vdare--2020-03-21--Does China Really Make Our Medicines?

Does China Really Make Our Medicines?

In last night 's podcast I mentioned ( at 36m05s here ) the statistic much-quoted by Tucker Carlson on his show this few weeks past : that 97 percent of our pharmaceuticals are made in China .
Tucker seems to be relying on Gibson & Singh 's 2018 book China Rx : Exposing the Risks of America 's Dependence on China for Medicine .
He actually had Rosemary Gibson on his show Thursday night .
One of my listeners has pooh-poohed this .
He : Here are the statistics .
China does not even make the list .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but make only 13 % of the world 's medicines , and export only generic meds with elapsed patents , while the U.S.A. makes 20 % and is a big exporter .
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of drugs and medicines during 2018 .
Thank you , Sir .
This is one of those cases where I believe that I , or Carlson , or my listener , is missing some key point of terminology .
Patents vs. generics ?
`` Drugs '' vs. `` ingredients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the discrepancy explained .
Can anyone help ?

In last night's podcast I mentioned (at 36m05s here) the statistic much-quoted by Tucker Carlson on his show this few weeks past: that 97 percent of our pharmaceuticals are made in China. Tucker seems to be relying on Gibson & Singh's 2018 book China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America's Dependence on China for Medicine. He actually had Rosemary Gibson on his show Thursday night.
One of my listeners has pooh-poohed this. He:
Here are the statistics. China does not even make the list. They have 20% of the world population, but make only 13% of the world's medicines, and export only generic meds with elapsed patents, while the U.S.A. makes 20% and is a big exporter. Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of drugs and medicines during 2018. Germany: US$62.3 billion (16.8% of total drugs and medicines exports)
Switzerland: $45.3 billion (12.2%)
Belgium: $27.8 billion (7.5%)
France: $25.9 billion (7%)
United States: $22 billion (5.9%)
Ireland: $21.7 billion (5.8%)
United Kingdom: $19.7 billion (5.3%)
Italy: $19.6 billion (5.3%)
Netherlands: $16.8 billion (4.5%)
India: $13.1 billion (3.5%)
Denmark: $13 billion (3.5%)
Spain: $9 billion (2.4%)
Canada: $6.8 billion (1.8%)
Sweden: $6.7 billion (1.8%)
Austria: $5.5 billion (1.5%)
Thank you, Sir. This is one of those cases where I believe that I, or Carlson, or my listener, is missing some key point of terminology. Patents vs. generics? "Drugs" vs. "ingredients"?
I'd really like to see the discrepancy explained. Can anyone help?


vdare--2020-03-21--Coronavirus Provides Impetus for Increased Automation Now

The government ’ s reaction to the coronavirus of shutting down the normal economy has unsurprisingly inspired some business owners to contemplate shifting to non-human means of production by using machines that don ’ t get sick .
One blog stated the objective clearly in a recent headline : Coronavirus May Mean Automation Is Coming Sooner Than We Thought , SingularityHub.com , March 19 , 2020 : .
.
.Peter Xing , a keynote speaker and writer on emerging technologies and associate director in technology and growth initiatives at KPMG , would agree .
Xing believes the coronavirus epidemic is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ automation and remote delivery of goods and services .
“ The upside right now is the burgeoning platform of the digital transformation ecosystem , ” he said .
.
.
.
Indeed , some quarters see the epidemic as a swell opportunity to switch to automation and away from annoying human workers who demand paychecks and lunch breaks .
Some industries , like automotive manufacturing ( shown below ) , already have machine-only areas of production .
In China , businesses see an immediate need for service robots as well as more automation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drives up demand for non-human labour in China , Reuters , March 20 , 2020 SHANGHAI , March 20 ( Reuters ) – A shortage of workers and restrictions on human contact because of the coronavirus pandemic is driving up demand for service robots in China , potentially boosting a sector that has struggled to scale up commercially .
Venture capitalists with expertise in the robotics sector said they are anticipating orders from China to rise significantly this year , based on interest since the end of January when the virus began spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of service robots from novelties that deliver food and drink in restaurants and hotels to an army that performs essential functions in hospitals bound by strict no-contact rules .
“ The healthcare segment has been really hot , ” said Emil Jensen , vice president of China sales for Denmark-based Mobile Industrial Robots , which makes customisable robots that are used both in hospitals and on factory floors .
[ .
.
. ]
Along with the service robots , the coronavirus pandemic could spur demand for more automation at factories .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus epicentre of Wuhan have run continuously throughout the outbreak , which chip industry experts attribute to their highly automated production processes .
Still , the virus itself also presents an obstacle to widespread long-term adoption of automation because of the economic stress it is imposing on many companies .
Huan Liu of Mujin , which makes intelligent robot sorting and picking systems , said companies often must spend millions of dollars for a basic automation project , which can take six to twelve months to complete .
“ For new customers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Liu .
“ The need to replace labour during the virus , or the need to balance the budget as sales go down during the virus .
”

The government’s reaction to the coronavirus of shutting down the normal economy has unsurprisingly inspired some business owners to contemplate shifting to non-human means of production by using machines that don’t get sick.
One blog stated the objective clearly in a recent headline: Coronavirus May Mean Automation Is Coming Sooner Than We Thought, SingularityHub.com, March 19, 2020:
. . .Peter Xing, a keynote speaker and writer on emerging technologies and associate director in technology and growth initiatives at KPMG, would agree. Xing believes the coronavirus epidemic is presenting us with ample opportunities for increased automation and remote delivery of goods and services. “The upside right now is the burgeoning platform of the digital transformation ecosystem,” he said. . . .
Indeed, some quarters see the epidemic as a swell opportunity to switch to automation and away from annoying human workers who demand paychecks and lunch breaks.
Some industries, like automotive manufacturing (shown below), already have machine-only areas of production.
In China, businesses see an immediate need for service robots as well as more automation in factories:


vdare--2020-03-21--Coronavirus Class War Looming in Latin America?

The U.S. media are trained when reporting on epidemics to be on the alert for any hint of the dreaded Stigmatization of the Marginalized .
For example , the AIDS epidemic was largely spread by needle junkies and addicts devoted to anonymous sodomy , but practically nobody knows that anymore due to massive retconning .
Thus , back in winter the opinion pages started running cookie cutter opeds by young Asian women writers on the make about how they were being racistly stereotyped over the Wuhan virus .
Similarly , there seems to be some kind of embargo on data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
It ’ s easy to learn the sex and age of patients , but not race , whereas with most other topics ( other than crime ) , race is widely trumpeted in the press .
My guess is that decisions were made long ago to downplay race and nationality in collecting and publicizing epidemic numbers to avoid stereotyping the marginalized .
But what happens when an epidemic is spread not by the marginalized but by the elite ?
I ’ m not sure anybody has thought that through yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projecting somewhat , but I suspect it will just be ahead of the curve of what could be a sizable class issue : Some of Mexico ’ s wealthiest residents went to Colorado to ski .
They brought home coronavirus … Of Jalisco ’ s 27 confirmed coronavirus patients , 11 had been in Vail in recent weeks , the department said .
The frantic effort to find the ski trip participants has highlighted an uncomfortable fact : It is people wealthy enough to travel outside the country who have brought the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the disease spreads , it is those with the least who will probably suffer the most .
… What would happen if the epidemic hit marginalized communities on the outskirts of Mexico City , where some lack running water and many live several to a room and wouldn ’ t have the space to self-quarantine ?
What would happen if it hit a rural village in Oaxaca , hours from the nearest hospital ?
“ Until today , coronavirus in Mexico has been a problem for the elites , ” wrote journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most infected people have financial solvency and good income .
When we enter [ the next phase ] , the epidemic will be something else — widespread and massive.
” Similar conversations are rippling across Latin America , which has some of the highest rates of inequality in the world and a long history of bitter conflicts between the working class and the economic and political elite .
… Class tensions have been particularly contentious in Mexico , where in 2018 a leftist populist won the presidency with widespread support from the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put the poor first .
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has maintained high levels of popular support but is disdained by many members of the educated and upper class who dislike his economic policies and folksy style .
They have particularly seized on his lax response to the coronavirus .
López Obrador has repeatedly made light of the pandemic , continuing to greet supporters with hugs and kisses despite advice from his own health officials that Mexicans limit physical contact with one another .
Unlike leaders in neighboring Guatemala and the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps to contain the disease , saying that a broad shutdown of businesses and travel would hurt Mexico ’ s already struggling economy and particularly hurt the poor .
… But López Obrador isn ’ t the only one to face criticism .
Many supporters of the president have voiced anger at travelers who had brought the virus to the country and who did not take precautions to isolate themselves .
“ The virus is imported by people with the economic capacity to travel , ” wrote actor Tenoch Huerta on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed and all economic activity stop , hurting the people who live day-to-day , why didn ’ t they voluntarily isolate for three weeks so as not to spread it ?
Or should only the poor be responsible ?
” It ’ s a common sentiment in Mexico : The poor wind up paying for the sins of the rich .
…

