Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Editorial: How the pandemic unmasks Illinois’ feeble finances - Chicago Tribune
Editorial: How the pandemic unmasks Illinois’ feeble finances - Chicago Tribune"We’ll give them this much: For several decades the politicians who’ve trashed Illinois’ public finances got away with it.
- They gave public sector unions generous retirement benefits but didn’t set aside enough money to pay for their promises.
- They didn’t bother to spend within their revenues because when you throw around money you make allies.
- They borrowed enormous amounts to pay for today’s spending, then dumped the debts on tomorrow’s taxpayers.
Each Election Day, Illinoisans rewarded the very politicians who had drowned them in debt.
But come the pandemic, Americans see the politicians in what’s arguably the worst-run state, unmasked:
Once again Illinois stands exposed as the dunce that never learns to prepare for whatever crisis comes next.
- A rainy-day fund to handle emergencies? Not here.
- Balanced budgets with bills paid as they come due? Again, not here.
- A low debt load, so state and local governments won’t waste precious funds on interest payments? Nope.
Read all.
What could possibly go wrong?---China: Any Investigation Into the Pandemic Should be Led by WHO | CNSNews
China: Any Investigation Into the Pandemic Should be Led by WHO | (CNSNews.com) – Any investigation into the coronavirus pandemic should be carried out by the World Health Organization, a Chinese Communist Party newspaper declared on Sunday, on the eve of WHO’s annual assembly where dozens of countries are expected to press for a review.
...the European Union for one has cautioned against a “blame game,” while stressing the importance of determining how the virus spread.
Those that have been more critical, such as Australia, have angered Beijing, resulting in punitive trade measures (by China) ...
Read all.
‘Don’t Expect Us To Do It’: Democratic Michigan Sheriff Will Not Enforce Whitmer’s Lockdown Orders | The Daily Caller
A Democratic sheriff in one of Michigan’s most populous counties declared that his department has not and will not enforce government-imposed lockdown measures against businesses or citizens.
Appearing Friday on the popular podcast “No BS News Hour,” Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson told host Charlie LeDuff that, while he understands that law enforcers do not make the law, there is also some measure of discretion involved.
Bolt-action rifles, single shots included among 1,500 'assault weapons' facing ban in Canada - WND
Bolt-action rifles, single shots included among 1,500 'assault weapons' facing ban in Canada - WND
"Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ban on certain firearms has many in the country’s gun industry scratching their heads and wondering if their government has even a basic grasp of the characteristics of firearms.
...even outlaws some bolt-action rifles that rural citizens use for hunting in order to sustain their families.
“Today we are closing the market for military-grade assault weapons in Canada. We are banning 1,500 models and variants of these firearms by way of regulations. These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only, to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time,” Trudeau announced on May 1.
...The ban is purportedly a response to the murder of 22 people in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19...
...Gun owners and sellers north of the border are now barred from owning 1,500 separate models of weapons which were perfectly legal before Wortman’s killing spree.
...Then again, this is not about protecting public safety.
This is a gun grab, pure and simple, and Canadian lawmakers don’t even understand the weapons they are banning.
Read all.
"Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ban on certain firearms has many in the country’s gun industry scratching their heads and wondering if their government has even a basic grasp of the characteristics of firearms.
...even outlaws some bolt-action rifles that rural citizens use for hunting in order to sustain their families.“Today we are closing the market for military-grade assault weapons in Canada. We are banning 1,500 models and variants of these firearms by way of regulations. These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only, to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time,” Trudeau announced on May 1.
...The ban is purportedly a response to the murder of 22 people in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19...
...Gun owners and sellers north of the border are now barred from owning 1,500 separate models of weapons which were perfectly legal before Wortman’s killing spree.
...Then again, this is not about protecting public safety.
This is a gun grab, pure and simple, and Canadian lawmakers don’t even understand the weapons they are banning.
Read all.
History for May 19
History for May 19 - On-This-Day.com
Johns Hopkins 1795 - entrepreneur, philanthropist, mosted noted for the creation of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Ho Chi Minh (Nguyen Sinh Cung) 1890 - North Vietnamese Communist revolutionary, prime minister and president, Malcolm X (Malcolm Little) 1925 - African-American Muslim minister, public speaker, and human rights activist
Francis Scobee (Francis Richard "Dick" Scobee) 1939 - Astronaut, killed commanding the Space Shuttle Challenger, Pete Townshend 1945 - Musician (The Who), David Helfgott 1947 - Concert pianist
1921 - The U.S. Congress passed the Emergency Quota Act, which established national quotas for immigrants.
