vdare--2020-03-12--NYT Editorial Board Member Mara Gay: Because I am a Black Woman, It's Racist to Make Fun of My Innum

NYT Editorial Board Member Mara Gay: Because I am a Black Woman, It's Racist to Make Fun of My Innumeracy

I didn ’ t call attention to the big math mistake made on MSNBC because everybody is vulnerable to brain freezes .
I ’ ve made plenty of math mistakes on iSteve over the decades , but when my gracious commenters point them out , I try to thank them and fix them .
But the following … From the New York Times opinion section : My People Have Been Through Worse Than a Twitter Mob When you ’ re a black woman in America with a public voice , a trivial math error can lead to a deluge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a member of the [ New York Times ] editorial board .
Late Thursday night , I appeared on TV .
On Friday morning , I woke up to a text message from a friend .
“ People on Twitter are pathetic , ” she wrote .
“ How are you ?
” On MSNBC ’ s “ The 11th Hour With Brian Williams ” the night before , we mentioned a tweet , written by someone else , about the enormous amount of money Michael Bloomberg had spent on his failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s what I said : “ Somebody tweeted recently that actually with the money he spent , he could have given every American a million dollars.
” Nah , that would actually be 300+ trillion dollars , which would stretch even Mike Bloomberg .
With $ 500 million , he could have given 300 million Americans* $ 1.67 each .
* Nobody actually knows how many Americans there are , strikingly enough .
You might think the government would keep a list … The math , as a few people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Overnight , I had become an online sensation , and not in a good way .
The video had gone viral , first shared by the right wing , and then by seemingly everyone else , too .
Some people seemed surprised I couldn ’ t fact-check arithmetic on live TV .
Let me assure you that my high school math teachers were not among those people .
… I write a lot about the underdog , which tends to make some people feel threatened , or simply uncomfortable .
When I appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had been working for many days interviewing black voters in the South who were determined to defeat Donald Trump , whom they see as the nightmare embodiment of the old hatreds many of them fought to overcome .
Many of those Americans had survived far worse under the racial terror of Jim Crow than anything I can imagine .
I thought about the black man I met at the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , Ala. , who had been beaten bloody by the police there half a century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black woman who approached me in a Selma coffee shop to tell me she was proud of me .
I thought about my father , who grew up enduring the daily indignities of segregated South Carolina and Detroit .
I am here because of them .
And there is nothing the haters can do about it .
The important lesson you must take away is that because of that black man who was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge , my career as an editorialist must continue to flourish , onward and upward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dumb bunny I am , personally .
You see , I am black , and that ’ s what matters in 2020 : my career and my self-esteem .
Emmett Till didn ’ t die for you , he died for me and my fabulous career .
Me , not you : me .
Dear @ MaraGay of the New York Times : I 'm looking forward to the New York Times essay about how the Apollo 11 moon landing grew out of slavery .
https : //t.co/gfyB6tDsEZ — Steve Sailer ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t trust the editorial judgment of Mara Gay on what really matters in American history ?
Clearly , she is an expert cliometrician .
Why Are Black People Still Punished for Their Hair ?
https : //t.co/3yOVPejS7d — Mara Gay ( @ MaraGay ) August 29 , 2018 From the NYT opinion section in 2018 : Thanks , Meghan Markle , We Needed That By Mara Gay Ms .
Gay is a member of the editorial board .
… Yes , I ’ m biracial like Meghan Markle , black like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would watch a couple minutes of the royal hoopla — catch a glimpse of that dress , maybe — and then carry on .
But in the end I couldn ’ t help but get swept away .
… Who knew the royal wedding was going to be so black ?
Who knew it would be so American ?
… Suddenly , I thought about 11-year-old Tshego Lengolo , the British daughter of a South African immigrant , who sees Meghan Markle , and thinks of herself as a princess for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is nothing that racist people can do about it , ” she told The Times this month .
I thought of that photograph years ago of President Barack Obama with little Jacob Philadelphia , bowing down so this black child could know that the president ’ s hair was just like his own .
This is exactly what I wanted to avoid , really , this buying-in , this excruciatingly fragile hopefulness about what is possible for a black woman , and about what is possible for Americans .
Here was Meghan Markle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feminist .
This divorced biracial woman , 36 years old , who had built her own career .
This black princess .
Maybe I had avoided the spectacle because I was afraid for her , afraid for us , because I thought it might be too much to hope that others could fall in love with her , too .
But they did .
And now this silly British wedding has this American tomboy thinking about dreams I put away when my country ’ s betrayal of us became clear .
Now I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wake up and remember who we want to be .

I didn’t call attention to the big math mistake made on MSNBC because everybody is vulnerable to brain freezes. I’ve made plenty of math mistakes on iSteve over the decades, but when my gracious commenters point them out, I try to thank them and fix them.
But the following …
From the New York Times opinion section:
My People Have Been Through Worse Than a Twitter Mob
When you’re a black woman in America with a public voice, a trivial math error can lead to a deluge of hate. By Mara Gay
Mara Gay is a member of the [New York Times ] editorial board. March 11, 2020 Late Thursday night, I appeared on TV. On Friday morning, I woke up to a text message from a friend. “People on Twitter are pathetic,” she wrote. “How are you?” On MSNBC’s “The 11th Hour With Brian Williams” the night before, we mentioned a tweet, written by someone else, about the enormous amount of money Michael Bloomberg had spent on his failed presidential run, about $500 million. Here’s what I said: “Somebody tweeted recently that actually with the money he spent, he could have given every American a million dollars.”
Nah, that would actually be 300+ trillion dollars, which would stretch even Mike Bloomberg.
With $500 million, he could have given 300 million Americans* $1.67 each.
* Nobody actually knows how many Americans there are, strikingly enough. You might think the government would keep a list …
The math, as a few people have pointed out, was wrong. Overnight, I had become an online sensation, and not in a good way. The video had gone viral, first shared by the right wing, and then by seemingly everyone else, too. Some people seemed surprised I couldn’t fact-check arithmetic on live TV. Let me assure you that my high school math teachers were not among those people. …
… It didn’t help that I write for a newspaper where my colleagues are assiduously working to hold a rogue president accountable every day. We are living in a world where there is no grace for the smallest, most inconsequential mistake. …
I write a lot about the underdog, which tends to make some people feel threatened, or simply uncomfortable. When I appeared on that TV program last week, I had been working for many days interviewing black voters in the South who were determined to defeat Donald Trump, whom they see as the nightmare embodiment of the old hatreds many of them fought to overcome. Many of those Americans had survived far worse under the racial terror of Jim Crow than anything I can imagine. I thought about the black man I met at the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., who had been beaten bloody by the police there half a century ago. I thought about the older black woman who approached me in a Selma coffee shop to tell me she was proud of me. I thought about my father, who grew up enduring the daily indignities of segregated South Carolina and Detroit. I am here because of them. And there is nothing the haters can do about it.
The important lesson you must take away is that because of that black man who was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, my career as an editorialist must continue to flourish, onward and upward, no matter how much of a dumb bunny I am, personally.
You see, I am black, and that’s what matters in 2020: my career and my self-esteem. Emmett Till didn’t die for you, he died for me and my fabulous career. Me, not you: me.
A tweet from last year:
Dear @MaraGay of the New York Times:
I'm looking forward to the New York Times essay about how the Apollo 11 moon landing grew out of slavery. https://t.co/gfyB6tDsEZ — Steve Sailer (@Steve_Sailer) August 16, 2019
Who couldn’t trust the editorial judgment of Mara Gay on what really matters in American history? Clearly, she is an expert cliometrician.
Why Are Black People Still Punished for Their Hair? https://t.co/3yOVPejS7d — Mara Gay (@MaraGay) August 29, 2018
From the NYT opinion section in 2018:
EDITORIAL OBSERVER Thanks, Meghan Markle, We Needed That
By Mara Gay
Ms. Gay is a member of the editorial board. May 20, 2018 … Yes, I’m biracial like Meghan Markle, black like Meghan Markle, but I told myself I would watch a couple minutes of the royal hoopla — catch a glimpse of that dress, maybe — and then carry on. But in the end I couldn’t help but get swept away. … Who knew the royal wedding was going to be so black? Who knew it would be so American? … Suddenly, I thought about 11-year-old Tshego Lengolo, the British daughter of a South African immigrant, who sees Meghan Markle, and thinks of herself as a princess for the first time, too. “There is nothing that racist people can do about it,” she told The Times this month. I thought of that photograph years ago of President Barack Obama with little Jacob Philadelphia, bowing down so this black child could know that the president’s hair was just like his own. And then I began to cry. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid, really, this buying-in, this excruciatingly fragile hopefulness about what is possible for a black woman, and about what is possible for Americans. Here was Meghan Markle, this beautiful bride, this self-described feminist. This divorced biracial woman, 36 years old, who had built her own career. This black princess. Maybe I had avoided the spectacle because I was afraid for her, afraid for us, because I thought it might be too much to hope that others could fall in love with her, too. But they did. And now this silly British wedding has this American tomboy thinking about dreams I put away when my country’s betrayal of us became clear. Now I’m imagining the day when we wake up and remember who we want to be.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-03-12--Gregory Cochran: What Is to be Done?

