demeanor in addressing the outbreak both within and outside his home state - which accounts for 11,705 of the more than 25,430 cases in the US.
Cuomo has been holding daily press briefings on coronavirus for the past several weeks as the case count in New York continued to climb.
The governor's direct messaging bears stark contrast to the often haphazard and hyperbolic messages coming from President Donald Trump, who has faced fierce criticism over his administration's handling of the crisis.
Meanwhile, current Democratic 2020 frontrunners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have struggled to secure airtime and subsequently faced criticism for their lack of input on the pandemic gripping the nation.
CORONAVIRUS CALLS FOR SUSPENSIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
This is no time for New York’s ‘no bail’ law to be in effect
By Post Editorial Board
New York Post
March 20, 2020
Word is that the Legislature may do some fixes to the “no bail” law in the budget bills it’s rushing through, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo is probably still going to need to use his emergency powers to suspend some of these rules.
Police are already stressed by the need to enforce restrictions on travel and crowding in groceries and other essential stores. This is the wrong time for any presumption that almost everyone arrested will be released, despite repeated offenses.
And prosecutors shouldn’t face anything like the new time frames for handing evidence and witness names over to the defense.
As it is, courts have slowed to a crawl — with trials on hold, grand juries not meeting and sentencing paused. Rules requiring speedy trials and grand-jury action within a week of an arrest need to be suspended — or even defendants accused of serious felonies will get sprung. Prosecutors just can’t reliably be ready for trial within six months of a suspect’s arraignment, either.
Mind you, the epidemic does justify some early releases from prison as well as jail — if careful discretion is used. Close conditions are a particular danger to older prisoners, who should be first in line for mercy (as long as they have a place to go).
But in this most unusual of crises, public safety has to be the top priority.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Public safety also has to be the top priority of probation and parole. I’ll bet that all parole officer field visits have been suspended (if there ever were any) until the end of the corona crisis.
By Post Editorial Board
New York Post
March 20, 2020
Word is that the Legislature may do some fixes to the “no bail” law in the budget bills it’s rushing through, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo is probably still going to need to use his emergency powers to suspend some of these rules.
Police are already stressed by the need to enforce restrictions on travel and crowding in groceries and other essential stores. This is the wrong time for any presumption that almost everyone arrested will be released, despite repeated offenses.
And prosecutors shouldn’t face anything like the new time frames for handing evidence and witness names over to the defense.
As it is, courts have slowed to a crawl — with trials on hold, grand juries not meeting and sentencing paused. Rules requiring speedy trials and grand-jury action within a week of an arrest need to be suspended — or even defendants accused of serious felonies will get sprung. Prosecutors just can’t reliably be ready for trial within six months of a suspect’s arraignment, either.
Mind you, the epidemic does justify some early releases from prison as well as jail — if careful discretion is used. Close conditions are a particular danger to older prisoners, who should be first in line for mercy (as long as they have a place to go).
But in this most unusual of crises, public safety has to be the top priority.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Public safety also has to be the top priority of probation and parole. I’ll bet that all parole officer field visits have been suspended (if there ever were any) until the end of the corona crisis.
NOT THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR A CORONA RELEASE
Harris County judge releases murder suspect on PR bond after the inmate said he feared coronavirus in jail
By Gabrielle Banks
Houston Chronicle
March 20, 2020
A Harris County judge released a murder suspect on a pretrial bond Thursday, after the man requested a bail reduction, saying he feared that COVID-19 would strike the county lockup and “spread like wildfire.”
David Cruz, 29, was detained in connection with his friend’s death because he couldn’t afford a $60,000 bond. He asked Judge DaSean Jones to lower his bond to $30,000 and impose electronic monitoring and pretrial supervision. His lawyer stated in court documents Monday that COVID-19 “is certainly going to strike the Harris County jail population and spread like wildfire among inmates.” If Cruz were released, the lawyer said, Cruz would live with his parents and work as an estimator at the family’s lamination business.
Cruz was arrested in what he told relatives was the accidental shooting of his friend in August.
__________
Coronavirus breakout inside NYC jails: 21 inmates and 17 corrections staff test positive in Rikers Island and the city's lockups
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
NYC was hit by the nation's largest coronavirus jail outbreak to date this week, with at least 38 people testing positive at the notorious Rikers Island complex and nearby facilities.
By Gabrielle Banks
Houston Chronicle
March 20, 2020
A Harris County judge released a murder suspect on a pretrial bond Thursday, after the man requested a bail reduction, saying he feared that COVID-19 would strike the county lockup and “spread like wildfire.”
David Cruz, 29, was detained in connection with his friend’s death because he couldn’t afford a $60,000 bond. He asked Judge DaSean Jones to lower his bond to $30,000 and impose electronic monitoring and pretrial supervision. His lawyer stated in court documents Monday that COVID-19 “is certainly going to strike the Harris County jail population and spread like wildfire among inmates.” If Cruz were released, the lawyer said, Cruz would live with his parents and work as an estimator at the family’s lamination business.
Cruz was arrested in what he told relatives was the accidental shooting of his friend in August.
__________
Coronavirus breakout inside NYC jails: 21 inmates and 17 corrections staff test positive in Rikers Island and the city's lockups
Daily Mail
March 22, 2020
NYC was hit by the nation's largest coronavirus jail outbreak to date this week, with at least 38 people testing positive at the notorious Rikers Island complex and nearby facilities.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
INNER PEACE
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without alcohol,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!
And you thought I was going to get all spiritual ...
Handle every Stressful situation like a dog.
If you can't eat it or play with it ...
... Piss on it and walk way.
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without alcohol,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!
And you thought I was going to get all spiritual ...
Handle every Stressful situation like a dog.
If you can't eat it or play with it ...
... Piss on it and walk way.
ITALY HITS 793 COVID-19 DEATHS IN ONE DAY
by Bob Walsh
Italy, which has a base population of 60 million, hit 793 Covid-19 deaths in just one day. For the U. S. that would equal about 4,400.
CA has leased two empty hospitals to set up for new patients if necessary. It probably will be.
We should know in about another 2-3 weeks if the home lockdown orders will manage to "flatten the curve" of the infection. Assuming the Chinese are to be believed (dubious at best) they have now gone for 2-3 days with no new infections noted. If the home lockdown orders are not effective the infection population in large, urban areas will double about every four days. If we can go several cycles WITHOUT that happening it will look promising.
There is still a modest pissing contest (a very polite one) going on between Donald Trump and the medical professionals. The pros think he is maybe putting too much emphasis on the maybe-possibly aspect of some of the new drug treatments. While they LOOK promising the studies are way too small and the potential downside of the medicine way too significant (or unknown) to be touting them as a silver bullet, at least yet. I hope Trump turns out to be right. I am not betting on it.
In the meantime I am not licking the hand rails at Taco Bell. Even if I wanted to, I can't. They are all shut down in CA except the drive-thru.
Italy, which has a base population of 60 million, hit 793 Covid-19 deaths in just one day. For the U. S. that would equal about 4,400.
CA has leased two empty hospitals to set up for new patients if necessary. It probably will be.
We should know in about another 2-3 weeks if the home lockdown orders will manage to "flatten the curve" of the infection. Assuming the Chinese are to be believed (dubious at best) they have now gone for 2-3 days with no new infections noted. If the home lockdown orders are not effective the infection population in large, urban areas will double about every four days. If we can go several cycles WITHOUT that happening it will look promising.
There is still a modest pissing contest (a very polite one) going on between Donald Trump and the medical professionals. The pros think he is maybe putting too much emphasis on the maybe-possibly aspect of some of the new drug treatments. While they LOOK promising the studies are way too small and the potential downside of the medicine way too significant (or unknown) to be touting them as a silver bullet, at least yet. I hope Trump turns out to be right. I am not betting on it.
In the meantime I am not licking the hand rails at Taco Bell. Even if I wanted to, I can't. They are all shut down in CA except the drive-thru.
THIS ISN'T EVEN ILLEGAL
Or At Least It Didn't Used To Be
by Bob Walsh
A total of four U. S. senators are being jacked up for dumping personally owned stock just before the market tanked due to the Covid-19 virus. Until fairly recently it was completely legal for members of congress to trade on insider information they got as a result of their elected positions. How do you think they become rich? They can't get it ALL thru bribery.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr dumped a total of $1.7 million worth of stock in 33 separate transactions on February 13.
Senator Kelly Loeffler also dumped a few million dollars worth shortly after they received an early, closed-door briefing on the Covid-19 bug. Her sales totaled about $3.1 million and began on January 24.
Senators James Inhofe and Diane Feinstein also dumped several million worth of stock. Feinstein's money is in an (allegedly) blind trust. Inhofe says he is not involved in financial decisions of this type as does Senator Loeffler.
Common Cause has filed complaints with the Justice Department, the S.E.C. and the Senate Ethics Committee. Senator Burr has asked that the Ethics Committee take a look at his transactions, which were apparently self-generated.
by Bob Walsh
A total of four U. S. senators are being jacked up for dumping personally owned stock just before the market tanked due to the Covid-19 virus. Until fairly recently it was completely legal for members of congress to trade on insider information they got as a result of their elected positions. How do you think they become rich? They can't get it ALL thru bribery.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr dumped a total of $1.7 million worth of stock in 33 separate transactions on February 13.