1992 - U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle criticized the CBS sitcom "Murphy Brown" for having its title character decide to bear a child out of wedlock.
Monday, May 18, 2020
CBS News releases statement on Catherine Herridge's reporting after Dems, media attack her - TheBlaze
Herridge was attacked on social media after she reported on the "unmasking" list related to the Michael Flynn case that acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell gave Congress this week.
Kurt Schlichter--Forget About Seeing Any Justice For Obamagate
Forget About Seeing Any Justice For Obamagate
"Allow me to disabuse you of your naïve delusion that we still live in a country with a justice system and break it to you that no one is going to jail for what was done to Flynn, or for the unmasking business, or for the Russia hoax or, for that matter, for any of the corrupt Dem/foreigner collaborations...
No one.
Well, maybe Mike Flynn himself will.
Since his judge is now making up the law as he goes along...
...We have two justice systems, one for them and one for us, meaning we have no justice system at all.
Sorry to have to break this to you.
...You do understand that to the establishment, this dual track system where
is how they want it, right?
This is not an unintended consequence.
They are for this..."
Read all.
"Allow me to disabuse you of your naïve delusion that we still live in a country with a justice system and break it to you that no one is going to jail for what was done to Flynn, or for the unmasking business, or for the Russia hoax or, for that matter, for any of the corrupt Dem/foreigner collaborations...
Well, maybe Mike Flynn himself will.
Since his judge is now making up the law as he goes along...
...We have two justice systems, one for them and one for us, meaning we have no justice system at all.
Sorry to have to break this to you.
...You do understand that to the establishment, this dual track system where
- they ignore the law and
- we get the law dropped on us – including through active framing, as with LTG Flynn, to keep us in line –
is how they want it, right?
This is not an unintended consequence.
They are for this..."
Read all.
Their Happiness Hurt My Feelings
davidthompson: Their Happiness Hurt My Feelings
"Attention, woke citizens.
During the current lockdown, do you feel a need to “challenge microaggressions” – those “verbal, behavioural or environmental indignities that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative racial slights”?
Specifically, those committed during video conferencing?
According to Michigan State University’s Amy Bonomi, director of the university’s Children and Youth Institute, and Neila Viveiros, associate vice chancellor for academic operations at the University of Colorado Denver, the expanded use of virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom and Skype has created “a ripe setting for unconscious bias.”
"Attention, woke citizens.
During the current lockdown, do you feel a need to “challenge microaggressions” – those “verbal, behavioural or environmental indignities that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative racial slights”?
Specifically, those committed during video conferencing?
But of course. The frontier of indignation must forever expand.
“Unconscious bias includes using language, symbolism and nonverbal cues that reinforce normative social identities with respect to gender, race, sexual preference and socioeconomic status,” Bonomi said. “For example, when the virtual background of a Zoom meeting attendee has pictures of his or her wedding, it unintentionally reinforces the idea that marriage is most fitting between opposite sexes.”
It turns out that the reckless visibility of a wedding photo may be crushing the self-esteem out of the touchily unwed.
You see, the mere sight of a photo of someone’s happy day can “crowd out the experiences of people with minoritized social identities,” albeit in ways never quite explained.
Other taboos include references to “simple activities like family dance parties,” which are apparently a thing, and “gardening with a spouse.”...
You see, the mere sight of a photo of someone’s happy day can “crowd out the experiences of people with minoritized social identities,” albeit in ways never quite explained.
Other taboos include references to “simple activities like family dance parties,” which are apparently a thing, and “gardening with a spouse.”...
Read all!
‘Unconstitutional Abuse Of Power’: Liz Cheney Blasts Pelosi’s Proxy Voting ‘Scheme’ | The Daily Caller
Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney had harsh words for the proxy-voting plan the House passed late Friday evening.
That plan would allow any House member who was physically present to cast a proxy vote for up to 10 others. It would also allow House members and witnesses to join committee proceedings from home for 45 days. Those provisions are set to expire at the end of the term in January, but can be modified until then as necessary.
Michigan receives $315 million in federal funds for coronavirus testing - mlive.com
Michigan receives $315 million in federal funds for coronavirus testing - mlive.com"Federal funding will help expand testing for the novel coronavirus in Michigan.
A total of $315 million in federal funds is coming to the state of Michigan from the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, a news release from (democrats) U.S. Sen. Gary Peters and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow said.
...States will receive a total of $11 billion from the act to expand testing, while federal agencies receive $14 billion, the release said...
Read all.