Gregory Cochran: What Is to be Done?

What is to be done ?
Posted on March 12 , 2020 by gcochran9 We need enough lockdown and social distancing to drive the R0 below 1.0 – that doesn ’ t require much more effort than the intensity required to ‘ flatten the curve ’ and it has an enormous payoff – new cases fade away instead of growing !
Like I said , there is no substitute for victory .
But we don ’ t want that lockdown to persist forever – it ’ s incredibly expensive .
I estimate that China has lost > hundreds of billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We will too … All this must be paired with a crash program to develop effective therapies and/or means of prevention .
If someone has an idea for a new drug , or a new method of treatment , he should rethink it and ask if it could be accomplished in half the time with twice the money , or for that matter with ten times the money .
We should fund every plausible approach , a bit like the Manhattan project .
Some would be surprising : for example , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( say influenza ) can reduce your chances of catching another – true at both the population and individual level , perhaps because your interferon is revved up .
But the benefit supposedly only lasts during the 2 weeks or so you have the flu , so it ’ s not a permanent preventive .
There are many different ways to create vaccines .
It ’ s a little like the famous WWII code-breaking efforts , which looked for tiny weaknesses that could be exploited in different ways .
It ’ s time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perhaps pay for multiple efforts on each way .
We have a lot of smart people with skills that could be quickly repurposed to help in this quest .
For example , I ’ m a big fan of fields like genome-wide associations studies in the social sciences and paleogenomics , but if those disciplines get set back for a year while their brightest lights pitch in on The Effort , I can live with that .
When we succeed , the lockdown will soon end .
With a treatment or some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have to worry about the ongoing cases in other parts of the world – and we could then help the rest of the world , which is no bad thing .
Cost is no object : there is no way to spend money on biomedical research that is in any way comparable with the cost of lockdown .
The US GDP was $ 21.4 trillion last year , so almost $ 2 trillion per month .
If you lockdown half the economy , that ’ s almost a trillion dollars per month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some corners , because coronavirus is so dangerous .
We thought vaccination against smallpox too hazardous ( a disease extinct in the wild , and a vaccine that killed 1 in a million of those vaccinated and made about 1 in 100,000 seriously ill ) .
In today ’ s situation , facing coronavirus , that level of side effect could perhaps be tolerated , at least until we came up with something better .
Careful analysis and simulation can minimize the cost .
China has cut the R0 down to 0.3 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point a relaxation that allowed some business to operate and pushed the R0 up to 0.8 would be fine .
The rate of new cases would not increase from the current low level .
If we relax a bit too much , R0 might creep a bit above 1.0 , but with lots of testing and monitoring we could fix that before it caused much trouble .
Read the whole thing there .

From Gregory Cochran’s West Hunter blog:
What is to be done?
Posted on March 12, 2020 by gcochran9 We need enough lockdown and social distancing to drive the R0 below 1.0 – that doesn’t require much more effort than the intensity required to ‘flatten the curve’ and it has an enormous payoff – new cases fade away instead of growing! Like I said, there is no substitute for victory. But we don’t want that lockdown to persist forever – it’s incredibly expensive. I estimate that China has lost >hundreds of billions of dollars in their current freeze. We will too … All this must be paired with a crash program to develop effective therapies and/or means of prevention. If someone has an idea for a new drug, or a new method of treatment, he should rethink it and ask if it could be accomplished in half the time with twice the money, or for that matter with ten times the money. We should fund every plausible approach, a bit like the Manhattan project. Some would be surprising: for example, there is evidence that already having one viral disease (say influenza) can reduce your chances of catching another – true at both the population and individual level, perhaps because your interferon is revved up.
But the benefit supposedly only lasts during the 2 weeks or so you have the flu, so it’s not a permanent preventive.
Old-fashioned approaches (like serum therapy ) might be revived. We can scan the existing pharmacopoeia for something useful: we can mine HMO data to see if some common drug is already having a positive effect.
The US has the world’s strongest biomedical research community. We can do this – and we won’t be alone.
There are many different ways to create vaccines. It’s a little like the famous WWII code-breaking efforts, which looked for tiny weaknesses that could be exploited in different ways. It’s time to fund a wide range of attempts and perhaps pay for multiple efforts on each way.
We have a lot of smart people with skills that could be quickly repurposed to help in this quest. For example, I’m a big fan of fields like genome-wide associations studies in the social sciences and paleogenomics, but if those disciplines get set back for a year while their brightest lights pitch in on The Effort, I can live with that.
When we succeed, the lockdown will soon end. With a treatment or some form of prevention, we won’t have to worry about the ongoing cases in other parts of the world – and we could then help the rest of the world, which is no bad thing. Cost is no object: there is no way to spend money on biomedical research that is in any way comparable with the cost of lockdown.
The US GDP was $21.4 trillion last year, so almost $2 trillion per month. If you lockdown half the economy, that’s almost a trillion dollars per month.
One advantage: we can cut some corners, because coronavirus is so dangerous. We thought vaccination against smallpox too hazardous (a disease extinct in the wild, and a vaccine that killed 1 in a million of those vaccinated and made about 1 in 100,000 seriously ill). In today’s situation, facing coronavirus, that level of side effect could perhaps be tolerated, at least until we came up with something better. Careful analysis and simulation can minimize the cost. China has cut the R0 down to 0.3, but that’s overkill: at this point a relaxation that allowed some business to operate and pushed the R0 up to 0.8 would be fine. The rate of new cases would not increase from the current low level. If we relax a bit too much, R0 might creep a bit above 1.0, but with lots of testing and monitoring we could fix that before it caused much trouble.
Read the whole thing there.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-03-12--Which American Would Make the Best Corona Czar?

Hopefully , America is full of obscure but hugely competent experts on epidemiology and management who will come to the @ @ @ @ @ .
But I can ’ t think of any celebrity epidemiologists .
So , if @ @ @ @ @ the American who has the highest combination of : I come up with Bill Gates @ @ @ @ @ been dealing with epidemiology for a couple of decades .
Here ’ s Gates ’ @ @ @ @ @ virus threat .

Hopefully, America is full of obscure but hugely competent experts on epidemiology and management who will come to the forefront in the coming weeks. But I can’t think of any celebrity epidemiologists.
So, if I try to think of the American who has the highest combination of:
Name recognition
Proven organization track record
Knowledge of epidemiology
I come up with Bill Gates.
The Gates Foundation has been dealing with epidemiology for a couple of decades. Here’s Gates’ 2015 Ted talk on the virus threat.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-03-12--Red Tape Stopped Early Coronavirus Testing

America isn ’ t ready for a fix-the-Yorktown type emergency push for many reasons , including that we have a lot of rules and regulations for privacy , safety , and other agreeable reasons .
From the New York Times : ‘ It ’ s Just Everywhere Already ’ : How Delays in Testing Set Back the U.S. Coronavirus Response A series of missed chances by the federal government to ensure more widespread testing came during the early days of the outbreak , when containment would have been easier .
A research project in Seattle tried to conduct early tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red tape before circumventing federal officials and confirming a case .
Dr. Helen Y. Chu , an infectious disease expert in Seattle , knew that the United States did not have much time .
In late January , the first confirmed American case of the coronavirus had landed in her area .
Critical questions needed answers : Had the man infected anyone else ?
Was the deadly virus already lurking in other communities and spreading ?
As luck would have it , Dr. Chu had a way to monitor the region .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project into the flu , she and a team of researchers had been collecting nasal swabs from residents experiencing symptoms throughout the Puget Sound region .
To repurpose the tests for monitoring the coronavirus , they would need the support of state and federal officials .
But nearly everywhere Dr. Chu turned , officials repeatedly rejected the idea , interviews and emails show , even as weeks crawled by and outbreaks emerged in countries outside of China , where the infection began .
By Feb. 25 , Dr. Chu and her colleagues could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They began performing coronavirus tests , without government approval .
What came back confirmed their worst fear .
They quickly had a positive test from a local teenager with no recent travel history .
The coronavirus had already established itself on American soil without anybody realizing it .
“ It must have been here this entire time , ” Dr. Chu recalled thinking with dread .
“ It ’ s just everywhere already.
” In fact , officials would later discover through testing , the virus had already contributed to the deaths of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to kill 20 more in the Seattle region over the following days .
Federal and state officials said the flu study could not be repurposed because it did not have explicit permission from research subjects ; the labs were also not certified for clinical work .
While acknowledging the ethical questions , Dr. Chu and others argued there should be more flexibility in an emergency during which so many lives could be lost .
On Monday night , state regulators told them to stop testing altogether .
… But the Seattle Flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tape — sometimes designed to protect privacy and health — have impeded the rapid rollout of testing nationally , while other countries ramped up much earlier and faster .
… C.D.C .
officials repeatedly said it would not be possible .
“ If you want to use your test as a screening tool , you would have to check with F.D.A.
, ” Gayle Langley , an officer at the C.D.C.
’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease , wrote back in an email on Feb. 16 .
But the F.D.A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lab was not certified as a clinical laboratory under regulations established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services , a process that could take months .