The U.S. media are trained when reporting on epidemics to be on the alert for any hint of the dreaded Stigmatization of the Marginalized. For example, the AIDS epidemic was largely spread by needle junkies and addicts devoted to anonymous sodomy, but practically nobody knows that anymore due to massive retconning.
Thus, back in winter the opinion pages started running cookie cutter opeds by young Asian women writers on the make about how they were being racistly stereotyped over the Wuhan virus.
Similarly, there seems to be some kind of embargo on data about race and ethnicity of people with the coronavirus. It’s easy to learn the sex and age of patients, but not race, whereas with most other topics (other than crime), race is widely trumpeted in the press. My guess is that decisions were made long ago to downplay race and nationality in collecting and publicizing epidemic numbers to avoid stereotyping the marginalized.
But what happens when an epidemic is spread not by the marginalized but by the elite? I’m not sure anybody has thought that through yet.
This L.A. Times article is probably projecting somewhat, but I suspect it will just be ahead of the curve of what could be a sizable class issue:


vdare--2020-03-21--This Day In VDARE.com History, 2016: Better Ethnic Restaurants Without Mass Immigration: The Italian

This Day In VDARE.com History, 2016: Better Ethnic Restaurants Without Mass Immigration: The Italian Example

One of the most common arguments for mass immigration is ethnic restaurants .
Immigrants from Thailand , for example , introduced the now ubiquitous Thai restaurants .
But , one thing that strikes me is that Thai restaurants haven ’ t improved all that much since the 1980s , while Italian restaurants , despite not much immigration from Italy , have continued to improve .
One reason for this is that most of the Thai immigrants working in Thai restaurants don ’ t really care about cuisine .
They care about moving to America to make more money , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something Thais do for the money when they come to America .
In contrast , a fair fraction of the relatively small numbers of Italians who move to America today are Italian cooking fanatics intent on bringing higher standards to Italian restaurants in America .
I ’ ve been pointing this out since 2003 , but here ’ s an NYT article that illustrates the impressive progress on the Italian side after the end of the age of mass immigration from Italy : Mezzaluna , the Little Restaurant That Started a Revolution An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aldo Bozzi does not fit the mold of a driven Manhattan restaurateur — much less one who almost single-handedly , if inadvertently , set off a restaurant revolution in the United States and beyond .
And Mezzaluna , his colorful and cacophonous little trattoria on the Upper East Side , hardly seems the setting for any kind of upheaval .
Yet in a fresh and unassuming way , it introduced a style of modern Italian dining that still informs restaurants today , from Mario Batali ’ s new La Sirena in Manhattan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Calif. “ I never imagined I would be doing this , and 30 years later , ” Mr. Bozzi , 75 , said recently over lunch at Mezzaluna .
“ When I started , I simply wanted to have a place that served the kind of food I was accustomed to growing up in Italy.
” That kind of food was found in classic trattorias , which are ubiquitous today .
But in 1984 , when Mezzaluna opened , they were all but unknown in this country .
“ When I first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that New York at last had a genuine Milanese trattoria , ” said Danny Meyer , the president of Union Square Hospitality Group and a crusader for authentic Italian cooking at Maialino , Marta and other restaurants .
This was a year before Mr. Meyer started his company with the debut of Union Square Cafe .
“ The success of Mezzaluna reinforced my confidence in the direction we were heading.
” Back then , most Italian restaurants in Manhattan came in two flavors : old-style red sauce spots , and fancy Frenchified salons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elegant flatware and menus the size of a small-town phone book .
Il Monello , Il Nido , Tre Scalini , Barbetta — all are gone except Barbetta .
The cooking at many of these high-end dining rooms focused largely on the classics , embracing gastronomic barbells like béchamel-bound lasagna , fettuccine Alfredo and spaghetti alla carbonara in bounteous portions .
A traditional trattoria , on the other hand , is small , family-run , assiduously local , inexpensive and features exceptional ingredients served by authentic Italian people not wearing tuxedos .
Attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is like trying to describe the average automobile : It can be sleek , stylish and fast ; modest , dependable and leisurely ; or even homey .
Several reputable restaurateurs took a stab at the trattoria format in the early days : at Trattoria da Alfredo , Nanni and , most notably , the celebrity clubhouse Da Silvano , which opened in 1975 and still thrives .
But none rallied a culinary uprising the way Mezzaluna did .
“ Aldo succeeded because he saw that there was a fundamental transformation going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Piero Selvaggio , owner of the luxurious Valentino restaurant in Santa Monica , Calif. Mr. Selvaggio pointed to the new wave of Italian immigrants in the early 1980s .
“ They were better educated , ” he said .
“ They had a different lifestyle , different tastes , and Mezzaluna captured that.
” ( In 1985 , Mr. Selvaggio opened a trattoria called Primi , in Santa Monica , which he sold in 2001 . )
In other words , immigration from Italy in the 1980s was low in numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a degree from one of Milan ’ s elite business schools , Mr. Bozzi joined the Alfa Romeo company in 1965 .
Three years later , he was dispatched to New York , where he rose to president of North American operations .
During this time , he traveled the country extensively .
Being a worldly epicure , he spent much time seeking out authentic Italian restaurants , a challenge akin to finding Alpine skiing in Delaware .
… Along with his chef ( and now partner ) , Paolo Casagranda , Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 17 in all .
While they may not seem so groundbreaking today , in 1985 many were eye-opening : speck smoked with juniper or pine wood , imported broccoli rabe marinated in garlic vinegar , burrata , wild mushrooms .
Many of the pastas were made with imported gragnano , a handmade dried pasta from Naples .
Portions were modest , to encourage a variety of tastings .
Among other firsts , Mezzaluna placed cruets of excellent olive oil on dining tables , from his small family estate outside Florence .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; bright , composed salads with seafood and meats cooked in the wood oven ; pastas with roasted vegetables ; shellfish ; and one dessert , tiramisù .
( The current menu is larger . )
“ This was the forerunner of lighter and smaller plates , ” said Nick Valenti , the chief executive of the hospitality company Patina Restaurant Group , who was so impressed by Mezzaluna that he enlisted Mr. Bozzi as a consultant , an arrangement that continues .
A savvy oenophile , Mr. Bozzi was dismayed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American restaurants .
With Mr. Casagranda ’ s input , he mounted a blackboard and presented six whites and six reds by the glass from quality producers like Gaja , Antinori and Mastroberardino .
Mezzaluna opened in June 1984 .
In characteristic New York fashion , the moment the news media ebulliently broadcast its arrival , a Pamplona scene ensued .
Its 45 neighborly tables turned more than 10 times a day , while the overtaxed pizza oven devoured more wood than a paper plant in Maine .
In 1987 , Mr. Bozzi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mezzogiorno , in SoHo .
It quickly became a haunt of the downtown art world .
The art dealer Leo Castelli dined there seven days a week .
( Mezzogiorno closed last fall , owing to a lease issue , and reopened on the Upper West Side . )
The outward trek of the American trattoria gained traction in 1988 , when three Mezzaluna employees fashioned a snazzy replica , just a calzone ’ s toss up Third Avenue , called Ciao Bella .
Several years later , they opened Bella Blu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .
By then , numerous trattorias of all stripes were sprouting in Manhattan with names like Le Madri , Cent ’ Anni , Coco Pazzo , Serafina and Mediterraneo .
Riding on the prevailing culinary winds , trattoria spores drifted far and wide .
Mr. Bozzi dabbled in licensing the Mezzaluna brand in Aspen , Colo. ; Beverly Hills , Calif. ; and the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles — the scene of Nicole Brown Simpson ’ s last meal .
So , without mass immigration we can still have restaurants that @ @ @