OpEd: Why is a Social Worker Dictating COVID-19 Policy for the Country's Largest County? - done.com | What have they done?
OpEd: Why is a Social Worker Dictating COVID-19 Policy for the Country's Largest County? - done.com | What have they done?"Los Angeles County is, by a wide margin, the most populous county in the United States.
At an estimated 10 million, its population is larger than all but seven states and over a hundred countries.
...A county with that population and wealth should have an army of world class scientists leading the battle in the fight against COVID-19.
Let’s take a look at who is leading this world class team.
Our LA County Public Health Commissioner is Dr. Barbara Ferrer.
...She must have graduated from a top-tier medical school, or so one would think…
...She has a Doctorate in “Social Welfare.”
So essentially, we have a high-powered social worker (albeit one of the most well-known in the country) leading the largest county in the United States in the fight of our lives against this biological threat.
Yes, this is the real-life version of “I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV.”...
Read all!
...She has a Doctorate in “Social Welfare.”
So essentially, we have a high-powered social worker (albeit one of the most well-known in the country) leading the largest county in the United States in the fight of our lives against this biological threat.
Yes, this is the real-life version of “I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV.”...
Read all!
Pollak: Congress Needs to Wake Up About State and Local Government Layoffs
Pollak: Congress Needs to Wake Up About State and Local Government Layoffs:
There are signs of hope in the job market after the massive layoffs of the coronavirus crisis. But a new crisis is looming in state and local governments, which are facing drastic revenue shortfalls and will be forced to cut services and jobs. Even when the private sector recovers, the public sector will lag, and will become a drag on overall economic growth.
Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are failing to take the looming public sector job crisis seriously.
There are signs of hope in the job market after the massive layoffs of the coronavirus crisis. But a new crisis is looming in state and local governments, which are facing drastic revenue shortfalls and will be forced to cut services and jobs. Even when the private sector recovers, the public sector will lag, and will become a drag on overall economic growth.
Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are failing to take the looming public sector job crisis seriously.
"...modern day Marie Antoinette."
Fans of Best of the Web Today--Eileen Priest
"Illinois' Governor Pritzker is a modern day Marie Antoinette.
"Illinois' Governor Pritzker is a modern day Marie Antoinette.
It appears a billionaire doesn't take kindly to being asked questions especially those about why his own immediate family isn't abiding by his dumb executive orders.
I doubt his wife or kid are taking care of those farm animals, that's what the hired help do.
My guess is he's thoroughly regretting running for the office."
Predatory government-----Oregon salon owner: child protective services and OSHA are 'targeting' her
SALEM, OR.- Business owners across the country have a decision to make.
As many fight for their very survival, some have defied stay-at-home orders and reopened their businesses in spite of government-mandated shut down orders.
Some of these governors have deployed the resources of government agencies to carry out what some consider to be draconian emergency directives.
In Oregon for example, the owner of a hair salon has been harassed by a number of government agencies for reopening her salon.
While the original premise of government-imposed stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns was to “flatten the curve,” many states where that has been accomplished continue to force businesses to remain shut..."
Read all.
Yeah, libs adding "masks" as another way to divide us-----Men less likely to wear masks because they’re ‘not cool,’ study finds — sociologists say Trump, toxic masculinity and racism also play a role
Men less likely to wear masks because they’re ‘not cool,’ study finds — sociologists say Trump, toxic masculinity and racism also play a role
"...in a new preliminary study released this week, researchers suggest that men may not only be less likely to wear masks but that some actually view them as a sign of weakness.
The research, which is currently being peer-reviewed, may shed light on why public-facing men — especially white men — seem proud to appear in public without them.
...Caroline Heldman, a senior research advisor for the Geena Davis Institute for Gender in Media ...agrees. “... masculinity becomes toxic when it causes men to put their lives at risk,”...
The study did not explore the differences in motivations behind mask-wearing among racial lines, which — in the wake of the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery — cannot be overlooked.
...Judy Lubin, a sociologist, policy analyst, racial justice advocate who founded the Center for Urban and Racial Equity (CURE) argues that for white men, not wearing a mask is a privilege, where for black men — who have routinely been targeted by police — it’s a matter of life or death.
...Helman says these actions — no matter the reasoning — are “reckless” and send a dangerous message.
“Since the office of the president is so tied to hyper-masculinity, Trump and Pence are performing almost a caricature of toxic masculinity by refusing to demonstrate basic safety precautions,” Heldman tells Yahoo Life.