America isn’t ready for a fix-the-Yorktown type emergency push for many reasons, including that we have a lot of rules and regulations for privacy, safety, and other agreeable reasons. From the New York Times:
‘It’s Just Everywhere Already’: How Delays in Testing Set Back the U.S. Coronavirus Response
A series of missed chances by the federal government to ensure more widespread testing came during the early days of the outbreak, when containment would have been easier.
A research project in Seattle tried to conduct early tests for the new coronavirus but ran into red tape before circumventing federal officials and confirming a case.
By Sheri Fink and Mike Baker
March 10, 2020
Dr. Helen Y. Chu, an infectious disease expert in Seattle, knew that the United States did not have much time.
In late January, the first confirmed American case of the coronavirus had landed in her area. Critical questions needed answers: Had the man infected anyone else? Was the deadly virus already lurking in other communities and spreading?
As luck would have it, Dr. Chu had a way to monitor the region. For months, as part of a research project into the flu, she and a team of researchers had been collecting nasal swabs from residents experiencing symptoms throughout the Puget Sound region.
To repurpose the tests for monitoring the coronavirus, they would need the support of state and federal officials. But nearly everywhere Dr. Chu turned, officials repeatedly rejected the idea, interviews and emails show, even as weeks crawled by and outbreaks emerged in countries outside of China, where the infection began.
By Feb. 25, Dr. Chu and her colleagues could not bear to wait any longer. They began performing coronavirus tests, without government approval.
What came back confirmed their worst fear. They quickly had a positive test from a local teenager with no recent travel history. The coronavirus had already established itself on American soil without anybody realizing it.
“It must have been here this entire time,” Dr. Chu recalled thinking with dread. “It’s just everywhere already.”
In fact, officials would later discover through testing, the virus had already contributed to the deaths of two people, and it would go on to kill 20 more in the Seattle region over the following days.
Federal and state officials said the flu study could not be repurposed because it did not have explicit permission from research subjects; the labs were also not certified for clinical work. While acknowledging the ethical questions, Dr. Chu and others argued there should be more flexibility in an emergency during which so many lives could be lost. On Monday night, state regulators told them to stop testing altogether. …
But the Seattle Flu Study illustrates how existing regulations and red tape — sometimes designed to protect privacy and health — have impeded the rapid rollout of testing nationally, while other countries ramped up much earlier and faster. …
C.D.C. officials repeatedly said it would not be possible. “If you want to use your test as a screening tool, you would have to check with F.D.A.,” Gayle Langley, an officer at the C.D.C.’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, wrote back in an email on Feb. 16. But the F.D.A. could not offer the approval because the lab was not certified as a clinical laboratory under regulations established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a process that could take months.


vdare--2020-03-12--UK Coronavirus Strategy: Lie Back and Think of England

The strategy is to allow the virus to pass through the population .
The key phrase we all need to understand is “ herd immunity ” – which is what happens to a group of people or animals when they develop sufficient antibodies to be resistant to a disease .
The strategy of the British government in minimising the impact of Covid-19 is to allow the virus to pass through the entire population so that we acquire herd immunity , but at a much delayed speed so that those who suffer the most acute symptoms are able to receive the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the health service is not overwhelmed and crushed by the sheer number of cases it has to treat at any one time .
The government ’ s experts – the chief medical officer and the chief scientific advisor – have made two big judgements .
First , as the World Health Organisation on Wednesday in effect conceded , that there is no way now of preventing the virus sweeping across Africa , Asia and the Americas – which in practice means that it will be an ever-present threat to the UK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available for use .
Second , the kind of coercive measures employed by China in Wuhan and Hubei have simply locked the virus behind the closed doors of people ’ s homes .
And just as soon as the constraints on freedom of movement are lifted there , the monstrous virus will rear its hideous face again .
What are the consequences for the UK of these judgements , which the Prime Minister and Health Secretary are accepting ?
We will know the detail later on Thursday , after the Cobra meeting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move from the phase of containing the virus to delaying the inevitable epidemic .
But we already know that at the heart of their plans are increasing the proportion of the population able to be tested and also what ’ s known as “ social distancing ” .
In the first instance , this will mean encouraging anyone showing even the mild symptoms – such as a dry cough – to self-isolate at home .
But what it does not mean , at least yet , is school closures or the banning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are a few reasons why school closures are not regarded as sensible , not least that children themselves are the least at risk from the virus – although they may well be an important channel of infection-transmission to older people who are at risk .
However , the government ’ s main argument against closing schools is it would – at a stroke – massively deplete the manpower of hospitals and care homes , because vast numbers of medical staff would be forced to stay home to look after their children .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s challenge – as confirmed on Wednesday in the Budget with its extra £5 billion for the NHS , as a down payment on the needed extra beds and relevant kit – is how to make sure hospitals have the resources to treat the expected surge in those needing urgent attention .
For what it ’ s worth , ministers are looking with grim bemusement at the debate in football ’ s governing bodies about banning the public from stadia .
They fear this fuels alarmism and do not think playing matches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage .

From ITV:
British government wants UK to acquire coronavirus ‘herd immunity’, writes Robert Peston
The strategy is to allow the virus to pass through the population.
The key phrase we all need to understand is “herd immunity” – which is what happens to a group of people or animals when they develop sufficient antibodies to be resistant to a disease.
The strategy of the British government in minimising the impact of Covid-19 is to allow the virus to pass through the entire population so that we acquire herd immunity, but at a much delayed speed so that those who suffer the most acute symptoms are able to receive the medical support they need, and such that the health service is not overwhelmed and crushed by the sheer number of cases it has to treat at any one time.
The government’s experts – the chief medical officer and the chief scientific advisor – have made two big judgements.
First, as the World Health Organisation on Wednesday in effect conceded, that there is no way now of preventing the virus sweeping across Africa, Asia and the Americas – which in practice means that it will be an ever-present threat to the UK, unless and until a mass vaccine is available for use.
Second, the kind of coercive measures employed by China in Wuhan and Hubei have simply locked the virus behind the closed doors of people’s homes.
And just as soon as the constraints on freedom of movement are lifted there, the monstrous virus will rear its hideous face again.
What are the consequences for the UK of these judgements, which the Prime Minister and Health Secretary are accepting?
We will know the detail later on Thursday, after the Cobra meeting of ministers and experts make the formal decision to move from the phase of containing the virus to delaying the inevitable epidemic.
But we already know that at the heart of their plans are increasing the proportion of the population able to be tested and also what’s known as “social distancing”.
In the first instance, this will mean encouraging anyone showing even the mild symptoms – such as a dry cough – to self-isolate at home.
But what it does not mean, at least yet, is school closures or the banning of mass events like football matches.
There are a few reasons why school closures are not regarded as sensible, not least that children themselves are the least at risk from the virus – although they may well be an important channel of infection-transmission to older people who are at risk.
However, the government’s main argument against closing schools is it would – at a stroke – massively deplete the manpower of hospitals and care homes, because vast numbers of medical staff would be forced to stay home to look after their children.
And at the heart of the UK’s challenge – as confirmed on Wednesday in the Budget with its extra £5 billion for the NHS, as a down payment on the needed extra beds and relevant kit – is how to make sure hospitals have the resources to treat the expected surge in those needing urgent attention.
For what it’s worth, ministers are looking with grim bemusement at the debate in football’s governing bodies about banning the public from stadia.
They fear this fuels alarmism and do not think playing matches behind closed doors is necessary at this stage.


vdare--2020-03-12--Arguably Wrong: Potential American Coronavirus Deaths Range from 5k to 5 Million