Senator Kelly Loeffler also dumped a few million dollars worth shortly after they received an early, closed-door briefing on the Covid-19 bug. Her sales totaled about $3.1 million and began on January 24.
Senators James Inhofe and Diane Feinstein also dumped several million worth of stock. Feinstein's money is in an (allegedly) blind trust. Inhofe says he is not involved in financial decisions of this type as does Senator Loeffler.
Common Cause has filed complaints with the Justice Department, the S.E.C. and the Senate Ethics Committee. Senator Burr has asked that the Ethics Committee take a look at his transactions, which were apparently self-generated.
STOCKTON STRIVING FOR NORMALITY
by Bob Walsh
On Friday afternoon there was a family disturbance at a city park on South Sutter Street. When the cops showed up they found numerous gunshot victims, all from the same family. It appeared to be an internal family beef rather than the usual gang shooting. So far as I know there is only one dead.
In addition a 16-year old girl with a toad sticker went after a nine-year old boy and a 55-year old man on Friday. When the cops showed up the girl wouldn't drop the knife and the cops body-slammed her happy ass. She's lucky she didn't get shot. The young lady is in custody for ADW, resisting arrest, vandalism, battery and felony stupidity.
I am happy to report the denizens of Stockton are working diligently to maintain a veneer of normalcy in these trying times.
On Friday afternoon there was a family disturbance at a city park on South Sutter Street. When the cops showed up they found numerous gunshot victims, all from the same family. It appeared to be an internal family beef rather than the usual gang shooting. So far as I know there is only one dead.
In addition a 16-year old girl with a toad sticker went after a nine-year old boy and a 55-year old man on Friday. When the cops showed up the girl wouldn't drop the knife and the cops body-slammed her happy ass. She's lucky she didn't get shot. The young lady is in custody for ADW, resisting arrest, vandalism, battery and felony stupidity.
I am happy to report the denizens of Stockton are working diligently to maintain a veneer of normalcy in these trying times.
FROM GOOD NEWS TO TERRIBLE NEWS IN JUST ONE MONTH ….. AND TRUMP’S REELECTION CHANCES NOSEDIVED LIKE THE DOW
Donald Trump tweeted the market is 'starting to look very good to me' as the Dow hit 27,960 on February 24 - now he faces re-election campaign without his favorite selling point
By Geoff Earle
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
A week this bad on Wall Street would be jarring for any president, but for Donald Trump, the stunning drop in the Dow and other indexes has shredded an issue that has been a lifeblood and focus of the cheerleading he has done for his own tenure.
More than any president, Trump has linked his performance to the financial markets and the Dow Jones Industrial average – touting its rise, mentioning it at campaign rallies, saluting companies and their executives, and even urging Americans to buy.
His most reason tout of the market came less than a week ago, and preceded a record one-day sell-off. A month ago, in a tweet that now appears deeply wrong, the president talked up the containment of the looming pandemic and suggested it was a good time to buy securities.
'The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!'
The Dow ended up dropping 900 points that day, but was still at 27,081 – well above where it ended up Friday, when the Dow sank to 19,174 after New York and California locked down residence amid the spreading coronavirus pandemic.
It was far from the only time Trump issued a stock tip or took credit for a rise in the value of American companies on financial markets. When the market was high, he repeatedly told fans at his rallies if they liked how their 401(k)s were doing.
He made the boast at a White House event touting a new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada – two nations with which he has now closed the U.S. border for travelers amid the outbreak – in the Rose Garden in 2018.
'Our economy is booming like never before. Jobless claims are at a 50-year low. The stock market is at an all-time high. Think of that — over 50 percent since my election. Fifty percent. People — the 401(k)s — and they have 401(k)s, and they were dying with them for years. Now they're so happy.
At an August campaign rally in New Hampshire, Trump drew a straight line between the performance of people's 401(k)s for retirement and the need for them to support him. He told supporters they had 'no choice'
'If for some reason I wouldn't have won the [2016] election, these markets would have crashed. That'll happen even more so in 2020,' Trump said.
'See, the bottom line is ... You have no choice but to vote for me because your 401k, everything is going to be down the tubes. So whether you love me or hate me, you've got to vote for me.'
The Dow stood at 19,827 points when Trump took office. On Valentine's Day, it was at 29,398, and Trump has talked up the possibility of it hitting 30,000.
At the start of 2018, as the Dow topped 25,000, Trump set his sights on a new goal: 'I guess our new number is 30,000,' he told reporters. 'There were those that said we wouldn't break 25,000 by the end of the eighth year, and we're in the 11th month,' he said.
When he hasn't commented on the markets and the indexes, Trump has touted individual businesses – almost all of whom have been battered since February. He has hosted CEOs at the White House, praised their stewardship and referenced them by their first names on camera, while pushing through a major tax cut when the economy was riding high. As the full force of the outbreak began to hit, Trump began talking about bailouts of specific industries, from airlines to cruise ships – although he also came out against stock buybacks by executives whose firms get bailed out by the government.
Even on Friday, while touting the drug cloroquine as a promising way to combat the virus, Trump touted German manufacturer Bayer. He called it a 'great company' and said he was ordering millions of units. Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said the drug 'might be effective' but needed more testing.
Days earlier, Trump was touting Google and said it was behind a nationwide website to help ease testing concerns. A subsidiary of parent company Alphabet said that wasn't quite the case, and that it was working at that time on an effort in San Francisco. Another subsidiary is now pulling its self-driving cars off the road in two cities amid the outbreak.
Even if voters decide not to hold Trump responsible for the collapse of stock and market gains, despite his earlier efforts to take credit and explicit encouragement to buy, broader economic concerns are an even bigger concern. Some analysts say the outbreak could bring on a full-on recession, and if deep unemployment appears, it would negate yet another of Trump's boasts: record low unemployment amid specific demographic groups.
Former Trump economic advisor Gary Cohn on Friday told CNBC that moment was already here. 'We're in recession, I'm not going to tell you that we're not in recession right now ... The unemployment number is going to skyrocket.'
By Geoff Earle
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
A week this bad on Wall Street would be jarring for any president, but for Donald Trump, the stunning drop in the Dow and other indexes has shredded an issue that has been a lifeblood and focus of the cheerleading he has done for his own tenure.
More than any president, Trump has linked his performance to the financial markets and the Dow Jones Industrial average – touting its rise, mentioning it at campaign rallies, saluting companies and their executives, and even urging Americans to buy.
His most reason tout of the market came less than a week ago, and preceded a record one-day sell-off. A month ago, in a tweet that now appears deeply wrong, the president talked up the containment of the looming pandemic and suggested it was a good time to buy securities.
'The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!'
The Dow ended up dropping 900 points that day, but was still at 27,081 – well above where it ended up Friday, when the Dow sank to 19,174 after New York and California locked down residence amid the spreading coronavirus pandemic.
It was far from the only time Trump issued a stock tip or took credit for a rise in the value of American companies on financial markets. When the market was high, he repeatedly told fans at his rallies if they liked how their 401(k)s were doing.
He made the boast at a White House event touting a new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada – two nations with which he has now closed the U.S. border for travelers amid the outbreak – in the Rose Garden in 2018.
'Our economy is booming like never before. Jobless claims are at a 50-year low. The stock market is at an all-time high. Think of that — over 50 percent since my election. Fifty percent. People — the 401(k)s — and they have 401(k)s, and they were dying with them for years. Now they're so happy.
At an August campaign rally in New Hampshire, Trump drew a straight line between the performance of people's 401(k)s for retirement and the need for them to support him. He told supporters they had 'no choice'
'If for some reason I wouldn't have won the [2016] election, these markets would have crashed. That'll happen even more so in 2020,' Trump said.
'See, the bottom line is ... You have no choice but to vote for me because your 401k, everything is going to be down the tubes. So whether you love me or hate me, you've got to vote for me.'
The Dow stood at 19,827 points when Trump took office. On Valentine's Day, it was at 29,398, and Trump has talked up the possibility of it hitting 30,000.
At the start of 2018, as the Dow topped 25,000, Trump set his sights on a new goal: 'I guess our new number is 30,000,' he told reporters. 'There were those that said we wouldn't break 25,000 by the end of the eighth year, and we're in the 11th month,' he said.
When he hasn't commented on the markets and the indexes, Trump has touted individual businesses – almost all of whom have been battered since February. He has hosted CEOs at the White House, praised their stewardship and referenced them by their first names on camera, while pushing through a major tax cut when the economy was riding high. As the full force of the outbreak began to hit, Trump began talking about bailouts of specific industries, from airlines to cruise ships – although he also came out against stock buybacks by executives whose firms get bailed out by the government.
Even on Friday, while touting the drug cloroquine as a promising way to combat the virus, Trump touted German manufacturer Bayer. He called it a 'great company' and said he was ordering millions of units. Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said the drug 'might be effective' but needed more testing.