One of the most common arguments for mass immigration is ethnic restaurants. Immigrants from Thailand, for example, introduced the now ubiquitous Thai restaurants.
But, one thing that strikes me is that Thai restaurants haven’t improved all that much since the 1980s, while Italian restaurants, despite not much immigration from Italy, have continued to improve.
One reason for this is that most of the Thai immigrants working in Thai restaurants don’t really care about cuisine. They care about moving to America to make more money, and working in a Thai restaurant is just something Thais do for the money when they come to America. In contrast, a fair fraction of the relatively small numbers of Italians who move to America today are Italian cooking fanatics intent on bringing higher standards to Italian restaurants in America.
I’ve been pointing this out since 2003, but here’s an NYT article that illustrates the impressive progress on the Italian side after the end of the age of mass immigration from Italy:
Mezzaluna, the Little Restaurant That Started a Revolution By BRYAN MILLER MARCH 21, 2016 An urbane, soft-spoken former auto executive, Aldo Bozzi does not fit the mold of a driven Manhattan restaurateur — much less one who almost single-handedly, if inadvertently, set off a restaurant revolution in the United States and beyond. And Mezzaluna, his colorful and cacophonous little trattoria on the Upper East Side, hardly seems the setting for any kind of upheaval. Yet in a fresh and unassuming way, it introduced a style of modern Italian dining that still informs restaurants today, from Mario Batali’s new La Sirena in Manhattan to the much lauded Poggio Trattoria in Sausalito, Calif. “I never imagined I would be doing this, and 30 years later,” Mr. Bozzi, 75, said recently over lunch at Mezzaluna. “When I started, I simply wanted to have a place that served the kind of food I was accustomed to growing up in Italy.” That kind of food was found in classic trattorias, which are ubiquitous today. But in 1984, when Mezzaluna opened, they were all but unknown in this country. “When I first visited Mezzaluna, I felt so excited that New York at last had a genuine Milanese trattoria,” said Danny Meyer, the president of Union Square Hospitality Group and a crusader for authentic Italian cooking at Maialino, Marta and other restaurants. This was a year before Mr. Meyer started his company with the debut of Union Square Cafe. “The success of Mezzaluna reinforced my confidence in the direction we were heading.” Back then, most Italian restaurants in Manhattan came in two flavors: old-style red sauce spots, and fancy Frenchified salons sporting tuxedoed captains, leather banquettes, elegant flatware and menus the size of a small-town phone book. Il Monello, Il Nido, Tre Scalini, Barbetta — all are gone except Barbetta. The cooking at many of these high-end dining rooms focused largely on the classics, embracing gastronomic barbells like béchamel-bound lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo and spaghetti alla carbonara in bounteous portions. A traditional trattoria, on the other hand, is small, family-run, assiduously local, inexpensive and features exceptional ingredients served by authentic Italian people not wearing tuxedos. Attempting to define today’s urban iteration is like trying to describe the average automobile: It can be sleek, stylish and fast; modest, dependable and leisurely; or even homey. Several reputable restaurateurs took a stab at the trattoria format in the early days: at Trattoria da Alfredo, Nanni and, most notably, the celebrity clubhouse Da Silvano, which opened in 1975 and still thrives. But none rallied a culinary uprising the way Mezzaluna did. “Aldo succeeded because he saw that there was a fundamental transformation going on in our society at the time,” said Piero Selvaggio, owner of the luxurious Valentino restaurant in Santa Monica, Calif. Mr. Selvaggio pointed to the new wave of Italian immigrants in the early 1980s. “They were better educated,” he said. “They had a different lifestyle, different tastes, and Mezzaluna captured that.” (In 1985, Mr. Selvaggio opened a trattoria called Primi, in Santa Monica, which he sold in 2001.)
In other words, immigration from Italy in the 1980s was low in numbers but high in human capital.
With a degree from one of Milan’s elite business schools, Mr. Bozzi joined the Alfa Romeo company in 1965. Three years later, he was dispatched to New York, where he rose to president of North American operations. During this time, he traveled the country extensively. Being a worldly epicure, he spent much time seeking out authentic Italian restaurants, a challenge akin to finding Alpine skiing in Delaware. … Along with his chef (and now partner), Paolo Casagranda, Mr. Bozzi built a menu around innovative pizzas, 17 in all. While they may not seem so groundbreaking today, in 1985 many were eye-opening: speck smoked with juniper or pine wood, imported broccoli rabe marinated in garlic vinegar, burrata, wild mushrooms. Many of the pastas were made with imported gragnano, a handmade dried pasta from Naples. Portions were modest, to encourage a variety of tastings. Among other firsts, Mezzaluna placed cruets of excellent olive oil on dining tables, from his small family estate outside Florence. There were no main courses, only carpacci; bright, composed salads with seafood and meats cooked in the wood oven; pastas with roasted vegetables; shellfish; and one dessert, tiramisù. (The current menu is larger.) “This was the forerunner of lighter and smaller plates,” said Nick Valenti, the chief executive of the hospitality company Patina Restaurant Group, who was so impressed by Mezzaluna that he enlisted Mr. Bozzi as a consultant, an arrangement that continues. A savvy oenophile, Mr. Bozzi was dismayed by the poor quality of house wines in most American restaurants. With Mr. Casagranda’s input, he mounted a blackboard and presented six whites and six reds by the glass from quality producers like Gaja, Antinori and Mastroberardino. Mezzaluna opened in June 1984. In characteristic New York fashion, the moment the news media ebulliently broadcast its arrival, a Pamplona scene ensued. Its 45 neighborly tables turned more than 10 times a day, while the overtaxed pizza oven devoured more wood than a paper plant in Maine. In 1987, Mr. Bozzi and a partner opened a larger trattoria, Mezzogiorno, in SoHo. It quickly became a haunt of the downtown art world. The art dealer Leo Castelli dined there seven days a week. (Mezzogiorno closed last fall, owing to a lease issue, and reopened on the Upper West Side.) The outward trek of the American trattoria gained traction in 1988, when three Mezzaluna employees fashioned a snazzy replica, just a calzone’s toss up Third Avenue, called Ciao Bella. Several years later, they opened Bella Blu, on Lexington Avenue, followed by others. By then, numerous trattorias of all stripes were sprouting in Manhattan with names like Le Madri, Cent’Anni, Coco Pazzo, Serafina and Mediterraneo. Riding on the prevailing culinary winds, trattoria spores drifted far and wide. Mr. Bozzi dabbled in licensing the Mezzaluna brand in Aspen, Colo.; Beverly Hills, Calif.; and the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles — the scene of Nicole Brown Simpson’s last meal.
So, without mass immigration we can still have restaurants that continually improve.
[Comment at Unz.com.]


vdare--2020-03-21--MEMO FROM MEXICO: Mexico Worries About Catching WuFlu From US! Borders A Good Idea After All?