From Arguably Wrong , with the “ basic reproduction number ” or R on the horizontal axis and the total number of American deaths on the vertical ( logarithmic ) axis .
Total population 327 million , with a single initiating infection .
12 day course of disease , initial R0 of 3.5 ( as per the stats from China that Steve linked . )
Assume 5 % of cases are critical , 2 % of those critical cases die with ICU care , 5 % with general hospital care , and 50 % with no care .
90,000 available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Run this model through to completion and it sweeps through the population in about a year , infecting most everyone ( less about 9 million who escape ) , killing 5.4 million .
Now , suppose we impose infection controls on day 80 , right about when there ’ s 1000 deaths from this thing .
And then we vary how strong those controls are : from 0.35 ( what the Chinese managed ) up to nothing at all .
Here we see how the # of deaths varies with the strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese-style controls , we get away with only 5K deaths , or 1000-fold fewer than without the controls .
But the inflection point isn ’ t just at 1.0 .
In particular if we can get the R0 below about 1.5 that gets us down under 500K , or a 10-fold reduction .
At 1.0 we get down to about 50K .
… You can see what ’ s happening if you look at the second plot .
The vertical line is when we impose controls , the horizontal lines are ICU bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Right below an R0 of 1.5 , we dip the # of critical cases low enough that we never exceed hospital capacity .
The trick here though is that until you get R0 below 1.0 you ’ re still sweeping through most of the population , just more slowly , slowly enough that the hospitals can handle it .
And that means that , for example , if you get R0 to exactly 1.0 you have to keep those infection controls in place for ~5 years or else you ’ ll be back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But yeah , there are benefits to lowering R0 even if you don ’ t manage to get it below 1 .
… The other thing to keep in mind is that different countries are taking different strategies , one way or another .
If you just give up and let the epidemic roll through , you ’ re losing a ton of people , but the epidemic ’ s over in a year or so , when there ’ s too few susceptible people to sustain it anymore .
If you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese have done ( and Singapore , Taiwan , and Hong Kong ) , you stomp it hard enough that you ’ re done in a year or so as well , with most of that time in the contact tracing regime where you ’ re stomping individual small outbreaks .
If you take the plan of stretching it out as long as possible , you ’ re looking at ~5 years of time to let it sweep through the whole population .
And if , say , China has successfully eradicated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be pissed as hell if you reintroduce it back into their population in year 2 .
Plus 5 years of massive economic disruption is a lot worse than a couple of months followed by a year of outbreak containment .
March 11 , 2020 at 10:35 pm Sure .
Otherwise the same parameters as above ; if you ’ ve got better suggestions , let me know .
With no control measures , it sweeps through more slowly , with less load on the hospital system , so the total deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes 608 days instead of about a year .
Control measures again get implemented when we hit 1000 deaths , but that ’ s now on day 174 instead of 80 , again because of the slower spread .
Getting down to an R0 of ~1.5 again drops us down low enough to avoid overloading the hospital system , dropping deaths down to ~400K .
Getting all the way down to R0=1 drops us to 25K , and the further benefit is roughly logarithmic in the regime around R0=1 , down to 2.5k @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of reduced deaths of additional reduction in spread is highest right above R0=1.5 , and then right above 1.0 .
Total length of the epidemic spikes right around R0=1.0 , and gets shorter drastically as the R0 comes down below that .
Now , if your polity is wise and imposes controls when there ’ s fewer deaths , on day 130 , when you ’ ve only got 30 deaths ( i.e.
, nowish ) , you get better results , but only if you can contain the spread .
Keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much , but 0.35 gets you down to ~80 total deaths , and 0.75 to ~150 .
Even just under 1.0 keeps you under 2.5K deaths .
Sooner is better , especially if you can actually control the disease .
In summary , with a range of possible deaths running from 5,000 to 5,000,000 , what we choose to do matters .

From Arguably Wrong, with the “basic reproduction number” or R 0 on the horizontal axis and the total number of American deaths on the vertical (logarithmic) axis.
Epidemiological modeling
Posted by arguably wrong March 10, 2020 A basic SIR model for the epidemic. Total population 327 million, with a single initiating infection. 12 day course of disease, initial R0 of 3.5 (as per the stats from China that Steve linked.) Assume 5% of cases are critical, 2% of those critical cases die with ICU care, 5% with general hospital care, and 50% with no care. 90,000 available ICU beds and 900,000 available hospital beds. Run this model through to completion and it sweeps through the population in about a year, infecting most everyone (less about 9 million who escape), killing 5.4 million. Now, suppose we impose infection controls on day 80, right about when there’s 1000 deaths from this thing. And then we vary how strong those controls are: from 0.35 (what the Chinese managed) up to nothing at all. Here we see how the # of deaths varies with the strength of our controls. If we impose Chinese-style controls, we get away with only 5K deaths, or 1000-fold fewer than without the controls. But the inflection point isn’t just at 1.0. In particular if we can get the R0 below about 1.5 that gets us down under 500K, or a 10-fold reduction. At 1.0 we get down to about 50K. …
He added on Greg Cochran’s blog:
You can see what’s happening if you look at the second plot. The vertical line is when we impose controls, the horizontal lines are ICU bed capacity and total hospital bed capacity. Right below an R0 of 1.5, we dip the # of critical cases low enough that we never exceed hospital capacity. The trick here though is that until you get R0 below 1.0 you’re still sweeping through most of the population, just more slowly, slowly enough that the hospitals can handle it. And that means that, for example, if you get R0 to exactly 1.0 you have to keep those infection controls in place for ~5 years or else you’ll be back up close to 5million dead again. But yeah, there are benefits to lowering R0 even if you don’t manage to get it below 1. …
The other thing to keep in mind is that different countries are taking different strategies, one way or another. If you just give up and let the epidemic roll through, you’re losing a ton of people, but the epidemic’s over in a year or so, when there’s too few susceptible people to sustain it anymore. If you do real solid infection control the way the Chinese have done (and Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong), you stomp it hard enough that you’re done in a year or so as well, with most of that time in the contact tracing regime where you’re stomping individual small outbreaks. If you take the plan of stretching it out as long as possible, you’re looking at ~5 years of time to let it sweep through the whole population. And if, say, China has successfully eradicated the virus in year 1, they are going to be pissed as hell if you reintroduce it back into their population in year 2. Plus 5 years of massive economic disruption is a lot worse than a couple of months followed by a year of outbreak containment.
A commenter on Greg Cochran’s blog challenged him:
Redo your numbers with a more reasonable R0 of 2.0.
arguably wrong replied:
March 11, 2020 at 10:35 pm
Sure. Otherwise the same parameters as above; if you’ve got better suggestions, let me know. With no control measures, it sweeps through more slowly, with less load on the hospital system, so the total deaths drops to 2.8 million, but it takes 608 days instead of about a year. Control measures again get implemented when we hit 1000 deaths, but that’s now on day 174 instead of 80, again because of the slower spread. Getting down to an R0 of ~1.5 again drops us down low enough to avoid overloading the hospital system, dropping deaths down to ~400K. Getting all the way down to R0=1 drops us to 25K, and the further benefit is roughly logarithmic in the regime around R0=1, down to 2.5k dead at R0=0.35. Marginal benefit in terms of reduced deaths of additional reduction in spread is highest right above R0=1.5, and then right above 1.0. Total length of the epidemic spikes right around R0=1.0, and gets shorter drastically as the R0 comes down below that. Now, if your polity is wise and imposes controls when there’s fewer deaths, on day 130, when you’ve only got 30 deaths (i.e., nowish), you get better results, but only if you can contain the spread. Keeping it above 1.0 doesn’t benefit much, but 0.35 gets you down to ~80 total deaths, and 0.75 to ~150. Even just under 1.0 keeps you under 2.5K deaths. Sooner is better, especially if you can actually control the disease.
In summary, with a range of possible deaths running from 5,000 to 5,000,000, what we choose to do matters.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-03-11--Disloyal Kelly And Mattis Refused To Let Trump Use Troops To Defend Border

Earlier : Israel To Greece : Shoot Muslim “ infiltrators ” …In The Knee .
It Works .
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 is intended to prevent the US Army from being used on Americans .
In the anti-terrorist panic after 9/11 , various people made noises about suspending it .
( One of them was Joe Biden . )
As early as 2006 , when Bush was thinking about putting National Guard , rather than Army troops on the Border , we noted that it 's been repeatedly suggested that using the Army for border control would violate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent the Army from being used on Americans .
( E.g .
Raoul Lowery Contreras , in the middle of an attack on us here : `` It is illegal to put troops on the border . ''
) No , it wouldn't—and it is n't .
Aside from the multiple modern exceptions to the Act , what is at issue here is a matter of guarding the border from foreign invaders .
This is , as we 've said repeatedly , is what armies are for .
It turns out that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intrepid warriors who believed that the Posse Comitatus Act somehow prevents the American Armed Forces from defending the country from invasion : Generals John Kelly , USMC , retired , and James `` Mad Dog '' Mattis , USMC , retired .
Here are some excerpts from the book Border Wars : Inside Trump 's Assault on Immigration , by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Michael D. Shear , emphases added : Well , the Israeli experience has shown that it is allowed , and it works .
The problem here is that Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Posse Comitatus Act applies to the Border , and refused to follow orders .
Then they resigned , gave interviews to the media , posted angry resignation letters , and no doubt talked , anonymously , to the authors of Border Wars , above .
Oh , and one more thing : they insisted that any additional fence or Wall on the Border should be safe for migrants to climb .
See A Reader Wonders Why Trump Is n't Putting Razor Wire On The Fence .
The Answer Is He Tried , But @ @ @