Days earlier, Trump was touting Google and said it was behind a nationwide website to help ease testing concerns. A subsidiary of parent company Alphabet said that wasn't quite the case, and that it was working at that time on an effort in San Francisco. Another subsidiary is now pulling its self-driving cars off the road in two cities amid the outbreak.
Even if voters decide not to hold Trump responsible for the collapse of stock and market gains, despite his earlier efforts to take credit and explicit encouragement to buy, broader economic concerns are an even bigger concern. Some analysts say the outbreak could bring on a full-on recession, and if deep unemployment appears, it would negate yet another of Trump's boasts: record low unemployment amid specific demographic groups.
Former Trump economic advisor Gary Cohn on Friday told CNBC that moment was already here. 'We're in recession, I'm not going to tell you that we're not in recession right now ... The unemployment number is going to skyrocket.'
IN VIEW OF THE CORONA CRISIS, RELEASE OF SOME HARRIS COUNTY JAIL INMATES IS CALLED FOR
Sheriff Gonzalez is seeking compassionate release of some inmates at the Harris County Jail
By Gabrielle Banks
Houston Chronicle
March 19, 2020
More than 8,500 people are housed in the Harris County jail, and thousands more move through the building and return to their communities each day to keep the criminal justice juggernaut running.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez likens the situation to three massive ships docked in downtown Houston. An outbreak of COVID-19 in this setting could be catastrophic to the region and overwhelm hospitals’ limited capacity to treat patients.
That’s why the sheriff overseeing the third largest jail system in the country is pushing for “bold action” to avert the potential fallout — he is seeking compassionate releases of hundreds of vulnerable people who pose a low risk to public safety. For that to happen, judges would need to sign off.
EDITOR’S NOTE: In Europe and in Iran, jail and prison inmates are being released to avoid a coronavirus outbreak inside those institutions. Under the corona circumstances, release of Harris County jail inmates who are the least likely to be a threat to the public seems to be appropriate.
By Gabrielle Banks
Houston Chronicle
March 19, 2020
More than 8,500 people are housed in the Harris County jail, and thousands more move through the building and return to their communities each day to keep the criminal justice juggernaut running.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez likens the situation to three massive ships docked in downtown Houston. An outbreak of COVID-19 in this setting could be catastrophic to the region and overwhelm hospitals’ limited capacity to treat patients.
That’s why the sheriff overseeing the third largest jail system in the country is pushing for “bold action” to avert the potential fallout — he is seeking compassionate releases of hundreds of vulnerable people who pose a low risk to public safety. For that to happen, judges would need to sign off.
EDITOR’S NOTE: In Europe and in Iran, jail and prison inmates are being released to avoid a coronavirus outbreak inside those institutions. Under the corona circumstances, release of Harris County jail inmates who are the least likely to be a threat to the public seems to be appropriate.
OFFICER IS FOUND JUSTIFIED IN FATAL SHOOTING OF DRIVER, 18
A Connecticut police officer who fatally shot an 18-year-old after running in front of his car and firing through the windshield has been ruled justified in using deadly force
By Dave Collins
Associated Press
March 18, 2020
HARTFORD, Conn. -- A Connecticut police officer who fired through the windshield of a car coming at him and killed the 18-year-old driver was justified in using deadly force, a state prosecutor announced Wednesday.
Wethersfield Officer Layau Eulizier believed that the car was about to hit him and that his life was in danger, Hartford prosecutor Gail Hardy determined.
Police said Anthony Jose Vega Cruz drove at Eulizier after fleeing a traffic stop and leading police on a brief chase.
Hardy's decision outraged Vega Cruz's relatives, who vowed to sue Eulizier and the police department, said their lawyer, Ben Crump.
“This execution-style killing was senseless — a traffic violation should not carry a death sentence,” Crump said in a statement. “Officer Eulizier was sworn to protect the rights of every citizen, and he failed that duty in the most shocking of ways.”
Police dashcam and business surveillance videos show Eulizier running in front of the car while it is stopped briefly during the April 2019 chase. Eulizier yells, "Show me your hands," several times and fires two shots through the windshield when the teenager drives at him.
Vega Cruz died two days later at a hospital, while a passenger, his 18-year-old girlfriend, was not injured.
“Officer Eulizier discharged his firearm in fear that the operator was about to run him over and that he would lose his own life,” Hardy wrote in a report. “His belief that deadly force was needed to defend himself and others from the use or imminent use of deadly physical force was objectively reasonable and therefore justified.”
Officers were trying to pull over Vega Cruz because the license plates on his car were not registered to that vehicle, officials said.
Vega Cruz's relatives and the NAACP had called for Eulizier to be arrested, while the family's lawyers described the officer as a "ticking time bomb" because of problems he had at another police department. Eulizier is black, while Vega Cruz was Hispanic.
Crump — a Florida attorney known for representing the families of young black men killed by police — and Michael Jefferson, another lawyer for the family, said there was no reason for Eulizier to run in front of the car and create a dangerous situation. They also cited personnel records that said Eulizier had problems handling stressful situations and made tactical mistakes when he was a Manchester officer from 2015 until 2018.
Eulizier's lawyer, Elliot Spector, has said Eulizier felt he had to run in front of the car when it stopped briefly because he couldn't see the driver through the darkly tinted door windows.
Spector also said the Manchester documents portray Eulizier unfairly. While Eulizier did make "some rookie mistakes," the records pertain only to a small fraction of Eulizier's time on the Manchester force and don't show all the good he did, Spector said.
Eulizier, who was taken off patrol duty and reassigned to administrative tasks during the investigation, is pleased with Hardy's ruling, Spector said Wednesday. Spector said it was tragic that Vega Cruz chose to put the officer's life in danger.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This time they cannot scream about a white cop shooting an unarmed young black man because Officer Eulizier is black. And because of that, you can bet Al Sharpton won’t show up to lead the expected protests.
By Dave Collins
Associated Press
March 18, 2020
HARTFORD, Conn. -- A Connecticut police officer who fired through the windshield of a car coming at him and killed the 18-year-old driver was justified in using deadly force, a state prosecutor announced Wednesday.
Wethersfield Officer Layau Eulizier believed that the car was about to hit him and that his life was in danger, Hartford prosecutor Gail Hardy determined.
Police said Anthony Jose Vega Cruz drove at Eulizier after fleeing a traffic stop and leading police on a brief chase.
Hardy's decision outraged Vega Cruz's relatives, who vowed to sue Eulizier and the police department, said their lawyer, Ben Crump.
“This execution-style killing was senseless — a traffic violation should not carry a death sentence,” Crump said in a statement. “Officer Eulizier was sworn to protect the rights of every citizen, and he failed that duty in the most shocking of ways.”
Police dashcam and business surveillance videos show Eulizier running in front of the car while it is stopped briefly during the April 2019 chase. Eulizier yells, "Show me your hands," several times and fires two shots through the windshield when the teenager drives at him.
Vega Cruz died two days later at a hospital, while a passenger, his 18-year-old girlfriend, was not injured.
“Officer Eulizier discharged his firearm in fear that the operator was about to run him over and that he would lose his own life,” Hardy wrote in a report. “His belief that deadly force was needed to defend himself and others from the use or imminent use of deadly physical force was objectively reasonable and therefore justified.”
Officers were trying to pull over Vega Cruz because the license plates on his car were not registered to that vehicle, officials said.
Vega Cruz's relatives and the NAACP had called for Eulizier to be arrested, while the family's lawyers described the officer as a "ticking time bomb" because of problems he had at another police department. Eulizier is black, while Vega Cruz was Hispanic.
Crump — a Florida attorney known for representing the families of young black men killed by police — and Michael Jefferson, another lawyer for the family, said there was no reason for Eulizier to run in front of the car and create a dangerous situation. They also cited personnel records that said Eulizier had problems handling stressful situations and made tactical mistakes when he was a Manchester officer from 2015 until 2018.
Eulizier's lawyer, Elliot Spector, has said Eulizier felt he had to run in front of the car when it stopped briefly because he couldn't see the driver through the darkly tinted door windows.
Spector also said the Manchester documents portray Eulizier unfairly. While Eulizier did make "some rookie mistakes," the records pertain only to a small fraction of Eulizier's time on the Manchester force and don't show all the good he did, Spector said.
Eulizier, who was taken off patrol duty and reassigned to administrative tasks during the investigation, is pleased with Hardy's ruling, Spector said Wednesday. Spector said it was tragic that Vega Cruz chose to put the officer's life in danger.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This time they cannot scream about a white cop shooting an unarmed young black man because Officer Eulizier is black. And because of that, you can bet Al Sharpton won’t show up to lead the expected protests.
NEW JERSEY JOINS CALIFORNIA, NEWYORK, ILLINOIS AND NEVADA IN COMPLETE LOCKDOWN
New Jersey becomes the FIFTH state to order a complete lockdown for millions of residents to slow the coronavirus spread after state's top health official gave chilling warning: 'I will definitely be infected. We all will'
Daily Mail
March 21, 2020
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Saturday mandating that all non-essential retail businesses close their stores and almost all state residents stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The order affects some 9 million residents in the state and exempts those who work in essential services such as healthcare and the food industry, the governor said at a news conference. The order banned all gatherings including weddings and parties, Murphy said.