Earlier : SAID IN SPANISH : Latin America Scrambles To Stop U.S .
Globalization From Infecting Them With COVID-19 I write from Mexico , where I have traveled because my mother-in-law died .
It ’ s been a difficult time for our family , not made easier by the global China Virus scare , and we just have to hope the border isn ’ t closed when we must return home .
The pathogen began infecting Mexicans in late February about a month after it landed in the United States , and now , with the end of March closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to the U.S. in the number of infected citizens .
Still , like everywhere else , infections are spreading , and so Mexican authorities have agreed with Trump on a closure of the US-Mexican border to non-essential travel .
[ US and Mexico close border to all ‘ non-essential travel ’ due to coronavirus crisis , TechCrunch , March 20 , 2020 ] The latest figures on infections from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus map is 203 , with two dead and four recovered .
Last week , Milenio reported 314 suspected cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected were men [ Confirman 118 casos de coronavirus en México ; hay 314 sospechosos ( “ One Hundred Eighteen Coronavirus Cases Confirmed in Mexico , 314 Suspected ” ) , March 18 , 2020 ] .
In keeping with what we know about COVID-19 deaths elsewhere—most of those who die have underlying health problems—the first death , Milenio reported , was a 41-year-old-man with diabetes [ Muere primera persona en México por coronavirus ( “ First Person Dies in Mexico from Coronavirus ” ) by Blanca Valadez y Jorge Becerril , March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like most countries Mexico is taking measures that greatly affect daily routine .
On Friday , schools in Mexico closed for a month .
They typically break for the week before and the week after Easter , but they added two weeks prior to regular vacation [ Coronavirus : Mexico closing schools for a month to fight COVID-19 spread by Daniel Borunda , El Paso Times , March 15 , 2020 ] .
As well , Milenio reports , authorities are canceling public gatherings : • Galleries and museums [ Estos museos han @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus ( “ These museums have closed their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic , ” ) March 21 , 2020 ] .
San Pedro , Nuevo Leon state , the wealthiest municipality in Latin America and about three hours south of Laredo , Texas , “ looked like a ghost town.
” San Pedro woke up almost paralyzed this Wednesday [ March 18 ] after Tuesday afternoon , when mayor Miguel Trevino de Hoyos issued an emergency declaration in response to the cases of COVID-19 in this jurisdiction .
… Principal avenues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of employees who work there doing “ home office ” and the residents determined not to leave their houses .
San Pedro is the municipality with the largest share of COVID-19 cases in the state .
Therefore , the mayor determined upon additional measures , aside from the ones the state government is considering implementing : the closing of casinos , social centers and movie theaters .
In the case of San Pedro , the measure was expanded to include gyms , places of worship , bars , cantinas , night clubs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he Secretary of Security is authorized to use public force in case someone disobeys the ordinance .
[ Municipio más rico de México luce desierto por coronavirus ( “ Richest municipality in Mexico Appears Deserted due to Coronavirus ” ) , by Aracely Garza , Excelsior , March 18 , 2020 ] As with their counterparts in the United States , the Conference of Mexican Bishops has recommended the suspension of masses and other public church activities [ Episcopado Mexicano recomienda suspender misas ( “ Mexican Episcopate Recommends Suspension of Masses ” ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .
Next day , Milenio reported that Alfonso Miranda Guardiola , Secretary General of the Conference of Mexican Bishops , nixed that idea but reminded the faithful to keep at least 5 feet apart [ Episcopado de México descarta cancelar misas por coronavirus ( “ Mexican Episcopate Dismisses Canceling Masses for Coronavirus ” ) , March 17 , 2020 ] .
On March 18 , the Diocese of Saltillo canceled Masses beginning on March 23 : With so few infections relative to the United States , which now counts nearly 20,000 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a smart idea to close the border .
In Jalisco state , Governor Enrique Alfaro is concerned because nearly 400 passengers on two flights returned from Vail , Colorado two weeks ago .
Forty have symptoms , and some have tested positive .
Alfaro told them to stay home and call the health department [ Grupo que llegó de Colorado , posible fuente de contagio de Covid-19 : Alfaro ( “ Group that arrived from Colorado , possible source of Covid-19 Contagion : Alfaro ” ) , Milenio , March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sailer 's Carlos Slim 's Cousin José Kuri Harfush Has Corona : Guess Where He Got It ?
and Coronavirus Class War Looming in Latin America ?
for more .
During Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ’ s regular morning press conference on March 17 , Undersecretary of Health for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez explained why he didn´t want the border closed : “ [ T ] he closing of borders … is not a situation that would contribute to stopping the epidemic .
… If we wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a lock , we would do immense , monumental and colossal damage to the society and economy of both countries .
Or if we did the same on the southern border to the countries of the southern border [ Guatemala and Belize ] it would not be effective in stopping the epidemic : 174 countries and soon 100 per cent of the world is going to have sufficient coronavirus that the disease will be circulating inside their countries .
That explanation doesn´t make sense but probably reflects AMLO ’ s views .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefing on coronavirus , although he still gives the impression of not taking the pathogen very seriously .
His morning presser on March 16 occasioned a bizarre statement from Lopez-Gatell , right , an epidemiologist with a degree from Hopkins .
UnoTV ’ s Dalila Escobar asked if AMLO would be tested for the virus given his travels to poor areas of the country .
AMLO said he would follow doctors ’ orders , and after that went on a rant against corruption and the non-supportive media .
But he called Lopez-Gatell to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone didn ’ t need testing , and besides , AMLO is healthy and if he contracts the disease will probably recover .
But what if AMLO carried COVID-19 and infected the poor in marginal areas , Escobar asked .
What ?
!
AMLO is a “ moral force ” but not a “ contagious force ?
” What in heaven ’ s name does that even mean ?
It looks to me like Lopez-Gatell wants to keep his job , but anyway , Mexican pundit Sergio Sarmiento offered a more sober assessment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid or spread the infection .
Bottom line : We can not control or predict exactly how coronavirus will spread , or how Mexico will deal with it internally .
But no one should be surprised by Mexico ’ s closure of the border to non-essential travel .
Beyond COVID-19 , however , our borders must still be secured as a matter of principle , not just for the duration of this viral pandemic .
American citizen Allan Wall ( email him ) moved back to the U.S.A. in 2008 after many years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Mexican , and their two sons are bilingual .
In 2005 , Allan served a tour of duty in Iraq with the Texas Army National Guard .
His VDARE.COM articles are archived here ; his Mexidata.info articles are archived here ; his News With Views columns are archived here ; and his website is here .

Earlier: SAID IN SPANISH: Latin America Scrambles To Stop U.S. Globalization From Infecting Them With COVID-19
I write from Mexico, where I have traveled because my mother-in-law died. It’s been a difficult time for our family, not made easier by the global China Virus scare, and we just have to hope the border isn’t closed when we return home. The pathogen began infecting Mexicans in late February about a month after it landed in the United States, and now, with the end of March closing in, Mexico isn’t anywhere close to the U.S. in the number of infected citizens. Still, like everywhere else, infections are spreading, and so Mexican authorities have agreed with Trump on a closure of the US-Mexican border to non-essential travel. [US and Mexico close border to all ‘non-essential travel’ due to coronavirus crisis, TechCrunch, March 20, 2020]
The latest figures on infections from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus map is 203, with two dead and four recovered. Last week, Milenio reported 314 suspected cases, and that 59 percent of the infected were men [Confirman 118 casos de coronavirus en México; hay 314 sospechosos (“One Hundred Eighteen Coronavirus Cases Confirmed in Mexico, 314 Suspected”), March 18, 2020].
In keeping with what we know about COVID-19 deaths elsewhere—most of those who die have underlying health problems—the first death, Milenio reported, was a 41-year-old-man with diabetes [Muere primera persona en México por coronavirus (“First Person Dies in Mexico from Coronavirus”) by Blanca Valadez y Jorge Becerril, March 18, 2020].
And so like most countries Mexico is taking measures that greatly affect daily routine.
On Friday, schools in Mexico closed for a month. They typically break for the week before and the week after Easter, but they added two weeks prior to regular vacation [Coronavirus: Mexico closing schools for a month to fight COVID-19 spread , by Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times, March 15, 2020].
As well, Milenio reports, authorities are canceling public gatherings:
San Pedro, Nuevo Leon state, the wealthiest municipality in Latin America and about three hours south of Laredo, Texas, “looked like a ghost town.”
San Pedro woke up almost paralyzed this Wednesday [March 18] after Tuesday afternoon, when mayor Miguel Trevino de Hoyos issued an emergency declaration in response to the cases of COVID-19 in this jurisdiction. … Principal avenues and deserted commercial centers with the majority of employees who work there doing “home office” and the residents determined not to leave their houses. San Pedro is the municipality with the largest share of COVID-19 cases in the state. Therefore, the mayor determined upon additional measures, aside from the ones the state government is considering implementing: the closing of casinos, social centers and movie theaters. In the case of San Pedro, the measure was expanded to include gyms, places of worship, bars, cantinas, night clubs and public markets. … [T]he Secretary of Security is authorized to use public force in case someone disobeys the ordinance. [Municipio más rico de México luce desierto por coronavirus (“Richest municipality in Mexico Appears Deserted due to Coronavirus”), by Aracely Garza, Excelsior, March 18, 2020]
As with their counterparts in the United States, the Conference of Mexican Bishops has recommended the suspension of masses and other public church activities [Episcopado Mexicano recomienda suspender misas (“Mexican Episcopate Recommends Suspension of Masses”), Informador.mx, March 16, 2020].
Next day, Milenio reported that Alfonso Miranda Guardiola, Secretary General of the Conference of Mexican Bishops, nixed that idea but reminded the faithful to keep at least 5 feet apart [Episcopado de México descarta cancelar misas por coronavirus (“Mexican Episcopate Dismisses Canceling Masses for Coronavirus”), March 17, 2020].
On March 18, the Diocese of Saltillo canceled Masses beginning on March 23:
The diocese of Saltillo began to apply more severe measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19, among which are the suspension of public masses and celebrations of Semana Santa (Holy Week) beginning March 23 until further notice. [Saltillo suspende misas y celebraciones de Semana Santa por coronavirus (Saltillo suspends masses and Semana Santa celebrations because of Coronavirus”), Alma Gudino, Excelsior, March 18, 2020].
With so few infections relative to the United States, which now counts nearly 20,000 and 275 deaths, no wonder some Mexicans think it’s a smart idea to close the border.
In Jalisco state, Governor Enrique Alfaro is concerned because nearly 400 passengers on two flights returned from Vail, Colorado two weeks ago. Forty have symptoms, and some have tested positive. Alfaro told them to stay home and call the health department [Grupo que llegó de Colorado, posible fuente de contagio de Covid-19: Alfaro (“Group that arrived from Colorado, possible source of Covid-19 Contagion: Alfaro”), Milenio, March 18, 2020]. See Steve Sailer's Carlos Slim's Cousin José Kuri Harfush Has Corona: Guess Where He Got It? and Coronavirus Class War Looming in Latin America? for more.
However, during Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s regular morning press conference on March 17, Undersecretary of Health for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez explained why he didn´t want the border closed:
“[T]he closing of borders … is not a situation that would contribute to stopping the epidemic. … If we wall of the northern border and close it with a lock, we would do immense, monumental and colossal damage to the society and economy of both countries. Or if we did the same on the southern border to the countries of the southern border [Guatemala and Belize] it would not be effective in stopping the epidemic: 174 countries and soon 100 per cent of the world is going to have sufficient coronavirus that the disease will be circulating inside their countries. [Versión estenográfica de la conferencia de prensa matutina (“Stenographic version of the morning press conference, Tuesday March 17, 2020”), Gob.mx, March 17, 2020]
That explanation doesn´t make sense but probably reflects AMLO’s views.
The AMLO administration now has a daily briefing on coronavirus, although he still gives the impression of not taking the pathogen very seriously.
His morning presser on March 16 occasioned a bizarre statement from Lopez-Gatell, right, an epidemiologist with a degree from Hopkins.
UnoTV’s Dalila Escobar asked if AMLO would be tested for the virus given his travels to poor areas of the country. AMLO said he would follow doctors’ orders, and after that went on a rant against corruption and the non-supportive media.
But he called Lopez-Gatell to say a few words. He said everyone didn’t need testing, and besides, AMLO is healthy and if he contracts the disease will probably recover.
But what if AMLO carried COVID-19 and infected the poor in marginal areas, Escobar asked.
Lopez-Gatell´s bizarre answer:
The force of the president is moral, he is not a contagious force … [not] an individual that could infect others. The president has the same probability of infecting others that you or I have … the president is not a contagious force. Thus, no, he does not have to be the person who infects the masses. [Versión estenográfica de la conferencia de prensa matutina (“Stenographic versión of the morning press conference, Monday March 16, 2020), Gob.mx, March 16, 2020]
What?! AMLO is a “moral force” but not a “contagious force?” What does that mean? It looks to me like Lopez-Gatell wants to keep his job, but anyway, Mexican pundit Sergio Sarmiento offered a more sober assessment of AMLO’s mystical powers to avoid or spread the infection.
If the president is contagious and maintains his conduct of distributing kisses and hugs, he could infect hundreds or thousands directly. … He would become the biggest propagator of the pandemic. His supposed moral force would avoid nothing. Is this really what the person selected to represent the scientific face of the government in this crisis [Lopez-Batell] wants? [Contagio moral (“Moral Contagion”), Sergio Sarmiento, El Siglo De Torreón, March 17, 2020]
Bottom line: We cannot control or predict exactly how coronavirus will spread, or how Mexico will deal with it internally.
Our borders, however, must still be secured as a matter of principle, not just for the duration of this viral pandemic.
American citizen Allan Wall (email him) moved back to the U.S.A. in 2008 after many years residing in Mexico. Allan's wife is Mexican, and their two sons are bilingual. In 2005, Allan served a tour of duty in Iraq with the Texas Army National Guard. His VDARE.COM articles are archived here; his Mexidata.info articles are archived here; his News With Views columns are archived here; and his website is here.