Earlier: Israel To Greece: Shoot Muslim “Infiltrators”…In The Knee. It Works.
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 is intended to prevent the US Army from being used on Americans. In the anti-terrorist panic after 9/11, various people made noises about suspending it. (One of them was Joe Biden.)
As early as 2006, when Bush was thinking about putting National Guard, rather than Army, troops on the Border, we noted that it's been repeatedly suggested that using the Army for border control would violate the Posse Comitatus Act, designed to prevent the Army from being used on Americans. (E.g. Raoul Lowery Contreras, in the middle of an attack on us here: "It is illegal to put troops on the border.") No, it wouldn't—and it isn't.
Aside from the multiple modern exceptions to the Act, what is at issue here is a matter of guarding the border from foreign invaders. This is, as we've said repeatedly, is what armies are for.
It turns out that the Trump Administration contained—until they betrayed him publicly—two intrepid warriors who believed that the Posse Comitatus Act somehow prevents the American Armed Forces from defending the country from invasion: Generals John Kelly, USMC, retired, and James "Mad Dog" Mattis, USMC, retired.
Here are some excerpts from the book Border Wars: Inside Trump's Assault on Immigration, by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Michael D. Shear, emphases added:
Mattis was taken aback, although his dour expression betrayed no emotion. Under a late-nineteenth-century law known as the Posse Comitatus Act, much of the military was barred from performing domestic law enforcement duties, such as policing a border, and the principle had long been seen as sacrosanct.
...Kelly tried to explain the limits of what the troops were allowed to do at the border. They could help fortify it with barbed wire and build tent cities to help ease the crunch on ICE and CBP, which were rapidly running out of space to hold migrants. But military personnel couldn’t actually touch a migrant, either to detain one or to provide any kind of care or service. And they certainly could not use force to push them back, Kelly explained. Trump was not hearing him.
[Trump] talked extensively about the role of the military, and, under questioning by reporters covering his comments, suggested that the troops might use lethal force to confront immigrants at the border. Asked what the American forces would do if migrants threw rocks, Trump answered: “If they want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back,” the president said. “I told them, ‘Consider it a rifle.’?”
Nielsen and her top aides, who were traveling to New York for meetings and had watched Trump’s remarks on Fox News, were horrified. The president had just suggested, in comments carried live on TV, that American soldiers had license to shoot to kill migrants at the border. Once again, they dropped everything to head off a presidentially created crisis. Nielsen frantically asked her staff to find the CBP use of force policy and send it over to the White House immediately. Someone had to show it to Trump and get him to walk back his comments right away, she said. Kevin McAleenan, the CBP chief, called DHS lawyers to discuss the policy. The rules were very clear. They stated that DHS personnel “may use deadly force only when necessary, that is, when the officer/agent has a reasonable belief that the subject of such force poses an imminent danger of serious physical injury or death to the officer/agent or to another person.” If migrants were throwing rocks, it would have to be met with commensurate nonlethal force—not live ammunition from rifles, as the president had suggested.
Trump appeared to get the message, and he backed off publicly from the idea of the military firing on migrants. When reporters asked him about it the next day, he said rock throwers would be arrested, and responded to a question about whether he could promise that the U.S. military wouldn’t shoot at civilians at the border by saying, “Well, I hope they won’t.” But privately, Trump badly wanted to find a way that they could. A few days later, in a meeting with DHS officials, the president brought up the idea again. Listen, I get it, okay? he told them. If someone throws a rock, you can’t shoot to kill. But would it be okay just to injure them? What if we shoot these migrants in the legs? To slow them down? That’s not lethal force, right? Nielsen and her aides were flabbergasted.No, they responded quickly. That’s not allowed either.
Well, the Israeli experience has shown that it is allowed, and it works. The problem here is that Kelly and Mattis believed the idea that the Posse Comitatus Act applies to the Border, and refused to follow orders. Then they resigned, gave interviews to the media, posted angry resignation letters, and no doubt talked, anonymously, to the authors of Border Wars, above.
Oh, and one more thing: they insisted that any additional fence or Wall on the Border should be safe for migrants to climb. See A Reader Wonders Why Trump Isn't Putting Razor Wire On The Fence. The Answer Is He Tried, But Subordinates Refused.


vdare--2020-03-11--LAUSD Crisis Shows Coronavirus A "Katrina Moment" For The Entire United States

I ’ ve often wondered to myself : would the United States of America survive a Great Depression-style event with our increasingly Third World demographics ?
You see pictures of breadlines from the Great Depression , and even those destitute and downtrodden are dressed in three-piece suits as they await their meager rations .
But America was still America then , boasting a population nearly 90 percent white .
With the World Health Organization ( WHO ) declaring the coronavirus a global pandemic , a general panic is beginning to set in across America .
One story from the Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new , Third-World underclass population is on the state ; not just its existence , but the orderly and steady meals it provides for the children of this burgeoning population .
When reading it , you get the impression this new America lacks the fortitude the Historic America Nation had when facing the nationwide crisis : The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday declared a state of emergency , giving Supt .
Austin Beutner the authority to take actions needed to close schools if necessary in response to the coronavirus outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would allow Beutner to act quickly as the need arises in the nation ’ s second-largest school district .
As of Tuesday night , there were no plans to close schools and no individual diagnosed with COVID-19 had a connection to an L.A. Unified school , according to the district .
“ What we ’ re asking for is emergency authority , ” Beutner told the Board of Education before their unanimous vote .
“ That does not necessarily mean that there will be emergency action today , tomorrow or a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take all appropriate action as the facts and circumstances could change quickly.
” What does an emergency declaration mean ?
The declaration gives Beutner the authority to relocate students and staff , revise student transportation arrangements and approve alternative educational options .
It also gives him authority to provide paid leaves of absence for employees due to quarantine or illness , assign staff to serve as disaster-service workers , and order necessary alterations , repairs or improvements to district property .
The declaration also allows Beutner to pay for these measures without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. Unified is responsible for the education and safety of more than half a million district and charter-school students .
If adult education and early education numbers are included , that total rises to more than 670,000 .
There also are about 78,000 full- and part-time workers .
How about the hardships faced by families and employees ?
Officials in L.A. Unified and other school districts throughout the state understand the hardship that school closures would bring to families , especially in a district such as L.A. Unified , where about four in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household , and where both parents work and have limited childcare options .
“ We know that those who will be hardest hit in a situation like this are the most vulnerable , whom we serve in a large percentage in our schools , ” said school board member Kelly Gonez in an interview .
The campus frequently becomes a locus for medical services and family counseling .
And some families also depend on L.A. Unified for food — about 17,000 students are homeless .
“ We have a very large number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dinner at school , ” said school board member Jackie Goldberg .
“ I don ’ t think we have an answer for that yet .
... Are there ways to distribute food that don ’ t include passing the virus along with it ?
” The federal government has loosened rules to allow students to be fed outside of normal school operations , if a school is closed due to coronavirus .
And California Gov .
Gavin Newsom also has indicated he will support this goal .
Locations that serve students food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service and the Seamless Summer Option can also be approved “ to provide meals during unanticipated school closures ” at schools and elsewhere , said Margo Minecki , a spokeswoman for the L.A. County Office of Education .
In L.A. County , sites approved for summer meal service include campuses , city parks , churches and local nonprofit centers .
To avoid the gathering of groups , families could pick up meals and take them home .
More than two-thirds of L.A. County public school students qualify for free or reduced-price meals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district ’ s Reilly said employees still would be paid if schools are closed , and that no one should worry about facing repercussions for staying home when they are sick .
“ If you are sick we are being very liberal ” in allowing for sick time , she said .
[ L.A. school district declares state of emergency to prepare for coronavirus response , by Howard Blume , March 10 , 2020 ] In 1930 , Los Angeles was 95 percent white .
Today , the city is 28 percent white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic , with 20 percent of those 607.723 students designated English Learners .
Read this sentence again : “ We have a very large number of students who eat breakfast , lunch and dinner at school , ” said school board member Jackie Goldberg .
“ I don ’ t think we have an answer for that yet .
... Are there ways to distribute food that don ’ t include passing the virus along with it ?
” We have no idea how our fellow countrymen will react to the coronavirus scare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the stock markets showing massive sell-offs of equities and a lack of faith in the current economic climate .
But what we do know is large population centers are no longer even populated with Americans , but with third world immigrants and their children whose primary reason for being in our nation is to enjoy breakfast , lunch , and dinner on the taxpayer dime .
May this be the first time you encounter the concept of the coronavirus pandemic in the USA being “ America ’ s Katrina Moment , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Historic American Nation realize just how alien our country has become .
Fitting it all happens just a month before the 25th anniversary of the publication of Peter Brimelow ’ s Alien Nation .