It comes as New Jersey's top public health official Judith Persichilli issues a stark warning that she believes 'we all' are going to eventually be infected by coronavirus.
__________
Fears of civil unrest in Californian city of Corona where the coronavirus panic buying is for GUNS instead of toilet rolls
Daily Mail
March 21, 2020
Gun racks have been stripped as bare as the supermarket aisles in Britain. And in the queue in Corona outside Turner's gun store last week were many people who have never considered owning a firearm before.
Men such as Sean Rodriguez, 48, a sales manager, who felt compelled to arm himself after his eldest daughter called him in tears when robbers, posing as utility workers, entered her home and raided her fridge at gunpoint, seizing difficult-to-obtain groceries.
'When it hits you at home, you can change your mind very quickly,' he says.
Mr Rodriguez is disappointed in President Trump, for whom he voted. 'I think the response is too late. This coronavirus is worse than terrorism. We need to be proactive, not reactive. The States should lead the way, not follow.'
In California, where it is predicted 56 per cent of the population will be infected with the virus, Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered the state's 40 million residents to stay at home except for essential trips.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Corona neighbors Riverside. Back in the 50s and 60s it was a nice little town then and it had a good police department. I made a few dope busts there.
Daily Mail
March 21, 2020
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Saturday mandating that all non-essential retail businesses close their stores and almost all state residents stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The order affects some 9 million residents in the state and exempts those who work in essential services such as healthcare and the food industry, the governor said at a news conference. The order banned all gatherings including weddings and parties, Murphy said.
It comes as New Jersey's top public health official Judith Persichilli issues a stark warning that she believes 'we all' are going to eventually be infected by coronavirus.
__________
Fears of civil unrest in Californian city of Corona where the coronavirus panic buying is for GUNS instead of toilet rolls
Daily Mail
March 21, 2020
Gun racks have been stripped as bare as the supermarket aisles in Britain. And in the queue in Corona outside Turner's gun store last week were many people who have never considered owning a firearm before.
Men such as Sean Rodriguez, 48, a sales manager, who felt compelled to arm himself after his eldest daughter called him in tears when robbers, posing as utility workers, entered her home and raided her fridge at gunpoint, seizing difficult-to-obtain groceries.
'When it hits you at home, you can change your mind very quickly,' he says.
Mr Rodriguez is disappointed in President Trump, for whom he voted. 'I think the response is too late. This coronavirus is worse than terrorism. We need to be proactive, not reactive. The States should lead the way, not follow.'
In California, where it is predicted 56 per cent of the population will be infected with the virus, Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered the state's 40 million residents to stay at home except for essential trips.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Corona neighbors Riverside. Back in the 50s and 60s it was a nice little town then and it had a good police department. I made a few dope busts there.
SHE-HE FILES LAWSUIT AFTER BEING RAPED IN BROOKLYN FED DETENYION CENTER
Transgender woman housed with men repeatedly raped in Brooklyn federal lockup: lawsuit
By John Annese and Leonard Greene
New York Daily News
March 20, 2020
A transgender woman awaiting trial on charges that she swindled elderly women of their savings was raped repeatedly in a federal lockup after she was housed against her will with rowdy male inmates, according to a new lawsuit.
Powell, also a transgender woman, said in a federal civil rights complaint that she had also been raped at MDC. She was sentenced to 51 months in jail by a judge who acknowledged her complaint.
“You have suffered,” Judge Margo Brodie said. “What happened to you in custody should happen to no one.”
Tavoy Malcolm, 29, pleaded with officials at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center in 2017 to be jailed with women, or at least be isolated after she was busted with a partner on fraud charges, according to the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
Instead, prison officials ignored Malcolm’s gender identity — including the fact that she was receiving hormone therapy and had breast augmentation — and housed her with male inmates, two of whom beat her and raped her over the course of two months, according to court documents.
Even after Malcolm — who goes by the name Tiana Miller — was finally placed with women, she was preyed upon by harassing correction officers, the lawsuit said.
“Only after plaintiff was assaulted and then raped did BOP (Bureau of Prisons) transfer plaintiff to a female housing unit,” the lawsuit said. “Even after her transfer, plaintiff continued to be subjected to harassment and intimidation by BOP correction officers.”
Prosecutors said Malcolm and a partner, Lorindo Powell, swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars from elderly women to fund a lavish lifestyle that included crocodile leather sneakers, Pigalle pumps by Louboutin and a Mercedes-Benz sedan.
Prosecutors accused Malcolm and Powell of bilking a 77-year-old woman who ended up losing her house. They also scammed a 91-year-old woman during the last four months of her life.
The scams usually involved a bogus claim that a senior citizen won money in a lottery or sweepstakes — and that to get the money, they had to disclose some financial information or pay some taxes, officials said.
Powell and Malcolm were living together in Guttenberg, N.J., with Powell's sister, who was facing charges of cocaine importation and conspiracy to import cocaine.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesman did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Powell, also a transgender woman, said in a federal civil rights complaint that she had also been raped at MDC. She was sentenced to 51 months in jail by a judge who acknowledged her complaint.
“You have suffered,” Judge Margo Brodie said. “What happened to you in custody should happen to no one.”
By John Annese and Leonard Greene
New York Daily News
March 20, 2020
A transgender woman awaiting trial on charges that she swindled elderly women of their savings was raped repeatedly in a federal lockup after she was housed against her will with rowdy male inmates, according to a new lawsuit.
Powell, also a transgender woman, said in a federal civil rights complaint that she had also been raped at MDC. She was sentenced to 51 months in jail by a judge who acknowledged her complaint.
“You have suffered,” Judge Margo Brodie said. “What happened to you in custody should happen to no one.”
Tavoy Malcolm, 29, pleaded with officials at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center in 2017 to be jailed with women, or at least be isolated after she was busted with a partner on fraud charges, according to the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
Instead, prison officials ignored Malcolm’s gender identity — including the fact that she was receiving hormone therapy and had breast augmentation — and housed her with male inmates, two of whom beat her and raped her over the course of two months, according to court documents.
Even after Malcolm — who goes by the name Tiana Miller — was finally placed with women, she was preyed upon by harassing correction officers, the lawsuit said.
“Only after plaintiff was assaulted and then raped did BOP (Bureau of Prisons) transfer plaintiff to a female housing unit,” the lawsuit said. “Even after her transfer, plaintiff continued to be subjected to harassment and intimidation by BOP correction officers.”
Prosecutors said Malcolm and a partner, Lorindo Powell, swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars from elderly women to fund a lavish lifestyle that included crocodile leather sneakers, Pigalle pumps by Louboutin and a Mercedes-Benz sedan.
Prosecutors accused Malcolm and Powell of bilking a 77-year-old woman who ended up losing her house. They also scammed a 91-year-old woman during the last four months of her life.
The scams usually involved a bogus claim that a senior citizen won money in a lottery or sweepstakes — and that to get the money, they had to disclose some financial information or pay some taxes, officials said.
Powell and Malcolm were living together in Guttenberg, N.J., with Powell's sister, who was facing charges of cocaine importation and conspiracy to import cocaine.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesman did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Powell, also a transgender woman, said in a federal civil rights complaint that she had also been raped at MDC. She was sentenced to 51 months in jail by a judge who acknowledged her complaint.
“You have suffered,” Judge Margo Brodie said. “What happened to you in custody should happen to no one.”
THE SORRIEST BITCH ON TV SCORCHES TRUMP FOR HIS CORONA MISINFORMATION
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow urges networks to STOP airing Trump's coronavirus press conferences because of the 'misinformation' and blasts his 'fairytale' promises about malaria drug to combat pandemic
Daily Mail
March 21, 2020
'I know we ought to be getting used to this kind of thing by now, but I'm not,' Maddow said on her show Friday night. 'President Trump today, again, just flat-out wrong in public about this malaria drug that has gotten stuck in his mind, quite some distance from the facts.'
Maddow was referring to Trump's sweeping claims about a malaria drug called hydroxychloroquine, which is being investigated as a potential treatment for coronavirus patients. While Trump has boasted that the drug is 'very powerful' and 'could be a game changer,' the government's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made clear on Friday that there is not enough evidence yet to show that it is effective.
EDITOR’S NOTE: MSNBC is far more anti-Trump than CNN, with Trump-hating talk show hosts like Mad Maddow, Al Sharpton, Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. The problem is that Trump’s tweets and his gaffes during press conferences feed their hunger for Trump-scorching.
Daily Mail
March 21, 2020
'I know we ought to be getting used to this kind of thing by now, but I'm not,' Maddow said on her show Friday night. 'President Trump today, again, just flat-out wrong in public about this malaria drug that has gotten stuck in his mind, quite some distance from the facts.'