vdare--2020-03-22--Is NYC Coronavirus Ground Zero Because Massive "Be Strong Wuhan" Feb 9th Chinese New Year's Parade H

Is NYC Coronavirus Ground Zero Because Massive "Be Strong Wuhan" Feb 9th Chinese New Year's Parade Helped Spread The Chinese Virus?

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center , New York City is ground zero for the China Virus infestation in the United States of America .
As of March 22 , 2020 ( at 4:40 p.m. EST ) , the state has 12,323 confirmed cases and 76 deaths .
Why might this be ?
What ’ s the cause of this ?
There are 735,000 Chinese living in New York , with the majority living near New York City .
Here ’ s a story straight out of the insanity of “ hug a Chinese ” person initiative in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York City only 42 days ago .
Thousands show support for China , Wuhan at NYC Lunar New Year parade , 1010wins.radio.com , February 9 , 2020 : Signs of support for the Chinese city at the center of a global virus outbreak marked floats at the Lunar New Year parade in Manhattan ’ s Chinatown .
Brightly colored puppets made their way through the New York City streets Sunday in front of crowds of onlookers .
A banner on one float read “ Support Wuhan !
Let ’ s fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak that started in China in December has killed more than 800 people and infected more than 37,000 people around the world .
No cases have been identified in New York City .
Remember what we know about Italy : Dr. Giorgio Palù , the former president of the European and Italian Society for Virology and a professor of virology and microbiology of the University of Padova , told CNN he ’ d hoped to see the first signs of a change after just over a week of nationwide lockdown , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we expected to have a change after almost 10 days of this new measure … but it ’ s still rising , ” he told CNN .
“ So I don ’ t think we can make a prediction today.
” “ the Italian government lagged at first .
It was ‘ lazy in the beginning… too much politics in Italy.
’ ‘ There was a proposal to isolate people coming from the epicenter , coming from China , ’ he said .
‘ Then it became seen as racist , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That , he said , led to the current devastating situation.
” [ Italian doctors hope for a sign the coronavirus lockdown is working , because there ’ s no plan B , CNN , March 19 , 2020 ] All across the western world , authorities adopted an anti-racist mindset when confronting the Coronavirus epidemic .
In Italy , fear of being called a “ racist ” impeded sensible actions to protect the Italian people , and a suicidal Italian mayor urged Italians to hug Chinese people to show off their anti-racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City for the Lunar New Year marked a strong opportunity for those infected to spread the disease , a plausible theory as to the origins of the shocking number of cases spiking in New York City ( and deaths ) .
But to point this out is racist , right ?
Anti-racism literally kills , and this perverse , amoral ideology allows for an epidemic to become a pandemic in Italy and now , New York City .
Open borders and fear of being called a “ racist ” literally spawns @ @ @ @

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, New York City is ground zero for the China Virus infestation in the United States of America. As of March 22, 2020 (at 4:40 p.m. EST), the state has 12,323 confirmed cases and 76 deaths.
Why might this be? What’s the cause of this? There are 735,000 Chinese living in New York, with the majority living near New York City.
Here’s a story straight out of the insanity of “hug a Chinese” person initiative in Florence, Italy, which actually happened in New York City only 42 days ago.
Thousands show support for China, Wuhan at NYC Lunar New Year parade, 1010wins.radio.com, February 9, 2020: Signs of support for the Chinese city at the center of a global virus outbreak marked floats at the Lunar New Year parade in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Brightly colored puppets made their way through the New York City streets Sunday in front of crowds of onlookers. A banner on one float read “Support Wuhan! Let’s fight the virus together!” Another urged, “Wuhan stay strong.” The coronavirus outbreak that started in China in December has killed more than 800 people and infected more than 37,000 people around the world. No cases have been identified in New York City.
Remember what we know about Italy:
Dr. Giorgio Palù, the former president of the European and Italian Society for Virology and a professor of virology and microbiology of the University of Padova, told CNN he’d hoped to see the first signs of a change after just over a week of nationwide lockdown, but that has yet to materialize. “Yesterday we expected to have a change after almost 10 days of this new measure … but it’s still rising,” he told CNN. “So I don’t think we can make a prediction today.” “the Italian government lagged at first. It was ‘lazy in the beginning… too much politics in Italy.’ ‘There was a proposal to isolate people coming from the epicenter, coming from China,’ he said. ‘Then it became seen as racist, but they were people coming from the outbreak.’ That, he said, led to the current devastating situation.” [Italian doctors hope for a sign the coronavirus lockdown is working, because there’s no plan B, CNN, March 19, 2020]
All across the western world, authorities adopted an anti-racist mindset when confronting the Coronavirus epidemic. In Italy, fear of being called a “racist” impeded sensible actions to protect the Italian people, and a suicidal Italian mayor urged Italians to hug Chinese people to show off their anti-racist bona fides.
A mass celebration in New York City for the Lunar New Year marked a strong opportunity for those infected to spread the disease, a plausible theory as to the origins of the shocking number of cases spiking in New York City (and deaths).
But to point this out is racist, right?
Anti-racism literally kills, and this perverse, amoral ideology allows for an epidemic to become a pandemic in Italy and now, New York City.
Open borders and fear of being called a “racist” literally spawns a global pandemic.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-03-22--An Oncologist Reader Says China Has "Cornered The Market" On Medications Taken Most Frequently By Am

An Oncologist Reader Says China Has "Cornered The Market" On Medications Taken Most Frequently By Americans

Re : John Derbyshire 's blog item Does China Really Make Our Medicines ?
From : An Oncologist Reader [ Email him ] John Derbyshire pointed out a discrepancy between Tucker Carlson 's claim that China made 97 % of our meds , and his listener 's claim otherwise .
Although I am not going to go through the brain damage of looking up the statistics , the bottom line is that both are correct .
I am an oncologist , and deal with these economies all the time .
My fairly small oncology practice with two medical oncologists spends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injectable pharmaceuticals ( the costs of the oral medications that are prescribed do not go through our practice but rather via the pharmacy benefit management company and specialty pharmacy , but are comparable ) .
Yes , the expensive new drugs that you see advertised on TV account for the bulk of spending on pharmaceuticals , so in terms of dollars spent , Derb 's listener 's list showing Germany , Switzerland , Belgium , and France accounting for the bulk of medications is correct .
The Big Pharma companies that are developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries .
However , if you look at the proportion of doses , not dollars , accounted for by China , Carlson is probably correct—there are probably a couple of orders of magnitude difference in the number of doses of , say , lisinopril ( a common generic for hypertension ) taken by Americans , compared to , say , Keytruda ( an expensive , heavily advertised immune therapy for cancer ) .
The bottom line is that China has cornered the market on the medications taken most frequently by Americans for the @ @ @ @ @