I’ve often wondered to myself: would the United States of America survive a Great Depression-style event with our increasingly Third World demographics? You see pictures of breadlines from the Great Depression, and even those destitute and downtrodden are dressed in three-piece suits as they await their meager rations.
But America was still America then, boasting a population nearly 90 percent white.
With the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the coronavirus a global pandemic, a general panic is beginning to set in across America.
One story from the Los Angeles Times helps underscore how reliant our new, Third-World underclass population is on the state; not just its existence, but the orderly and steady meals it provides for the children of this burgeoning population.
When reading it, you get the impression this new America lacks the fortitude the Historic America Nation had when facing the nationwide crisis:
The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday declared a state of emergency, giving Supt. Austin Beutner the authority to take actions needed to close schools if necessary in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The action is seen as a precaution that would allow Beutner to act quickly as the need arises in the nation’s second-largest school district. As of Tuesday night, there were no plans to close schools and no individual diagnosed with COVID-19 had a connection to an L.A. Unified school, according to the district. “What we’re asking for is emergency authority,” Beutner told the Board of Education before their unanimous vote. “That does not necessarily mean that there will be emergency action today, tomorrow or a week from now. This will allow us to take all appropriate action as the facts and circumstances could change quickly.” What does an emergency declaration mean? The declaration gives Beutner the authority to relocate students and staff, revise student transportation arrangements and approve alternative educational options. It also gives him authority to provide paid leaves of absence for employees due to quarantine or illness, assign staff to serve as disaster-service workers, and order necessary alterations, repairs or improvements to district property. The declaration also allows Beutner to pay for these measures without going through the usual contracting process. L.A. Unified is responsible for the education and safety of more than half a million district and charter-school students. If adult education and early education numbers are included, that total rises to more than 670,000. There also are about 78,000 full- and part-time workers. How about the hardships faced by families and employees? Officials in L.A. Unified and other school districts throughout the state understand the hardship that school closures would bring to families, especially in a district such as L.A. Unified, where about four in five students are members of a low-income household, and where both parents work and have limited childcare options. “We know that those who will be hardest hit in a situation like this are the most vulnerable, whom we serve in a large percentage in our schools,” said school board member Kelly Gonez in an interview. The campus frequently becomes a locus for medical services and family counseling. And some families also depend on L.A. Unified for food — about 17,000 students are homeless. “We have a very large number of students who eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at school,” said school board member Jackie Goldberg. “I don’t think we have an answer for that yet. ... Are there ways to distribute food that don’t include passing the virus along with it?” The federal government has loosened rules to allow students to be fed outside of normal school operations, if a school is closed due to coronavirus. And California Gov. Gavin Newsom also has indicated he will support this goal. Locations that serve students food in the summer through the Summer Food Service and the Seamless Summer Option can also be approved “to provide meals during unanticipated school closures” at schools and elsewhere, said Margo Minecki, a spokeswoman for the L.A. County Office of Education. In L.A. County, sites approved for summer meal service include campuses, city parks, churches and local nonprofit centers. To avoid the gathering of groups, families could pick up meals and take them home. More than two-thirds of L.A. County public school students qualify for free or reduced-price meals and about 80% in LAUSD. The district’s Reilly said employees still would be paid if schools are closed, and that no one should worry about facing repercussions for staying home when they are sick. “If you are sick we are being very liberal” in allowing for sick time, she said. [L.A. school district declares state of emergency to prepare for coronavirus response, by Howard Blume, March 10, 2020]
In 1930, Los Angeles was 95 percent white. Today, the city is 28 percent white. The school system is 78 percent Hispanic, with 20 percent of those 607.723 students designated English Learners.
Read this sentence again: “We have a very large number of students who eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at school,” said school board member Jackie Goldberg. “I don’t think we have an answer for that yet. ... Are there ways to distribute food that don’t include passing the virus along with it?”
We have no idea how our fellow countrymen will react to the coronavirus scare, though we are seeing gut-wrenching volatility in the stock markets showing massive sell-offs of equities and a lack of faith in the current economic climate.
But what we do know is large population centers are no longer even populated with Americans, but with third world immigrants and their children whose primary reason for being in our nation is to enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the taxpayer dime.
May this be the first time you encounter the concept of the coronavirus pandemic in the USA being “America’s Katrina Moment,” when more and more descendants of the Historic American Nation realize just how alien our country has become.
Fitting it all happens just a month before the 25th anniversary of the publication of Peter Brimelow’s Alien Nation.


vdare--2020-03-11--Ann Coulter: How To Talk To Your Children About Elizabeth Warren

Earlier , by Audacious Epigone : Liberal Ladies Are The Real Misogynists—They Sure Did n't Vote For Elizabeth Warren !
Some people see Elizabeth Warren ’ s poor showing on Super Tuesday as just another Democratic hopeful losing her bid .
I see something darker .
I see the ugly heart that beats beneath our supposed “ democracy.
” Frankly , I ’ m afraid .
Warren ’ s exit from the race is Brett Kavanaugh ’ s sneering grimace as he attempted to rape and murder Christine Blasey Ford [ editor 's note : allegedly ] ; it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fascist 14-year-old anti-choice fanatics from Covington , Kentucky ; it is our president constantly raping every woman in sight .
To my children , I say , you will be OK .
I won ’ t sugarcoat it—this is truly horrible .
But once we have recovered from this devastating blow , life will go on .
You will put one foot in front of the other and ... OH !
IS LIFE EVEN WORTH LIVING ANYMORE ?
?
?
I know all women across America agree with me .
After Warren dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Donnell [ Tweet him ] ran “ Portraits of Grief ” on his nightly show , featuring some of the victims of her failed bid .
Rachel Maddow raced to Massachusetts for an exclusive interview with the heroine herself .
And the New York Times published a piece by Sarah Smarsh [ Tweet her ] titled , “ I Am Burning With Fury and Grief Over Elizabeth Warren .
And I Am Not Alone.
” Let me remind you , the Times is the “ Newspaper of Record.
” Some say Smarsh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexist stereotypes—emotional , childlike , devoid of logic .
I say she has proved beyond cavil that Warren ’ s defeat is an American holocaust .
FACT : “ When Hillary Clinton lost in 2016 , it hurt in similar ways ... [ t ] his election , though , I thought Senator Elizabeth Warren ... might go to the White House.
” FACT : “ [ M ] y father and maternal grandmother were talking politics at my kitchen table in Kansas .
‘ This is the best chance that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , ’ said my dad ... ‘ Now .
It ’ s now.
’ ” FACT : “ [ Warren ] placed fourth in the Nevada caucuses—in spite of thoroughly winning a Las Vegas candidates debate ... ” You wonder whether there is a crisis of sexism in America ?
There you have it , in black and white .
Nevertheless , Smarsh persisted !
Although I think her argument was already water-tight , she also went to the beach and read a novel .
And guess what she read ?
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Colonial Massachusetts !
In truth , I don ’ t believe any of this .
I think Smarsh ’ s ramblings could have been written by a 7-year-old .
Her op-ed does , however , illustrate three points : When I was a kid , you got a trophy for winning .
Now you get a trophy for showing up .
The Participation Trophy phenomenon always struck many of us as wrong and aesthetically displeasing .
We wondered what would become of children raised in an “ Everybody Gets an ‘ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ op-ed is the answer .
Entire generations of birdbrains expect a trophy when their candidate runs .
2 ) The mistake we make as a society in sanctifying tantrums .
Whether it ’ s a Yale co-ed screaming in the face of a faculty member , hurling insults at him over Halloween costumes , or antifa thugs running around in masks smashing things because a conservative speaker is in the vicinity , the lesson to generations of young people has been : Stamping your feet and throwing things will NOT be a wasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confusing Brian Williams and Mara Gay , here are some interesting numbers : At least 60 % of Democratic votes come from women , according to estimates by Pew and CNN .
( This figure isn ’ t widely advertised : Democrats don ’ t want people to realize that they are a party of women . )
She was also resoundingly nixed by African Americans and Hispanics .
Even her bete noire , Michael Bloomberg , beat Warren among black and Hispanic voters .
Mystified by empirical evidence , liberal women think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After all , it ’ s about THEM !
How do I know Trump is a monster ?
I ’ ve gained 20 pounds since his election !
Their op-eds should begin , “ Dear Diary.
” In lieu of facts , they fill up their columns with pabulum .
Smarsh heard two drunks screaming at the kitchen table—as she put it , `` alcohol was involved '' —and rushed to hit the “ record ” button .
This is gold !
If liberal women could ever learn to formulate an actual argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevertheless , she persisted , ” they might be able to proclaim , “ Nevertheless , she prevailed.
” Ann Coulter is the author of THIRTEEN New York Times bestsellers—collect them here .
Her book , ¡Adios America !
The Left ’ s Plan To Turn Our Country Into A Third World Hell Hole , was released on June 1 , 2015 .
Her latest book , Resistance Is Futile !
: How the Trump-Hating Left Lost Its Collective Mind , was released on August 21 , 2018 .