Maddow was referring to Trump's sweeping claims about a malaria drug called hydroxychloroquine, which is being investigated as a potential treatment for coronavirus patients. While Trump has boasted that the drug is 'very powerful' and 'could be a game changer,' the government's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made clear on Friday that there is not enough evidence yet to show that it is effective.
EDITOR’S NOTE: MSNBC is far more anti-Trump than CNN, with Trump-hating talk show hosts like Mad Maddow, Al Sharpton, Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. The problem is that Trump’s tweets and his gaffes during press conferences feed their hunger for Trump-scorching.
RIVALS WERE TORTURED AND FED TO LIONS AND GATORS
Mexico shuts down drug cartel’s ranch, complete with gators and lions
By Paula Froelich
New York Post
March 21, 2020
Mexico has shut down the operations hub of the country’s most powerful drug families — a remote ranch with a lake full of gators and lions on the prowl.
The Monte Rico compound, in the state of Veracruz, was registered to brothers Jacinto and Alberto Rodríguez of the infamous the Los Piñas Cartel.
The twosome turned their land into a place where they tortured their rivals, officials said.
Last week’s raid by the military went down after months of planning spurred by the disappearance of the Ortiz family in November, reported E-Consulta Veracruz.
The Belén González Search for Missing Persons Collective asked the Veracruz government to search for human remains in the lagoon.
The bodies have yet to be found.
Other animals found on the ranch included five deer, an ostrich, a peacock, and two pigs. The zoo-like set-up is much like that of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in at his home in Colombia.
EDITOR’S NOTE: E-Consulta Veracruz reports that the Los Piñas Cartel is associated with the powerfuul CJNG and that their rivals were fed to the lions and gators at the ranch.
By Paula Froelich
New York Post
March 21, 2020
Mexico has shut down the operations hub of the country’s most powerful drug families — a remote ranch with a lake full of gators and lions on the prowl.
The Monte Rico compound, in the state of Veracruz, was registered to brothers Jacinto and Alberto Rodríguez of the infamous the Los Piñas Cartel.
The twosome turned their land into a place where they tortured their rivals, officials said.
Last week’s raid by the military went down after months of planning spurred by the disappearance of the Ortiz family in November, reported E-Consulta Veracruz.
The Belén González Search for Missing Persons Collective asked the Veracruz government to search for human remains in the lagoon.
The bodies have yet to be found.
Other animals found on the ranch included five deer, an ostrich, a peacock, and two pigs. The zoo-like set-up is much like that of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in at his home in Colombia.
EDITOR’S NOTE: E-Consulta Veracruz reports that the Los Piñas Cartel is associated with the powerfuul CJNG and that their rivals were fed to the lions and gators at the ranch.
THE PALESTINIANS DON’T NEED TO WORRY, THE NEVER-NETANYAHUS ARE BRINGING ISRAEL TO ITS END
JUSTBIBI Virus, More Dangerous Than Coronavirus
by Tsvi Sadan
Israel Today
March 20, 2020
Truly, there is something sinister going on now in Israel. At first, the “Just Not Bibi” left-wing bloc partnered up with the anti-Zionist Joint Arab List. Though before the election “Blue and White” leaders vowed never to lean on the Joint List, as soon as the election was over, party leader Benny Gantz and his friends broke this vow, with the excuse that this was done to protect Israel’s democracy.
Instead of apologizing, Blue and White’s Moshe Yaalon both acknowledged the promises and breaking them. Just a few days ago he said that “in the decision of which promise to break – not to sit with Netanyahu or not be supported by the Joint Arab List – we preferred the second.”
In plain language it means that the JUSTBIBI bloc is more dangerous to Israel’s future than the JUSTNOTBIBI bloc. This division means that Blue and White took a conscious decision that preferred to alter the “Jewish” part of the “Jewish and Democratic” equation.
Democracy is all that matters now, even at the cost of the Jewish state.
This is not an exaggeration, as a March 17 post from Dov Elboim clearly shows. Elboim is not just anybody. Among other things he has been hosting for decades the popular Friday Portion of the Week public TV program, where he discusses with a variety of guests the meaning of the weekly Torah portion. Additionally, his non-profit organization Binah has been invited to instill his worldview in IDF soldiers and officers. In short, Elboim’s influence can’t be underestimated.
Morally inferior foes
In his aforementioned Facebook post, Elboim, a self-proclaimed Zionist, recalls the last visit to his dentist, a Bibi supporter. Elboim said to him while getting ready for a tooth removal that he wonders about the government’s methods of fighting the Coronavirus, which have included shutting down the courts, a move seen by many as an attempt by Netanyahu to postpone his own trial.
Elboim further commented that the 61 JUSTNOTBIBI members of Knesset, which includes the anti-Zionist Joint Arab List, effectively makes Netanyahu’s government illegitimate. In response, the dentist said that he doesn’t count the Joint Arab List, which implicitly means he does not consider the Arab parties as part of the center-left Zionist majority.
That was a moment of revelation for Elboim. Refusing the doctor’s help, he got out of the chair and left the clinic. He later wrote that “Providence sent me a clear warning to escape from dangerously contaminated dentist clinics … I left the place because I realized I can’t be treated by a person who does not see Arabs as equal citizens … I asked my family never to be medically treated by spiritually and morally inferior [racist] people … time has come to tell it to all service givers who think they have the right to enter our space and contaminate it … if there is anything this current [Corona] plague can teach us [it is this]: The time has come for all those who are spreading spiritual contamination to be isolated from us.”
This now is the frame of reference: There are two viruses creating havoc in Israel, the spiritual JUSTBIBI virus and the biological Coronavirus, which is far less dangerous than the first.
And a series of tweets from Blue and White co-leader Yair Lapid now remove any doubt that the JUSTBIBI virus is seen by the JUSTNOTBIBI crowd as the real and imminent threat to Israel’s democracy. Instead of supporting the government’s measures to contain the Coronavirus, Lapid tweeted that “true for now, March 17 2020, you no longer live in a democracy … the unelected government of Israel told us today … that we are prohibited from leaving our homes. There is no one who can now challenge this decision.”
This is just short of calling on Israelis to disobey the government’s instructions aimed at defeating this virus, all in the name of an imagined danger to our democracy, which now turned out to be more important than our very lives, Arabs included.
Spiritual war
Seeing the JUSTBIBI movement as a spiritual virus reveals the true source of the antagonism between the anti- and the pro-Netanyahu camps. What we are witnessing today is a spiritual war, which brings to mind the 10th chapter of the Book of Daniel, where the angel Michael fights the angel of Persia.
The battle taking place today in Israel is not about democracy. This is just the pretense, the “moral” justification to bring the Jewish state to its end.
by Tsvi Sadan
Israel Today
March 20, 2020
Truly, there is something sinister going on now in Israel. At first, the “Just Not Bibi” left-wing bloc partnered up with the anti-Zionist Joint Arab List. Though before the election “Blue and White” leaders vowed never to lean on the Joint List, as soon as the election was over, party leader Benny Gantz and his friends broke this vow, with the excuse that this was done to protect Israel’s democracy.
Instead of apologizing, Blue and White’s Moshe Yaalon both acknowledged the promises and breaking them. Just a few days ago he said that “in the decision of which promise to break – not to sit with Netanyahu or not be supported by the Joint Arab List – we preferred the second.”
In plain language it means that the JUSTBIBI bloc is more dangerous to Israel’s future than the JUSTNOTBIBI bloc. This division means that Blue and White took a conscious decision that preferred to alter the “Jewish” part of the “Jewish and Democratic” equation.
Democracy is all that matters now, even at the cost of the Jewish state.
This is not an exaggeration, as a March 17 post from Dov Elboim clearly shows. Elboim is not just anybody. Among other things he has been hosting for decades the popular Friday Portion of the Week public TV program, where he discusses with a variety of guests the meaning of the weekly Torah portion. Additionally, his non-profit organization Binah has been invited to instill his worldview in IDF soldiers and officers. In short, Elboim’s influence can’t be underestimated.
Morally inferior foes
In his aforementioned Facebook post, Elboim, a self-proclaimed Zionist, recalls the last visit to his dentist, a Bibi supporter. Elboim said to him while getting ready for a tooth removal that he wonders about the government’s methods of fighting the Coronavirus, which have included shutting down the courts, a move seen by many as an attempt by Netanyahu to postpone his own trial.
Elboim further commented that the 61 JUSTNOTBIBI members of Knesset, which includes the anti-Zionist Joint Arab List, effectively makes Netanyahu’s government illegitimate. In response, the dentist said that he doesn’t count the Joint Arab List, which implicitly means he does not consider the Arab parties as part of the center-left Zionist majority.
That was a moment of revelation for Elboim. Refusing the doctor’s help, he got out of the chair and left the clinic. He later wrote that “Providence sent me a clear warning to escape from dangerously contaminated dentist clinics … I left the place because I realized I can’t be treated by a person who does not see Arabs as equal citizens … I asked my family never to be medically treated by spiritually and morally inferior [racist] people … time has come to tell it to all service givers who think they have the right to enter our space and contaminate it … if there is anything this current [Corona] plague can teach us [it is this]: The time has come for all those who are spreading spiritual contamination to be isolated from us.”