“As leaders, they are sending a terrible message to American men that they should put their lives at risk. With COVID-19, this reckless messaging from Trump in order to project a toxic brand of masculinity is putting everyone at risk because many Americans are following his lead.”...
Read all.
"...in a new preliminary study released this week, researchers suggest that men may not only be less likely to wear masks but that some actually view them as a sign of weakness.
...Caroline Heldman, a senior research advisor for the Geena Davis Institute for Gender in Media ...agrees. “... masculinity becomes toxic when it causes men to put their lives at risk,”...
The study did not explore the differences in motivations behind mask-wearing among racial lines, which — in the wake of the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery — cannot be overlooked.
...Judy Lubin, a sociologist, policy analyst, racial justice advocate who founded the Center for Urban and Racial Equity (CURE) argues that for white men, not wearing a mask is a privilege, where for black men — who have routinely been targeted by police — it’s a matter of life or death.
...Helman says these actions — no matter the reasoning — are “reckless” and send a dangerous message.
“Since the office of the president is so tied to hyper-masculinity, Trump and Pence are performing almost a caricature of toxic masculinity by refusing to demonstrate basic safety precautions,” Heldman tells Yahoo Life.
“As leaders, they are sending a terrible message to American men that they should put their lives at risk. With COVID-19, this reckless messaging from Trump in order to project a toxic brand of masculinity is putting everyone at risk because many Americans are following his lead.”...
Read all.
Stanford University doctor: 'You are mistaken' if you think coronavirus lockdowns provide safety - TheBlaze
Stanford University doctor: 'You are mistaken' if you think coronavirus lockdowns provide safety - TheBlaze:
"I think in the back of people's heads there is this idea that somehow we can eradicate this disease if we just stay locked down," Bhattacharya said, during an interview with Peter Robinson of the Hoover Institution. "That is not possible. The serologic evidence, even in the MLB study, suggest this. It suggests the epidemic is too widespread to eradicate."
In Bhattacharya's estimation, the lockdowns have not moved the population toward elimination of the virus, but rather delayed the spread. As a result, whenever lockdown restrictions are lifted, the virus will inevitably spread again. Meanwhile, there will have been serious harms — for public health and world economies — caused by the lockdowns.
In Bhattacharya's estimation, the lockdowns have not moved the population toward elimination of the virus, but rather delayed the spread. As a result, whenever lockdown restrictions are lifted, the virus will inevitably spread again. Meanwhile, there will have been serious harms — for public health and world economies — caused by the lockdowns.
Islam buying up EU and USA?-----Saudi Arabia Sovereign Wealth Fund Seeks $10 Billion Margin Loan - Bloomberg
Saudi Arabia Sovereign Wealth Fund Seeks $10 Billion Margin Loan - Bloomberg
"Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is planning to borrow about $10 billion by pledging some of its stakes in SoftBank Group Corp.’s technology investment vehicle, according to people familiar with the matter.
...PIF’s investment drive has seen it build stakes in some of the world’s largest companies since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, it disclosed stakes in companies including Facebook Inc., Boeing Co. and Citigroup Inc.
...PIF has targeted some of the companies hit hardest in the crisis, including cruise operator Carnival Corp. and hotel owner Marriott International Inc.
It’s also broadened its natural resources exposure with stakes in Suncor Energy Inc. and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, according to the filing, which outlined investments in nearly $10 billion worth of U.S. equities....
Read all.
...PIF’s investment drive has seen it build stakes in some of the world’s largest companies since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, it disclosed stakes in companies including Facebook Inc., Boeing Co. and Citigroup Inc.
...PIF has targeted some of the companies hit hardest in the crisis, including cruise operator Carnival Corp. and hotel owner Marriott International Inc.
It’s also broadened its natural resources exposure with stakes in Suncor Energy Inc. and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, according to the filing, which outlined investments in nearly $10 billion worth of U.S. equities....
Read all.
History for May 18
History for May 18 - On-This-Day.com
Frank Capra 1897 - Film director ("It's a Wonderful Life"), Robert Meredith Willson 1902 - Composer, songwriter, conductor, playwright, Perry Como 1912 - Singer, television personality
Pope John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyla) 1920, Robert Morse 1931 - Actor ("Mad Men," "How to Succeed in Business ..."), Reggie Jackson 1946 - Baseball player
1980 - Mt. Saint Helens erupted in Washington state. 57 people were killed and 3 billion in damage was done.
2012 - Facebook Inc. held its initial public offering and began trading on the NASDAQ. The company was valued at $104 billion making it the largest valuation to date for a newly listed public company.
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