Earlier, by Audacious Epigone: Liberal Ladies Are The Real Misogynists—They Sure Didn't Vote For Elizabeth Warren!
Some people see Elizabeth Warren’s poor showing on Super Tuesday as just another Democratic hopeful losing her bid.
I see something darker. I see the ugly heart that beats beneath our supposed “democracy.” Frankly, I’m afraid.
Warren’s exit from the race is Brett Kavanaugh’s sneering grimace as he attempted to rape and murder Christine Blasey Ford [editor's note: allegedly]; it is the smirks on the faces of those fascist 14-year-old anti-choice fanatics from Covington, Kentucky; it is our president constantly raping every woman in sight.
To my children, I say, you will be OK. I won’t sugarcoat it—this is truly horrible. But once we have recovered from this devastating blow, life will go on. You will put one foot in front of the other and ...
OH! IS LIFE EVEN WORTH LIVING ANYMORE???
I know all women across America agree with me. After Warren dropped out, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell [Tweet him] ran “Portraits of Grief” on his nightly show, featuring some of the victims of her failed bid. Rachel Maddow raced to Massachusetts for an exclusive interview with the heroine herself.
And the New York Times published a piece by Sarah Smarsh [Tweet her] titled, “I Am Burning With Fury and Grief Over Elizabeth Warren. And I Am Not Alone.”
Let me remind you, the Times is the “Newspaper of Record.”
Some say Smarsh’s op-ed reads like a parody of sexist stereotypes—emotional, childlike, devoid of logic. I say she has proved beyond cavil that Warren’s defeat is an American holocaust.
Her evidence:
FACT: “When Hillary Clinton lost in 2016, it hurt in similar ways ... [t]his election, though, I thought Senator Elizabeth Warren ... might go to the White House.”
Q.E.D.
FACT: “[M]y father and maternal grandmother were talking politics at my kitchen table in Kansas. ‘This is the best chance that a woman has ever had to become the president,’ said my dad ... ‘Now. It’s now.’”
This isn’t anecdotal. Marsh taped the conversation.
FACT: “[Warren] placed fourth in the Nevada caucuses—in spite of thoroughly winning a Las Vegas candidates debate ...”
It’s called “science”!
You wonder whether there is a crisis of sexism in America? There you have it, in black and white.
Nevertheless, Smarsh persisted! Although I think her argument was already water-tight, she also went to the beach and read a novel. And guess what she read? A fictional account of the oppression of women in Colonial Massachusetts!
(We can disregard the near-contemporaneous observations of Alexis de Tocqueville: He was a man. Of course, that’s what he’d say.)
In truth, I don’t believe any of this. I think Smarsh’s ramblings could have been written by a 7-year-old.
Her op-ed does, however, illustrate three points:
1) The perniciousness of participation trophies.
When I was a kid, you got a trophy for winning. Now you get a trophy for showing up. The Participation Trophy phenomenon always struck many of us as wrong and aesthetically displeasing. We wondered what would become of children raised in an “Everybody Gets an ‘A’” culture.
Smarsh’s op-ed is the answer. Entire generations of birdbrains expect a trophy when their candidate runs.
2) The mistake we make as a society in sanctifying tantrums.
Whether it’s a Yale co-ed screaming in the face of a faculty member, hurling insults at him over Halloween costumes, or antifa thugs running around in masks smashing things because a conservative speaker is in the vicinity, the lesson to generations of young people has been: Stamping your feet and throwing things will NOT be a wasted effort.
3) Numbers and statistics aren’t liberals’ thing; personal narrative is.
At the risk of hopelessly confusing Brian Williams and Mara Gay, here are some interesting numbers: At least 60% of Democratic votes come from women, according to estimates by Pew and CNN. (This figure isn’t widely advertised: Democrats don’t want people to realize that they are a party of women.)
Warren was rejected by liberal women.
She was also resoundingly nixed by African Americans and Hispanics. Even her bete noire, Michael Bloomberg, beat Warren among black and Hispanic voters.
(Of course, Bloomberg’s shellacking of Warren at the polls must be balanced against Smarsh’s conclusion about Warren “thoroughly winning” the debate where she bashed Bloomberg.)
Mystified by empirical evidence, liberal women think their personal narratives make fascinating reading. After all, it’s about THEM! How do I know Trump is a monster? I’ve gained 20 pounds since his election! Their op-eds should begin, “Dear Diary.”
In lieu of facts, they fill up their columns with pabulum. Smarsh heard two drunks screaming at the kitchen table—as she put it, "alcohol was involved"—and rushed to hit the “record” button. This is gold!
If liberal women could ever learn to formulate an actual argument, someday, instead of boasting “Nevertheless, she persisted,” they might be able to proclaim, “Nevertheless, she prevailed.”
COPYRIGHT 2020 ANN COULTER
DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION
Ann Coulter is the author of THIRTEEN New York Times bestsellers—collect them here.
Her book, ¡Adios America! The Left’s Plan To Turn Our Country Into A Third World Hell Hole, was released on June 1, 2015.
Her latest book, Resistance Is Futile!: How the Trump-Hating Left Lost Its Collective Mind, was released on August 21, 2018.


vdare--2020-03-11--Radio Derb Transcript Up For March 6: Super Joesday, Media Innumeracy, Our Lawless Society And A New

Radio Derb Transcript Up For March 6: Super Joesday, Media Innumeracy, Our Lawless Society And A New Camp Of The Saints, Etc.

The Radio Derb transcript is up for March 6 .
Go here to read or listen .
29m33s The best @ @ @ @ @ .
( Once it was Limerick . )
34m14s A new Camp of the Saints @ @ @ @ @ a spine ? )
40m37s Physics news .
( Say it with care . )

The Radio Derb transcript is up for March 6. Go here to read or listen.
Playlist:
00m56s Super Tuesday, befores and afters. (Perez makes some calls.)
09m49s Media innumeracy. (Journos can't count.)
13m29s Trump is toast. (Correlation of forces.)
22m01s Our lawless society. (Who-whom law enforcement.)
29m33s The best place to be a defendant. (Once it was Limerick.)
32m26s Virus news. (New Yorkers don't care.)
34m14s A new Camp of the Saints. (Will Europe grow a spine?)
36m47s Jeering at Jeff. (Trump's mean side.)
38m54s Freeman Dyson RIP. (Generous with his pictures.)
40m37s Physics news. (Say it with care.)
41m22s Signoff. (For Basil.)


vdare--2020-03-11--James Kirkpatrick's CONSERVATISM, INC Now Available As Audiobook

Earlier : VDARE.com ’ s James Kirkpatrick , Conservatism Inc. And The Holocaust Of The Alt Right , by Peter @ @ @ @ @ 's book Conservatism Inc. : The Battle for the American Right can be bought as @ @ @ @ @ as a Kindle book here , and is now available as an audiobook here .
@ @ @ @ @ ?

Earlier: VDARE.com’s James Kirkpatrick, Conservatism Inc. And The Holocaust Of The Alt Right, by Peter Brimelow
VDARE.com writer James Kirkpatrick's book Conservatism Inc.: The Battle for the American Right can be bought as a real book here, as a Kindle book here, and is now available as an audiobook here.
What is Conservatism, Inc?


vdare--2020-03-11--John Derbyshire: Trump Shivs Sessions. He Musn't Want My Vote.

President Trump has endorsed open-borders , cheap-foreign-labor shill Tommy Tuberville in the March 31st runoff primary against Jeff Sessions .
From Last week 's Radio Derb ( at 36m44s here ) : One of the biggest black marks against Donald Trump has been his despicable treatment of Jeff Sessions .
You can dispute the rights and wrongs of Sessions recusing himself from the Russia probe , although you ca n't say anything worse than that he was over-punctilious .
He surely was n't treacherous or duplicitous .
What you ca n't dispute is that Trump has been conducting a low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of his earliest and most loyal supporters .
This week Trump spat another gob of acid in Jeff Sessions ' direction , gloating after Sessions came close second in Tuesday 's primary for his old Alabama senate seat .
Open-borders RINO Tommy Tuberville came first with 32 percent of the vote ; Sessions got 31 percent .
There 'll be a runoff between the two of them March 31st .
Surveying our President 's life , career , and character the words `` wisdom '' and `` courage '' are not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I 'll vote for Trump ; but nothing can make me like him .
Come to think of it : If he endorses Tuberville , I 'm not sure I could bring myself to vote for him .