This now is the frame of reference: There are two viruses creating havoc in Israel, the spiritual JUSTBIBI virus and the biological Coronavirus, which is far less dangerous than the first.
And a series of tweets from Blue and White co-leader Yair Lapid now remove any doubt that the JUSTBIBI virus is seen by the JUSTNOTBIBI crowd as the real and imminent threat to Israel’s democracy. Instead of supporting the government’s measures to contain the Coronavirus, Lapid tweeted that “true for now, March 17 2020, you no longer live in a democracy … the unelected government of Israel told us today … that we are prohibited from leaving our homes. There is no one who can now challenge this decision.”
This is just short of calling on Israelis to disobey the government’s instructions aimed at defeating this virus, all in the name of an imagined danger to our democracy, which now turned out to be more important than our very lives, Arabs included.
Spiritual war
Seeing the JUSTBIBI movement as a spiritual virus reveals the true source of the antagonism between the anti- and the pro-Netanyahu camps. What we are witnessing today is a spiritual war, which brings to mind the 10th chapter of the Book of Daniel, where the angel Michael fights the angel of Persia.
The battle taking place today in Israel is not about democracy. This is just the pretense, the “moral” justification to bring the Jewish state to its end.
BENNY GANTZ AND THE PYROMANIACAL COCKPIT
Amidst a global pandemic, the threat of war with Iran and economic collapse, the Blue and White Party is dead set on bringing Netanyahu down – even if it means taking Israel down with him
By Caroline B. Glick
Israel Hayom
March 20, 2020
If Blue and White Party leader MK Benny Gantz forms a minority government with Avigdor Liberman's Israel Beitenu Party and the Labor-Meretz party, based on the outside support of the Joint Arab List, Gantz's success will torpedo Israel's relations with the United States.
This week, a senior official who was present during Gantz's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in late January revealed: "Gantz committed in the Oval Office that, if he became prime minister, he would form a government of people that would support the president's peace deal."
The Trump peace plan includes applying Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and the Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Labor-Meretz and the Joint Arab List are both violently opposed to the Trump plan. A Gantz government that includes them will be a government that is hostile to the Trump plan.
The only way for Gantz to keep the promise he made to Trump is to join a coalition government led by Netanyahu with Likud and its right-religious coalition partners. And that is an option that Gantz and his partners in the Blue and White "cockpit" – fellow former IDF chiefs of General Staff Moshe Yaalon and Gadi Ashkenazy and former media star Yair Lapid – will not support.
They are working feverishly to cobble together a radical government with the post-Zionists in Labor-Meretz and the anti-Zionists in the Joint Arab List. All of which will be hard-pressed to work with the Trump administration.
How can Trump or his administration trust a man who flat out lied to the President in the Oval Office?
What can explain Gantz's irresponsible behavior?
Did he lie to Trump – and the Israeli public – because he and his colleagues are secretly radical leftists who seek power to undermine everything Israel stands for? They wouldn't be the first leftist politicians to do so.
In 1999, their commander, former IDF chief of General Staff Ehud Barak ran against Netanyahu by presenting himself as ideologically indistinguishable from him. Barak insisted that he would implement Netanyahu's center-right policies, but that he would do so with the support of the media and the leftist elite.
The public bought his act. Barak – the centrist – defeated Netanyahu and Barak – the leftist – offered PLO chief Yasser Arafat Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and the Temple Mount as well as the Golan Heights to Syrian dictator Hafez Assad.
Israel is a center-right country. Barak understood the only way for a leftist to win an election in Israel is to pretend to be a center-rightist.
Gantz's willingness to effectively surrender Israel's rights in Judea and Samaria to win the parliamentary support of politicians that seek Israel's destruction as a Jewish state – shared by his partners in the Blue and White leadership – seems to indicate that they are rabid post-Zionists. But a brief consideration of their other positions and actions suggests that something else is motivating them.
Gantz and his colleagues present themselves as champions of the rule of law and democracy, which they insist, Netanyahu is destroying.
But consider their actions: Presently, Blue and White is viciously attacking Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein for refusing to convene the Knesset's Arrangements Committee, which is responsible for convening the rest of the Knesset committees. They insist that in acting as he is, Edelstein is colluding with Netanyahu to destroy Israeli democracy. But as Simcha Rothman, from the Movement for Governability and Democracy, explained in Israel Hayom Thursday, it is Blue and White that is blocking the Arrangements Committee from convening.
The Knesset rules provide that membership in the committee is determined by the size of each party. The parties in the Knesset receive one member in the committee for every four members in their Knesset faction. Under the prevailing rules, the blocs working with Netanyahu and Gantz would have equal representation in the committee.
Blue and White wants to break the rules in order to receive a majority of Arrangement Committee members. Edelstein insists on following the rules.
Why are Gantz and his colleagues fighting so hard to break the rules? Because they need a majority on the committee in order to have the procedural power to pass laws that will undermine Israeli democracy and the rule of law.
Blue and White and Israel Beitenu have submitted bills explicitly directed towards achieving one goal: Preventing Netanyahu – and only Netanyahu – from forming a government. These bills, if passed, would overturn Israel's rule of law twice.
First, they are personal legislation – directed at Netanyahu alone. Personal laws are a concept antithetical to the rule of law and liberty. They open the door for full-scale repression and authoritarianism.
Second, if they succeed in passing their anti-Bibi laws, they will retroactively nullify the votes of 2.5 million Israelis who voted for parties that want Netanyahu to remain in office.
Blue and White wages its war against parliamentary rules to pass vindictive, anti-democratic laws at a time where Israel is facing the gravest health and economic crisis it has ever confronted.
The Wuhan coronavirus epidemic presents Israel with a choice between terrible and terrifying options.
Tuesday, Netanyahu announced that in a bid to lower the infection rate, Israelis should stay home and only go out to buy food and medicine and other critical activities. Schools are closed. Most government offices are closed. Businesses are closed. The only people still working are the ones who can work from home.
Netanyahu and his colleagues in the government enacted this policy with the understanding that, if forced to treat thousands of coronavirus patients at once, the health system will collapse. Everything must be done to slow the infection rate.
But the quarantine strategy holds its own terrible risks. Israel can handle an economic shutdown for a few weeks. If the current situation goes on for months, the economy will collapse and bring the health system with it. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are being laid off. They will not be paying taxes. Without taxes, the government will be unable to maintain the health system or any other system for that matter.
What can be done? It appears that the only way to suspend the quarantine and so salvage the economy is by conducting universal coronavirus testing. Only universal testing can limit the quarantine to people who need to be isolated and enable the restoration of economic activity.
How quickly can Israel achieve the capacity to undertake such a program? What would it involve?
What other options are available?
Netanyahu, his ministers, the Health and Treasury Ministry officials and the National Security Council members have been working around the clock to try to come up with solutions.
Where are Gantz and his partners – Lapid, Yaalon and Ashkenazy – in their brandishing "cockpit" on these issues?
Blue and White has offered no recommendations for fighting the epidemic. Although Tuesday night, Gantz was nice enough to retweet Netanyahu's warning to the public to stay home. His partners Yaalon and Lapid were not so disposed.
Instead, the two would-be national leaders belittled the threat – each in his own way – and insinuated that Netanyahu is colluding with the Coronavirus to destroy Israeli democracy.
Yaalon tweeted that Netanyahu is using the Coronavirus to avoid his criminal trial and destroy the Knesset. He later threatened Likud parliamentarians with legal probes for supporting Netanyahu's efforts.
In a Facebook chat, Lapid insinuated that Netanyahu's move to quarantine the public was unlawful and self-serving. In short, that Netanyahu isn't interested in protecting the public from mass death. All he cares about is staying in power.
Blue and White has offered no solution on how to save the economy from collapse. But they can be counted on to blame Netanyahu for the high unemployment rates and negative economic growth if Israel finds itself in a fourth election.
Yaalon, who seeks to serve as Education Minister, has offered no suggestions for how to educate the 1.3 million schoolchildren who are at home with parents trying to keep up with their own work while homeschooling their children.
Then there is Iran. As the coronavirus rages through Iran, experts warn that the risk of an Iranian strike against Israel rises with the death toll. The theology of Iran's ruling clerics holds that the Shite messiah, the Mahdi, is supposed to return at the end of days. To hasten his arrival, Iran's ayatollahs believe that they need to start Armageddon.
Do the three former IDF chiefs at the helm of Blue and White have any concern over this? Do they have any suggestions for how to handle the threat as Iranians dig more and more mass graves for coronavirus victims?
Which brings us back to Washington: Three weeks ago, I traveled to Washington to speak on a panel at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) – the largest conservative gathering in America. Most of the discussions were related to U.S. domestic issues. But Israel is so important to conservatives that organizers chose to hold a panel devoted to Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
There were no calls for the partition of Jerusalem and the expulsion of Jews from Judea and Samaria either on the panel or from the audience. On the contrary, the sentiment shared by the audience and the panelists alike was that Israel should assert its sovereign rights in Judea and Samaria wherever it deems necessary.