Re: John Derbyshire's blog item Does China Really Make Our Medicines?
From: An Oncologist Reader [Email him]
John Derbyshire pointed out a discrepancy between Tucker Carlson's claim that China made 97% of our meds, and his listener's claim otherwise. Although I am not going to go through the brain damage of looking up the statistics, the bottom line is that both are correct.
I am an oncologist, and deal with these economies all the time. My fairly small oncology practice with two medical oncologists spends over $1 million per month on injectable pharmaceuticals (the costs of the oral medications that are prescribed do not go through our practice but rather via the pharmacy benefit management company and specialty pharmacy, but are comparable).
Yes, the expensive new drugs that you see advertised on TV account for the bulk of spending on pharmaceuticals, so in terms of dollars spent, Derb's listener's list showing Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and France accounting for the bulk of medications is correct. The Big Pharma companies that are developing these new drugs are based in these countries.
However, if you look at the proportion of doses, not dollars, accounted for by China, Carlson is probably correct—there are probably a couple of orders of magnitude difference in the number of doses of, say, lisinopril (a common generic for hypertension) taken by Americans, compared to, say, Keytruda (an expensive, heavily advertised immune therapy for cancer).
The bottom line is that China has cornered the market on the medications taken most frequently by Americans for the most common medical conditions.


Derb's Virus Humor

Aw , come on ; nothing vexes a virus like being laughed at .
From a friend , the same @ @ @ @ @ register `` # CovidissidentRight '' : Hey , come on .
I strive to be @ @ @ @ @ across as supercilious ; but am rarely , if ever , bilious .

Aw, come on; nothing vexes a virus like being laughed at.
From a friend, the same one who urged me to register "#CovidissidentRight":
Derb: There are rumors that you have a form of the virus that is transmitted on keyboards. It started in the typewriter age and is therefore known as the Smith-Corona virus. Nasty symptom: bile spewing off the keyboard.
Hey, come on. I strive to be punctilious; may sometimes come across as supercilious; but am rarely, if ever, bilious.


vdare--2020-03-22--A Reader Hears Immigration Lawyer Friend Stricken With China Virus: Asks If Corona Taking Is Revenge

A Reader Hears Immigration Lawyer Friend Stricken With China Virus: Asks If Corona Taking Is Revenge On The Immigration Bar

I just got news that one of my best friends from law school is in the hospital with all the @ @ @ @ @ He has been there since Wednesday night , but the test has n't come back @ @ @ @ @ he does n't have it .
But if he does , it is due to @ @ @ @ @ .
My friend of so many years is a leading and successful immigration attorney in @ @ @ @ @ been for years .
I suspect his infection came from personal interaction with Chinese business @ @ @ @ @ may be taking revenge on the immigration bar .
My friend is a good man @ @ @ @ @ I wish him well , but he and the many others who have helped mass @ @ @ @ @ be paying a personal health price for their choice of a niche to work in @ @ @ @ @ articles by Anthony Boehm .

From: Anthony Boehm [Email him]
I just got news that one of my best friends from law school is in the hospital with all the symptoms of corona virus. He has been there since Wednesday night, but the test hasn't come back yet. I sure hope he doesn't have it.
But if he does, it is due to open borders and mass immigration. My friend of so many years is a leading and successful immigration attorney in our home state. Has been for years. I suspect his infection came from personal interaction with Chinese business visa clients.
So corona may be taking revenge on the immigration bar. My friend is a good man, a great father and I wish him well, but he and the many others who have helped mass immigration take place may now be paying a personal health price for their choice of a niche to work in.
See earlier letters and articles by Anthony Boehm.


vdare--2020-03-22--Senator Hawley Wants China To Pay Up for the Harm It Has Caused

It would be nice if the whole coronavirus debacle might wake Washington up to the danger that Red China represents .
The whole globalist economy idea was pitched to Americans as being good for creating more and less expensive consumer goods , a system with no downside .
The scheme was advantageous for nations with lots of cheap labor like China .
And that country has grown from a poor backwater to a global powerhouse based on outsourced manufacturing from America .
Lately Red China feels strong enough to be the home of a new contagion ( perhaps even creating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warning the world about it .
Senator Josh Hawley appeared with Tucker Carlson recently to suggest that China be “ held to account ” for the evil it has exported .
TUCKER CARLSON : Senator Josh Hawley represents the State of Missouri .
We ’ re always happy to have him on tonight .
Great to see you , Senator .
CARLSON : You ’ ve been one of the relatively few people in the Congress who has been sounding the alarm on China for a long time .
The coronavirus , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s an important story .
Where should we go next ?
HAWLEY : Well , I think one of the things the coronavirus has done , Tucker , is just bare the fact that our globalized economy is an economy that really works for China first and foremost , and not for the United States .
Certainly not for American workers .
Our supply chains — where are they now ?
In China .
Our medical devices , where are they made ?
China .
Our pharmaceuticals , where are they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies , who do they want to do business with ?
China .
I think it ’ s time that we asked ourselves what kind of an economy we have we allowed to be created , and what is it doing for American workers ?
We need some structural reform .
CARLSON : I think that ’ s exactly right .
In the short term , though , the country is paralyzed by coronavirus , which came from eastern China , of course .
What do we know about the Chinese government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early days ?
HAWLEY : Well , we know that they suppressed the actual news , and we know that they ordered the whistleblower doctors to keep silent .
Of course , one of those doctors , at least , lost his life because of that .
We know that they delayed global response to this virus by weeks , weeks that represent thousands of lost lives , Tucker .
There are studies out there that show that if we had had more time to deal with this , lives — many , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So listen , the Chinese Communist Party has systematically lied to its own people who paid the price .
They lied to the world .
Now , we ’ re all paying the price .
And that ’ s why I think we ought to have an international investigation about where this originated .
We know where it was ; it was China .
China ought to be held to account and they ought to be made to foot the bill for what the world — including the United States — is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
Absolutely and completely .
But sort of off topic , but I have to ask you , are you heartened by the economic support plan taking shape in Washington right now ?
Do you think it ’ s good or bad ?
HAWLEY : You know , I think — I think that I ’ m heartened by the President ’ s aggressive response here .
I ’ m heartened by his desire to go big .
HAWLEY : I am heartened by idea that we ought to be giving direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need relief .
I do think that it ’ s important that the low-income families not be left out and not be punished .
Any kind of relief shouldn ’ t be regressive , Tucker .
Families — working families — need relief and they ought to get it .
CARLSON : Amen .
Senator , thanks a lot for coming on tonight .
Good to see you .

It would be nice if the whole coronavirus debacle might wake Washington up to the danger that Red China represents.
The whole globalist economy idea was pitched to Americans as being good for creating more and less expensive consumer goods, a system with no downside.
The scheme was advantageous for nations with lots of cheap labor like China. And that country has grown from a poor backwater to a global powerhouse based on outsourced manufacturing from America.
Lately Red China feels strong enough to be the home of a new contagion (perhaps even creating it in a bioresearch lab) without warning the world about it.
Senator Josh Hawley appeared with Tucker Carlson recently to suggest that China be “held to account” for the evil it has exported.
(Spare video)
TUCKER CARLSON: Senator Josh Hawley represents the State of Missouri. We’re always happy to have him on tonight. Great to see you, Senator.
SENATOR JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): Thanks, Tucker.
CARLSON: You’ve been one of the relatively few people in the Congress who has been sounding the alarm on China for a long time. The coronavirus, I think, has highlighted the reasons why that’s an important story. Where should we go next?
HAWLEY: Well, I think one of the things the coronavirus has done, Tucker, is just bare the fact that our globalized economy is an economy that really works for China first and foremost, and not for the United States. Certainly not for American workers.
Our supply chains — where are they now? In China. Our medical devices, where are they made? China. Our pharmaceuticals, where are they made? China. Our Big Tech companies, who do they want to do business with? China.
I think it’s time that we asked ourselves what kind of an economy we have we allowed to be created, and what is it doing for American workers? We need some structural reform.
CARLSON: I think that’s exactly right. In the short term, though, the country is paralyzed by coronavirus, which came from eastern China, of course. What do we know about the Chinese government’s coverup of this virus in its early days?
HAWLEY: Well, we know that they suppressed the actual news, and we know that they ordered the whistleblower doctors to keep silent. Of course, one of those doctors, at least, lost his life because of that.
We know that they delayed global response to this virus by weeks, weeks that represent thousands of lost lives, Tucker.
There are studies out there that show that if we had had more time to deal with this, lives — many, many lives could have been saved.
So listen, the Chinese Communist Party has systematically lied to its own people who paid the price. They lied to the world. Now, we’re all paying the price. And that’s why I think we ought to have an international investigation about where this originated.
We know where it was; it was China. China ought to be held to account and they ought to be made to foot the bill for what the world — including the United States — is now suffering.
CARLSON: I agree with that. Absolutely and completely. But sort of off topic, but I have to ask you, are you heartened by the economic support plan taking shape in Washington right now? Do you think it’s good or bad?
HAWLEY: You know, I think — I think that I’m heartened by the President’s aggressive response here. I’m heartened by his desire to go big.
CARLSON: Me too.
HAWLEY: I am heartened by idea that we ought to be giving direct relief to families in particular, families need relief. I do think that it’s important that the low-income families not be left out and not be punished. Any kind of relief shouldn’t be regressive, Tucker.
Families — working families — need relief and they ought to get it.
CARLSON: Amen. Senator, thanks a lot for coming on tonight. Good to see you.