This salutary state of affairs will be turned on its head if the Democrats win the presidency in November. In that event, Israel will find itself under assault from a hostile president who heads a party hostile to Israel. How would a Blue and White government handle such a challenge? Dependent on the Joint Arab List – which openly seeks Israel's destruction as a Jewish state – for its survival, there can be little doubt that Blue and White would surrender to even the slightest pressure emanating from Washington.
Gantz, Lapid, Yaalon and Ashkenazy are not ideologues – unless detesting Netanyahu with the single-minded venom of a rabid dog is an ideology. They accuse Netanyahu of caring only for himself and pledge to put the country first. But we see that, as Netanyahu labors to save the country from medical and economic collapse, all they can think about is destroying him. Even at the expense of torching Israel's relations with the U.S., endangering the lives and financial stability of its citizens, and disregarding strategic threats and opportunities. They accuse Netanyahu of destroying democracy as they contemptuously ignore Knesset rules in order to pass laws that would nullify both the rule of law and the votes of 2.5 million citizens.
So no, Gantz and his colleagues aren't ideologues.
They are pyromaniacs.
By Caroline B. Glick
Israel Hayom
March 20, 2020
If Blue and White Party leader MK Benny Gantz forms a minority government with Avigdor Liberman's Israel Beitenu Party and the Labor-Meretz party, based on the outside support of the Joint Arab List, Gantz's success will torpedo Israel's relations with the United States.
This week, a senior official who was present during Gantz's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in late January revealed: "Gantz committed in the Oval Office that, if he became prime minister, he would form a government of people that would support the president's peace deal."
The Trump peace plan includes applying Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and the Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Labor-Meretz and the Joint Arab List are both violently opposed to the Trump plan. A Gantz government that includes them will be a government that is hostile to the Trump plan.
The only way for Gantz to keep the promise he made to Trump is to join a coalition government led by Netanyahu with Likud and its right-religious coalition partners. And that is an option that Gantz and his partners in the Blue and White "cockpit" – fellow former IDF chiefs of General Staff Moshe Yaalon and Gadi Ashkenazy and former media star Yair Lapid – will not support.
They are working feverishly to cobble together a radical government with the post-Zionists in Labor-Meretz and the anti-Zionists in the Joint Arab List. All of which will be hard-pressed to work with the Trump administration.
How can Trump or his administration trust a man who flat out lied to the President in the Oval Office?
What can explain Gantz's irresponsible behavior?
Did he lie to Trump – and the Israeli public – because he and his colleagues are secretly radical leftists who seek power to undermine everything Israel stands for? They wouldn't be the first leftist politicians to do so.
In 1999, their commander, former IDF chief of General Staff Ehud Barak ran against Netanyahu by presenting himself as ideologically indistinguishable from him. Barak insisted that he would implement Netanyahu's center-right policies, but that he would do so with the support of the media and the leftist elite.
The public bought his act. Barak – the centrist – defeated Netanyahu and Barak – the leftist – offered PLO chief Yasser Arafat Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and the Temple Mount as well as the Golan Heights to Syrian dictator Hafez Assad.
Israel is a center-right country. Barak understood the only way for a leftist to win an election in Israel is to pretend to be a center-rightist.
Gantz's willingness to effectively surrender Israel's rights in Judea and Samaria to win the parliamentary support of politicians that seek Israel's destruction as a Jewish state – shared by his partners in the Blue and White leadership – seems to indicate that they are rabid post-Zionists. But a brief consideration of their other positions and actions suggests that something else is motivating them.
Gantz and his colleagues present themselves as champions of the rule of law and democracy, which they insist, Netanyahu is destroying.
But consider their actions: Presently, Blue and White is viciously attacking Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein for refusing to convene the Knesset's Arrangements Committee, which is responsible for convening the rest of the Knesset committees. They insist that in acting as he is, Edelstein is colluding with Netanyahu to destroy Israeli democracy. But as Simcha Rothman, from the Movement for Governability and Democracy, explained in Israel Hayom Thursday, it is Blue and White that is blocking the Arrangements Committee from convening.
The Knesset rules provide that membership in the committee is determined by the size of each party. The parties in the Knesset receive one member in the committee for every four members in their Knesset faction. Under the prevailing rules, the blocs working with Netanyahu and Gantz would have equal representation in the committee.
Blue and White wants to break the rules in order to receive a majority of Arrangement Committee members. Edelstein insists on following the rules.
Why are Gantz and his colleagues fighting so hard to break the rules? Because they need a majority on the committee in order to have the procedural power to pass laws that will undermine Israeli democracy and the rule of law.
Blue and White and Israel Beitenu have submitted bills explicitly directed towards achieving one goal: Preventing Netanyahu – and only Netanyahu – from forming a government. These bills, if passed, would overturn Israel's rule of law twice.
First, they are personal legislation – directed at Netanyahu alone. Personal laws are a concept antithetical to the rule of law and liberty. They open the door for full-scale repression and authoritarianism.
Second, if they succeed in passing their anti-Bibi laws, they will retroactively nullify the votes of 2.5 million Israelis who voted for parties that want Netanyahu to remain in office.
Blue and White wages its war against parliamentary rules to pass vindictive, anti-democratic laws at a time where Israel is facing the gravest health and economic crisis it has ever confronted.
The Wuhan coronavirus epidemic presents Israel with a choice between terrible and terrifying options.
Tuesday, Netanyahu announced that in a bid to lower the infection rate, Israelis should stay home and only go out to buy food and medicine and other critical activities. Schools are closed. Most government offices are closed. Businesses are closed. The only people still working are the ones who can work from home.
Netanyahu and his colleagues in the government enacted this policy with the understanding that, if forced to treat thousands of coronavirus patients at once, the health system will collapse. Everything must be done to slow the infection rate.
But the quarantine strategy holds its own terrible risks. Israel can handle an economic shutdown for a few weeks. If the current situation goes on for months, the economy will collapse and bring the health system with it. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are being laid off. They will not be paying taxes. Without taxes, the government will be unable to maintain the health system or any other system for that matter.
What can be done? It appears that the only way to suspend the quarantine and so salvage the economy is by conducting universal coronavirus testing. Only universal testing can limit the quarantine to people who need to be isolated and enable the restoration of economic activity.
How quickly can Israel achieve the capacity to undertake such a program? What would it involve?
What other options are available?
Netanyahu, his ministers, the Health and Treasury Ministry officials and the National Security Council members have been working around the clock to try to come up with solutions.
Where are Gantz and his partners – Lapid, Yaalon and Ashkenazy – in their brandishing "cockpit" on these issues?
Blue and White has offered no recommendations for fighting the epidemic. Although Tuesday night, Gantz was nice enough to retweet Netanyahu's warning to the public to stay home. His partners Yaalon and Lapid were not so disposed.
Instead, the two would-be national leaders belittled the threat – each in his own way – and insinuated that Netanyahu is colluding with the Coronavirus to destroy Israeli democracy.
Yaalon tweeted that Netanyahu is using the Coronavirus to avoid his criminal trial and destroy the Knesset. He later threatened Likud parliamentarians with legal probes for supporting Netanyahu's efforts.
In a Facebook chat, Lapid insinuated that Netanyahu's move to quarantine the public was unlawful and self-serving. In short, that Netanyahu isn't interested in protecting the public from mass death. All he cares about is staying in power.
Blue and White has offered no solution on how to save the economy from collapse. But they can be counted on to blame Netanyahu for the high unemployment rates and negative economic growth if Israel finds itself in a fourth election.
Yaalon, who seeks to serve as Education Minister, has offered no suggestions for how to educate the 1.3 million schoolchildren who are at home with parents trying to keep up with their own work while homeschooling their children.
Then there is Iran. As the coronavirus rages through Iran, experts warn that the risk of an Iranian strike against Israel rises with the death toll. The theology of Iran's ruling clerics holds that the Shite messiah, the Mahdi, is supposed to return at the end of days. To hasten his arrival, Iran's ayatollahs believe that they need to start Armageddon.
Do the three former IDF chiefs at the helm of Blue and White have any concern over this? Do they have any suggestions for how to handle the threat as Iranians dig more and more mass graves for coronavirus victims?
Which brings us back to Washington: Three weeks ago, I traveled to Washington to speak on a panel at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) – the largest conservative gathering in America. Most of the discussions were related to U.S. domestic issues. But Israel is so important to conservatives that organizers chose to hold a panel devoted to Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
There were no calls for the partition of Jerusalem and the expulsion of Jews from Judea and Samaria either on the panel or from the audience. On the contrary, the sentiment shared by the audience and the panelists alike was that Israel should assert its sovereign rights in Judea and Samaria wherever it deems necessary.
This salutary state of affairs will be turned on its head if the Democrats win the presidency in November. In that event, Israel will find itself under assault from a hostile president who heads a party hostile to Israel. How would a Blue and White government handle such a challenge? Dependent on the Joint Arab List – which openly seeks Israel's destruction as a Jewish state – for its survival, there can be little doubt that Blue and White would surrender to even the slightest pressure emanating from Washington.