vdare--2020-03-22--West Virginia's Patient #1: Last State In The U.S. To Have A Patient

West Virginia was the last state in the U.S. to have a patient .
From CNN : How one woman fought to get her husband tested while her state was applauded for having no coronavirus By Mallory Simon , CNN ( CNN ) Carolyn Vigil was lying in bed next to her husband when she first saw the meme .
It noted West Virginia had no reported cases of coronavirus , and jokingly pleaded for its people to hang on .
She remembers it so well because it ’ s the day her husband James began to feel sick in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panhandle .
Her husband was sick from Covid-19 .
But her “ coronavirus-free ” state wasn ’ t set up to test him .
He would become the state ’ s Patient # 1 .
They didn ’ t know it then , of course , nor did anyone else .
But in the following days they felt like that they were the only people in the state who wanted to find out .
From medical professionals who simply had no information to health administrators in the same boat , all the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was doing a good job for having no cases .
And all the while , Patient # 1 — James Vigil — was there for the testing .

West Virginia was the last state in the U.S. to have a patient. From CNN:
How one woman fought to get her husband tested while her state was applauded for having no coronavirus
By Mallory Simon, CNN
Updated 5:17 PM ET, Sat March 21, 2020
(CNN)Carolyn Vigil was lying in bed next to her husband when she first saw the meme. It noted West Virginia had no reported cases of coronavirus, and jokingly pleaded for its people to hang on.
She remembers it so well because it’s the day her husband James began to feel sick in their Shepherdstown home in the West Virginia panhandle.
Her husband was sick from Covid-19. But her “coronavirus-free” state wasn’t set up to test him.
He would become the state’s Patient #1. They didn’t know it then, of course, nor did anyone else. But in the following days they felt like that they were the only people in the state who wanted to find out. From medical professionals who simply had no information to health administrators in the same boat, all the way up to the President saying the state was doing a good job for having no cases.
And all the while, Patient #1 — James Vigil — was there for the testing.


vdare--2020-03-22--Incredibly, Stupid Party Hacks Want To Use WuFlu Crisis To INCREASE Immigration. Trump Should Dump—A

Incredibly, Stupid Party Hacks Want To Use WuFlu Crisis To INCREASE Immigration. Trump Should Dump—And Impose America First

With each passing hour , COVID-19 infections and fatalities in the United States grow .
And while President Trump has enacted multiple border controls to contain what he rightly calls the “ Chinese Virus , ” some Stupid Party Congressthings want to increase the importation of foreigners who will not only take American jobs and buy up American companies but also , in the end , possibly spread this contagion or introduce another .
This is a Yuge opportunity for Trump to impose an America First Agenda .
Temporary immigration restrictions have been a major part of Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel restrictions on Chinese nationals .
Outraged Leftists , including Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Mainstream Media , attacked him , claiming seasonal flu was the greater threat [ Get a grip , America .
The flu is a much bigger threat than coronavirus , for now , by Lenny Bernstein , The Washington Post , February 1 , 2020 ] .
Then , just last week , Trump blocked travel to and from Europe and closed our northern and southern borders [ Trump Closes U.S .
Borders .
Immigration Grinds To A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , March 19 , 2020 ] .
He also ordered the immediate deportation of all illegal aliens apprehended at the border with Mexico [ Trump Ordered All Immigrants Caught Entering The US Illegally To Be Turned Back To Ward Off Coronavirus Spread , by Adolfo Flores , Buzzfeed , March 20 , 2020 ] .
And then he stopped refugee admissions [ Refugee admissions to the US temporarily suspended , by Priscilla Alvarez , CNN , March 18 , 2020 ] .
In other words , Trump understands that “ migrants ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Asiatic pathogen [ Trump closing southern border , claims migrants causing ‘ viral spread ’ , ABC News , March 20 , 2020 ] .
He could do more , of course , but what he has done is beyond anything a Democrat would propose .
That isn ’ t to say Trump ’ s been right on everything .
The Administration has scaled back some enforcement measures to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers from contagion .
Or at least that ’ s the excuse .
As well , the Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US immigration system during the coronavirus pandemic , by Priscilla Alvarez , CNN , March 20 , 2020 ] .
Border authorities aren ’ t doing what they should , either .
Line agents told the Washington Examiner that superiors ordered them to keep the traffic flowing for shopping and family or doctor visits [ Claim they 're going shopping : Border officials allow hundreds of Mexican vehicles to cross despite Trump ban , by Anna Giaritelli , March 21 , 2020 ] .
Trump should fire the insubordinate bureaucrats now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of more concern are donor-driven Republicans who would keep flooding the country with immigrants workers and mega-wealthy subversives .
You know , because Big Business needs it .
The Administration halted new interviews for temporary farm workers who get H-2A visas , but many Republicans and Trump ’ s own cabinet members want more [ U.S. restricts visas for farmworkers , raising concerns about food supply , by Suzy Khimm , NBC News , March 19 , 2020 ] .
“ We ’ re concerned about H-2A visas , particularly agriculture workers we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Friday press conference with the president .
Their “ our economic lifeblood , ” he said .
And Pompeo assured reporters that foreigners with work visas can still come to the U.S .
In a letter to Pompeo , 42 lawmakers , including several Republicans , demanded that Trump ease the restrictions because they ’ ll cripple the farm industry [ ‘ Devastating impact ’ : Visa suspensions seen as threat to farm labor , food supply , by Nicholas Ibarra , Santa Cruz Sentinel , March 19 , 2020 ] .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ flow of H-2A visas to continue .
Georgia Sen. David Perdue , a co-sponsor of the immigration reductionist RAISE Act , drafted a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security to allow in more foreign farmworkers .
Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler signed on , as did 10 Republican and two Democrat colleagues , along with several Republican congressmen .
Inexplicably , that list includes immigration patriot Rep. Doug Collins , Loeffler ’ s opponent in the special election on Nov. 3 .
Big Ag is kind of like E.F. Hutton .
When it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ag industry and its Stupid Party oxen bellow that farms might fail without foreign workers .
Well , given that the Chinese Virus might well kill millions of jobs , now is not the time to give the jobs that remain to foreign workers [ Coronavirus layoffs surge across America , overwhelming unemployment offices , by Rebecca Rainey , Politico , March 17 , 2020 ] .
And low-skilled farm hands won ’ t be the GOP ’ s only beneficiaries .
That ’ s where Trump has gone wrong .
The administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ high-skilled ” foreigners who seek H-1B visas .
U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services will allow electronic signatures on documents and lift standards that bar companies from buying their way to the front of the line [ DHS Changes Rule to Import More H-1B Foreign Workers in Economic Meltdown , by Neil Munro , Breitbart , March 21 , 2020 ] .
That ’ s enraging , given that USCIS is largely responsible for the record high rate of H-1B visa denials .
As if all that isn ’ t enough , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed increasing EB-5 visas for foreign “ investors ” from 10,000 to no less than 75,000 annually .
That ticket to ride across the border goes to rich foreigners who invest at least $ 900,000 here .
Half of these visas go to Chinese oligarchs .
Incredibly , Graham wants Trump to support a massive EB-5 increase in the Chinese Virus response bill and halve the required level of investment [ Trump considers increasing visas for foreign investors , by Gabby Orr and Anita Kumar , Politico , March 18 , 2020 ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realize the proposals ’ bad optics and now vehemently denies he supports it [ After Tucker Carlson Attacks Him Over Chinese Visas , Lindsey Graham Goes on Hannity to Deny Story : ‘ Absolute Garbage ’ , by Sarah Rumpf , Mediaite , March 19 , 2020 ] .
That ’ s a good sign .
But for Republicans even to consider these daft ideas sends a terrible message that could well sink Trump in November .
If globalism brought the Chinese Virus here , the best response is a more nationalist foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American First plans that elected Trump in the first place .
That means he must halt most immigration and seal our borders until the Yellow Peril subsides and the economy recovers .
Trump should reduce Chinese immigration permanently .
Nearly 400,000 Chinese nationals are enrolled at American universities .
Some are spies and many are possibly responsible for spreading the virus here .
Chinese nationals use birth tourism to exploit the Anchor Baby loophole .
All that has to end .
Unsurprisingly , immigration boosters worry that Trump might impose more border controls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Epidemic Could Reduce Immigration , by Neil Munro , Breitbart , March 16 , 2020 ] .
If so , good !
Trump has the perfect chance to impose a nationalist border policy and show why it works .
He must strengthen our borders , stop the immigration , and bring manufacturing jobs back home .
Washington Watcher II [ Email him ] is an anonymous DC insider .