Gantz, Lapid, Yaalon and Ashkenazy are not ideologues – unless detesting Netanyahu with the single-minded venom of a rabid dog is an ideology. They accuse Netanyahu of caring only for himself and pledge to put the country first. But we see that, as Netanyahu labors to save the country from medical and economic collapse, all they can think about is destroying him. Even at the expense of torching Israel's relations with the U.S., endangering the lives and financial stability of its citizens, and disregarding strategic threats and opportunities. They accuse Netanyahu of destroying democracy as they contemptuously ignore Knesset rules in order to pass laws that would nullify both the rule of law and the votes of 2.5 million citizens.
So no, Gantz and his colleagues aren't ideologues.
They are pyromaniacs.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
A LITTLE ENTERTAINMENT TO TAKE A MAN'S MIND OFF OF CORONAVIRUS AND THE S(T)INKING STOCK MARKET
This almost gave me a heart attack. And my 93-year-old dick tried to stand up but couldn't rise to the occasion.
ADAM SCHIFF CLAIMS SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY
by Bob Walsh
One of the true psychos and retards of the U. S. Congress, Adam "Shit For Brains" Schiff, is actually asserting that he has "sovereign immunity" in order to keep Judicial Watch from getting their paws on phone record subpoenas.
Schiff's obtaining the phone records led to them being released (leaked). They included records for a reporter, John Solomon, as well as a California Republican Congressman and Rudy Giuliani, the President's lawyer.
I truly hope the courts kick Schiff in the nutsack over this one. He clearly overreached and is now trying to hide out to avoid being burned for the asshole that he is. My hope does not mean it will happen, but it would be nice. If you get right down to it anything that causes Schiff distress is a good thing..
One of the true psychos and retards of the U. S. Congress, Adam "Shit For Brains" Schiff, is actually asserting that he has "sovereign immunity" in order to keep Judicial Watch from getting their paws on phone record subpoenas.
Schiff's obtaining the phone records led to them being released (leaked). They included records for a reporter, John Solomon, as well as a California Republican Congressman and Rudy Giuliani, the President's lawyer.
I truly hope the courts kick Schiff in the nutsack over this one. He clearly overreached and is now trying to hide out to avoid being burned for the asshole that he is. My hope does not mean it will happen, but it would be nice. If you get right down to it anything that causes Schiff distress is a good thing..
TRUMP NUMBERS UP.
by Bob Walsh
It seems that Donald Trump's approval number are up a tad over 11% over the last week or so. The hard core Trumpists already like everything the guy says and does. That must mean that a significant number of "new" people support what he is either doing, or saying, or maybe even both. I confess I am a tad surprised. Not disappointed, but surprised.
It seems that Donald Trump's approval number are up a tad over 11% over the last week or so. The hard core Trumpists already like everything the guy says and does. That must mean that a significant number of "new" people support what he is either doing, or saying, or maybe even both. I confess I am a tad surprised. Not disappointed, but surprised.
GO TO THE NETHERLANDS TO GET TOILET PAPER
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte says his country has enough toilet paper to 'poop for ten years' as supermarket shelves are cleared by panicked shoppers across Europe
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
Mark Rutte explained his country's fortunate toilet paper situation during a visit to a Albert Heijn supermarket yesterday.
Shelves have been refilled in the country following stockpiling.
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
Mark Rutte explained his country's fortunate toilet paper situation during a visit to a Albert Heijn supermarket yesterday.
Shelves have been refilled in the country following stockpiling.
WILL CHLOROQUINE REALLY WORK AND IS IT SAFE?
Trump explodes in anger when asked if he's giving false hope to 'scared' Americans by calling malaria drug a 'game-changer' in coronavirus treatment and ordering 'millions of units' - despite Dr. Fauci saying there's NO proof it works or is SAFE
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
President Donald Trump told reporters the nation has ordered 'millions' of units of the drug 'chloroquine' that he said he has a 'feeling' will be effective against the coronavirus.
'We ordered them. We have millions of units ordered,' Trump said, name checking the German manufacturer Bayer, which he called a 'great company.' 'Millions of units are ordered and we’re going to see what happens,' Trump said.
Trump and health officials referenced the drug yesterday as among those having promising potential to alleviate those suffering from the coronavirus – although Trump was immediately contradicted on claims that it was ready for use.
With major parts of the nation including California and New York now on lock-down to stem the spread of the virus, Trump was upbeat on the prospects for the drug, which has been on the market for years as an anti-malarial medication. 'People may be surprised,' Trump predicted. 'That would be a game-changer.' He said the FDA is 'working on it right now.'
He sparred with an NBC News reporter [Peter Alexander] who asked whether Americans should feel scared and he was trying to show progress and providing them false hope and providing a 'positive spin.' Fauci has said there is no magic drug.
'I would say that you're a terrible reporter, that's what I'd say,' Trump erupted. 'I think it's a very nasty question.' He scolded the reporter: 'The American people are looking for answers and they're looking for hope. And you're doing sensationalism,' Trump said.
He wagged his finger for emphasis and said: 'That's really bad reporting.'
__________
'There is no miracle drug': Dr Anthony Fauci rebukes Trump over claims anti-malaria drug chloroquine could be a 'game-changer' in fight against coronavirus - amid rumors of tensions between the pair
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
Dr Anthony Fauci has rebuked Donald Trump's claim that anti-malaria drug chloroquine could be a game-changer in the fight against COVID-19.
Dr Facui, who is a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, made the claim during an interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN Thursday evening.
'There's no magic drug for coronavirus right now,' the top doctor told Cooper.
Earlier in the day, Trump told media that there had been positive results after doctors trialled chloroquine on COVID-19 patients, and suggested the drug could be a game-changer.
'It's shown very, very encouraging early results. We're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately. It's been approved,' he said.
However, Dr Fauci said on CNN just a few hours later: 'Let me put it into perspective for the viewers .. there has been anecdotal non-proven data that it [chloroquine] works... but when you have an uncontrolled trial you can never definitely say that it works'.
He repeated his caution on Friday in an interview with Today, saying: 'Even though the information is anecdotal that they may work, we need to prove it so people would get the right drug that's safe and effective.
'What we're saying is these are drugs that have some suggestion that they may work,' he went on, but that controlled trials needed to be done to prove that they are effective.
'Today there are no proven safe and effective therapies for the coronavirus,' he concluded.
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
President Donald Trump told reporters the nation has ordered 'millions' of units of the drug 'chloroquine' that he said he has a 'feeling' will be effective against the coronavirus.
'We ordered them. We have millions of units ordered,' Trump said, name checking the German manufacturer Bayer, which he called a 'great company.' 'Millions of units are ordered and we’re going to see what happens,' Trump said.
Trump and health officials referenced the drug yesterday as among those having promising potential to alleviate those suffering from the coronavirus – although Trump was immediately contradicted on claims that it was ready for use.
With major parts of the nation including California and New York now on lock-down to stem the spread of the virus, Trump was upbeat on the prospects for the drug, which has been on the market for years as an anti-malarial medication. 'People may be surprised,' Trump predicted. 'That would be a game-changer.' He said the FDA is 'working on it right now.'
He sparred with an NBC News reporter [Peter Alexander] who asked whether Americans should feel scared and he was trying to show progress and providing them false hope and providing a 'positive spin.' Fauci has said there is no magic drug.
'I would say that you're a terrible reporter, that's what I'd say,' Trump erupted. 'I think it's a very nasty question.' He scolded the reporter: 'The American people are looking for answers and they're looking for hope. And you're doing sensationalism,' Trump said.
He wagged his finger for emphasis and said: 'That's really bad reporting.'
__________
'There is no miracle drug': Dr Anthony Fauci rebukes Trump over claims anti-malaria drug chloroquine could be a 'game-changer' in fight against coronavirus - amid rumors of tensions between the pair
Daily Mail
March 20, 2020
Dr Anthony Fauci has rebuked Donald Trump's claim that anti-malaria drug chloroquine could be a game-changer in the fight against COVID-19.
Dr Facui, who is a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, made the claim during an interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN Thursday evening.
'There's no magic drug for coronavirus right now,' the top doctor told Cooper.
Earlier in the day, Trump told media that there had been positive results after doctors trialled chloroquine on COVID-19 patients, and suggested the drug could be a game-changer.
'It's shown very, very encouraging early results. We're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately. It's been approved,' he said.
However, Dr Fauci said on CNN just a few hours later: 'Let me put it into perspective for the viewers .. there has been anecdotal non-proven data that it [chloroquine] works... but when you have an uncontrolled trial you can never definitely say that it works'.
He repeated his caution on Friday in an interview with Today, saying: 'Even though the information is anecdotal that they may work, we need to prove it so people would get the right drug that's safe and effective.
'What we're saying is these are drugs that have some suggestion that they may work,' he went on, but that controlled trials needed to be done to prove that they are effective.
'Today there are no proven safe and effective therapies for the coronavirus,' he concluded.
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