washingtonwatcherii@protonmail.com (Washington  Watcher II)

With each passing hour, COVID-19 infections and fatalities in the United States grow. And while President Trump has enacted multiple border controls to contain what he rightly calls the “Chinese Virus,” some Stupid Party Congressthings want to increase the importation of foreigners who will not only take American jobs and buy up American companies but also, in the end, possibly spread this contagion or introduce another. This is a Yuge opportunity for Trump to impose an America First Agenda.
Temporary immigration restrictions have been a major part of Trump’s response. In January, he imposed travel restrictions on Chinese nationals. Outraged Leftists, including Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Mainstream Media, attacked him, claiming seasonal flu was the greater threat [Get a grip, America. The flu is a much bigger threat than coronavirus, for now, by Lenny Bernstein, Washington Post, February 1, 2020].
Then, just last week, Trump blocked travel to and from Europe and closed our northern and southern borders [Trump Closes U.S. Borders. Immigration Grinds To A Halt, by John Burnett, NPR, March 19, 2020]. He also ordered the immediate deportation of all illegal aliens apprehended at the border with Mexico [Trump Ordered All Immigrants Caught Entering The US Illegally To Be Turned Back To Ward Off Coronavirus Spread, by Adolfo Flores, Buzzfeed, March 20, 2020]. And then he stopped refugee admissions [Refugee admissions to the US temporarily suspended, by Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, March 18, 2020]. In other words, Trump understands that “migrants” and “refugees” are possible carriers of the Asiatic pathogen [Trump closing southern border, claims migrants causing ‘viral spread,’ ABC News, March 20, 2020].
He could do more, of course, but what he has done is beyond anything a Democrat would propose.
That isn’t to say Trump’s been right on everything. The Administration has scaled back some enforcement measures to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers from contagion. Or at least that’s the excuse. As well, the Administration suspended deportation flights [13 changes to the US immigration system during the coronavirus pandemic, by Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, March 20, 2020].
Border authorities aren’t doing what they should, either. Line agents told the Washington Examiner that superiors ordered them to keep the traffic flowing for shopping and family or doctor visits [Claim they're going shopping: Border officials allow hundreds of Mexican vehicles to cross despite Trump ban, by Anna Giaritelli, March 21, 2020]. Trump should fire the insubordinate bureaucrats now.
But that’s just Trump. Of more concern are donor-driven Republicans who would keep flooding the country with immigrants workers and mega-wealthy subversives. You know, because Big Business needs it.
The Administration halted new interviews for temporary farm workers who get H-2A visas, but many Republicans and Trump’s own cabinet members want more [U.S. restricts visas for farmworkers, raising concerns about food supply, by Suzy Khimm, NBC News, March 19, 2020].
“We’re concerned about H-2A visas, particularly agriculture workers we need to get across,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a Friday press conference with the president. They're “our economic lifeblood,” he said. And Pompeo assured reporters that foreigners with work visas can still come to the U.S.
Reporter: “Can anyone with a work visa cross the border?”
Mike Pompeo: “We’re concerned about H-2A visas, particularly agriculture workers we need to get across.” pic.twitter.com/7bQiKMvnTo — U.S. Tech Workers (@USTechWorkers) March 20, 2020
In a letter to Pompeo, 42 lawmakers, including several Republicans, demanded that Trump ease the restrictions because they’ll cripple the farm industry [‘Devastating impact’: Visa suspensions seen as threat to farm labor, food supply, by Nicholas Ibarra, Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 19, 2020].
Even some GOP immigration patriots want the flow of H-2A visas to continue. Georgia Sen. David Perdue, a co-sponsor of the immigration reductionist RAISE Act, drafted a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security to allow in more foreign farmworkers. Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler signed on, as did 10 Republican and two Democrat colleagues, along with several Republican congressmen. Inexplicably, that list includes immigration patriot Rep. Doug Collins, Loeffler’s opponent in the special election on Nov. 3.
Big Ag is kind of like E.F. Hutton. When it talks, the GOP listens.
The Ag industry and its Stupid Party oxen bellow that farms might fail without foreign workers. Well, given that the Chinese Virus might well kill millions of jobs, now is not the time to give the jobs that remain to foreign workers [Coronavirus layoffs surge across America, overwhelming unemployment offices, by Rebecca Rainey, Politico, March 17, 2020].
And low-skilled farm hands won’t be the GOP’s only beneficiaries.
That’s where Trump has gone wrong. The administration is set to ease the importation of “high-skilled” foreigners who seek H-1B visas. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will allow electronic signatures on documents and lift standards that bar companies from buying their way to the front of the line [DHS Changes Rule to Import More H-1B Foreign Workers in Economic Meltdown, by Neil Munro, Breitbart, March 21, 2020]. That’s enraging, given that USCIS is largely responsible for the record high rate of H-1B visa denials.
As if all that isn’t enough, Sen. Lindsey Graham (Scalawag—SC) has proposed increasing EB-5 visas for foreign “investors” from 10,000 to no less than 75,000 annually. That ticket to ride across the border goes to rich foreigners who invest at least $900,000 here. Half of these visas go to Chinese oligarchs. Incredibly, Graham wants Trump to support a massive EB-5 increase in the Chinese Virus response bill and halve the required level of investment [Trump considers increasing visas for foreign investors, by Gabby Orr and Anita Kumar, Politico, March 18, 2020]. Happily, Graham now seems to realize the proposals’ bad optics and now vehemently denies he supports it [After Tucker Carlson Attacks Him Over Chinese Visas, Lindsey Graham Goes on Hannity to Deny Story: ‘Absolute Garbage,’ by Sarah Rumpf, Mediaite, March 19, 2020].
That’s a good sign. But for Republicans even to consider these daft ideas sends a terrible message that could well sink Trump in November. If globalism brought the Chinese Virus here, the best response is a more nationalist foreign and domestic policies; i.e., the America First plans that elected Trump in the first place.
That means he must halt most immigration and seal our borders until the Yellow Peril subsides and the economy recovers.
Trump should reduce Chinese immigration permanently. Nearly 400,000 Chinese nationals are enrolled at American universities. Some are spies and many are possibly responsible for spreading the virus here. Chinese nationals use birth tourism to exploit the Anchor Baby loophole. All that has to end.
Unsurprisingly, immigration boosters worry that Trump might impose more border controls. [Migration Supporters Worry China’s Epidemic Could Reduce Immigration, by Neil Munro, Breitbart, March 16, 2020]. If so, good!
Trump has the perfect chance to impose a nationalist border policy and show why it works. He must strengthen our borders, stop the immigration, and bring manufacturing jobs back home.
Globalism—and China—are the disease. Nationalism—and America First—are the cure.
Washington Watcher II [Email him] is an anonymous DC insider.


vdare--2020-03-22--Jim Miller: the Biggest Prediction Failure Was of the Financial Markets

I think it was only a month ago that the stock market first dropped sharply , and that was also @ @ @ @ @ brief Bernie Boom .
I sort of think that part of the problem was that @ @ @ @ @ Era news has been too interesting day to day for many people to want to @ @ @ @ @ new topic .
For example , the Trump impeachment trial in the Senate didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m less interested in partisan bickering than most , but still , @ @ @ @ @ only once about coronavirus in January .
Sorry about that .

Smith college economist Jim Miller observes:
The biggest prediction failure was of the financial markets. A market crash in early Feb would have been a wake up call to the world. We pay $$$ to our best and brightest to work in finance, and prediction is a huge part of their job. They let us down. — James Miller (@JimDMiller) March 22, 2020
I think it was only a month ago that the stock market first dropped sharply, and that was also in part due to the brief Bernie Boom.
I sort of think that part of the problem was that the main throughlines of Trump Era news has been too interesting day to day for many people to want to change the subject to some new topic. For example, the Trump impeachment trial in the Senate didn’t end until February 12.
I’m less interested in partisan bickering than most, but still, I only managed to blog only once about coronavirus in January. Sorry about that.
[Comment at Unz.com]