President Trump has endorsed open-borders, cheap-foreign-labor shill Tommy Tuberville in the March 31st runoff primary against Jeff Sessions.
From Last week's Radio Derb (at 36m44s here):
One of the biggest black marks against Donald Trump has been his despicable treatment of Jeff Sessions.
You can dispute the rights and wrongs of Sessions recusing himself from the Russia probe, although you can't say anything worse than that he was over-punctilious. He surely wasn't treacherous or duplicitous.
What you can't dispute is that Trump has been conducting a low, mean, spiteful personal vendetta against one of his earliest and most loyal supporters.
This week Trump spat another gob of acid in Jeff Sessions' direction, gloating after Sessions came close second in Tuesday's primary for his old Alabama senate seat. Open-borders RINO Tommy Tuberville came first with 32 percent of the vote; Sessions got 31 percent. There'll be a runoff between the two of them March 31st.
Tweeted Trump, tweet:
This is what happens to someone who loyally gets appointed Attorney General of the United States and then doesn't have the wisdom or courage to stare down & end the phony Russia Witch Hunt.
End tweet.
Surveying our President's life, career, and character the words "wisdom" and "courage" are not the first that come to mind.
Yes, I'll vote for Trump; but nothing can make me like him.
Come to think of it: If he endorses Tuberville, I'm not sure I could bring myself to vote for him.


vdare--2020-03-11--This Day In VDARE.com History, 2017: SCOTUS Leftists Rule Child Molestation Less Important Than The

This Day In VDARE.com History, 2017: SCOTUS Leftists Rule Child Molestation Less Important Than The Depravity Of Whiteness

[ Adapted from the latest Radio Derb , now available exclusively on VDARE.com . ]
Inevitably , a federal judge ( William M. Conley , nominated by Obama ) is trying to block President Trump ’ s revised travel ban [ Judge : Revised Trump ban can not be enforced on Syrian family , by Todd Richmond , AP , March 11 2017 ] .
This is just the next shot in what is obviously going to be a long war , not just over whether judges get to decide immigration policy but over the overall role in a democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A little-noticed U.S. Supreme Court decision last week shows just how arrogant , and lawless and Cultural Marxist , our Leftist Kritarchs have become .
First , some perspective : St. John 's College in Santa Fe , New Mexico , a private liberal arts college , has launched a study group , advertised in a campus-wide email thusly : Well , this SCOTUS story manages to contain elements of both `` the depravity of whiteness '' and `` the brutality of masculinity . ''
The Brutality Of Masculinity showed itself in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entered the ladies ' rest-room of a horse-racing track in Colorado .
This , I should make clear , was back in the dark days of ten years ago , before we entered the present enlightened age in which it is perfectly fine for men to use women 's restrooms—in which , indeed , it would be a scandalous violation of a man 's civil rights to try to stop him doing so .
Well , there were three girls in the restroom , ages 14 , 15 , and 16 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The man then imposed himself on the other two , trying to stroke and fondle them .
They fled and the police were notified .
In due course Miguel Angel Peña-Rodriguez , a worker at the racetrack , was identified by the girls as the man they had fled from .
Peña-Rodriguez was tried at jury trial , where he produced a witness , also Hispanic , who provided an alibi for him .
The jury did n't believe the witness , so Mr. Peña-Rodriguez was found guilty on three misdemeanor assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probation , and registered as a sex offender .
So far , so small-potatoes police-blotter stuff .
However , Mr. Peña-Rodriguez hung around after the jurors had been dismissed and chatted with them .
He heard that one juror , formerly a law-enforcement officer , had opined in the jury room that from his experience , Mexican men believed they could do whatever they wanted with women , that they were chronically aggressive toward women and young girls , and that the alibi witness was an illegal alien and therefore not credible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Colorado , along with other states , has a rule that what happens in the jury room stays in the jury room ; that there ca n't be endless after-the-verdict second-guessing about what went on in jury deliberations , or else the courts would do little else .
Rules of this kind are called `` no-impeachment rules . ''
The word `` impeachment '' there has the meaning `` calling into question a jury 's decision based on testimony about what was said in the jury room . ''
Mr. Peña-Rodriguez argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to an impartial jury as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment .
The Colorado Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court slapped him down .
But he pressed on .
At last the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case , and Monday this week they handed down their judgment .
Here it is , actual quote : I know , this sounds like a lot of jurisprudential inside baseball .
But look at what SCOTUS did there .
Translation into plain English : Let ’ s put aside the Hate Fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America !
, Mexicans are in fact peculiarly prone to molesting underage girls .
And I 'm even leaving aside the fact that the alleged statements by the juror in this case referred to Mexicans and illegal aliens , neither of which is a race .
Are n't legal minds supposed to use words with fine , scholarly precision ?
I guess I 'm just showing my white privilege there .
This was a 5-3 decision , with Justices Alito , Roberts , and Thomas all dissenting .
[ Jury Secrecy Does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rule , by Adam Liptak , NYT , March 6 , 2017 ] .
Justice Alito thought a bad precedent had been set , a watertight seal broken .
He was actually quite apocalyptic about it , in his soft-spoken style : `` It is questionable whether our system of trial by jury can endure this attempt to perfect it . ''
I would love to have heard the late Antonin Scalia 's opinion .
The Court majority were blithe about the consequences .
`` Not every offhand comment indicating racial bias or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurors ' deliberations , Justice Kennedy wrote cheerfully in the majority decision .
The court 's Wise Latina stuck to the General Casey principle .
Nothing , nothing , not even the destruction of the jury system , could be worse than holding negative opinions about Mexicans and illegals , said Justice Sotomayor : `` There may be cases of juror bias so extreme that , almost by definition , the jury trial right has been abridged . ''
So there you are .
Racial bias is the worst thing ever in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suppressing the Depravity Of Whiteness justifies anything , anything—up to and including the destruction of Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence .
The U.S. Supreme Court says so .
And it ’ s the Voice Of God .
John Derbyshire [ email him ] writes an incredible amount on all sorts of subjects for all kinds of outlets .
( This no longer includes National Review , whose editors had some kind of tantrum and fired him . )
He is the author of We Are Doomed : Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism and several other books .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by VDARE.com : FROM THE DISSIDENT RIGHT ( also available in Kindle ) and From the Dissident Right II : Essays 2013 .
His writings are archived at JohnDerbyshire.com .

[Adapted from the latest Radio Derb, now available exclusively on VDARE.com.]
Inevitably, a federal judge (William M. Conley, nominated by Obama) is trying to block President Trump’s revised travel ban [Judge: Revised Trump ban cannot be enforced on Syrian family, by Todd Richmond, AP, March 11 2017]. This is just the next shot in what is obviously going to be a long war, not just over whether judges get to decide immigration policy but over the overall role in a democracy of our increasingly arrogant imperial judiciary. A little-noticed U.S. Supreme Court decision last week shows just how arrogant, and lawless and Cultural Marxist, our Leftist Kritarchs have become.
First, some perspective: St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a private liberal arts college, has launched a study group, advertised in a campus-wide email thusly:
This is a group where those who most often exhibit racist and sexist behavior — white males — can begin to be self-critical of the very dangerous, brutal, and depraved hierarchical pathologies of superiority, supremacy, and inferiority handed down to us by white Euro-American institutions … The main topic for discussion will be an ongoing one: How do we deal with the depravity of whiteness and the brutality of masculinity? How can we get to the root of this problem? Student ‘study group’ to address ‘depravity of whiteness,’ by Anthony Gockowski, CampusReform.com, March 2, 2017
Well, this SCOTUS story manages to contain elements of both "the depravity of whiteness" and "the brutality of masculinity."
The Brutality Of Masculinity showed itself in May of 2007 when a Hispanic male person entered the ladies' rest-room of a horse-racing track in Colorado. This, I should make clear, was back in the dark days of ten years ago, before we entered the present enlightened age in which it is perfectly fine for men to use women's restrooms—in which, indeed, it would be a scandalous violation of a man's civil rights to try to stop him doing so.
Well, there were three girls in the restroom, ages 14, 15, and 16. The 15-year-old left when the man came in. The man then imposed himself on the other two, trying to stroke and fondle them. They fled and the police were notified.
In due course Miguel Angel Peña-Rodriguez, a worker at the racetrack, was identified by the girls as the man they had fled from. Peña-Rodriguez was tried at jury trial, where he produced a witness, also Hispanic, who provided an alibi for him. The jury didn't believe the witness, so Mr. Peña-Rodriguez was found guilty on three misdemeanor assault charges, sentenced to two years’ probation, and registered as a sex offender.
So far, so small-potatoes police-blotter stuff.
However, Mr. Peña-Rodriguez hung around after the jurors had been dismissed and chatted with them. He heard that one juror, formerly a law-enforcement officer, had opined in the jury room that from his experience, Mexican men believed they could do whatever they wanted with women, that they were chronically aggressive toward women and young girls, and that the alibi witness was an illegal alien and therefore not credible.
That started off a chain of appeals. Colorado, along with other states, has a rule that what happens in the jury room stays in the jury room; that there can't be endless after-the-verdict second-guessing about what went on in jury deliberations, or else the courts would do little else. Rules of this kind are called "no-impeachment rules." The word "impeachment" there has the meaning "calling into question a jury's decision based on testimony about what was said in the jury room."
Mr. Peña-Rodriguez argued that this Colorado rule had violated his right to an impartial jury as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment.
The Colorado Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court slapped him down. But he pressed on. At last the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case, and Monday this week they handed down their judgment. Here it is, actual quote:
When a juror makes a clear statement indicating that he or she relied on racial stereotypes or animus to convict a criminal defendant, the Sixth Amendment requires that the no-impeachment rule give way in order to permit the trial court to consider the evidence of the juror's statement and any resulting denial of the jury trial guarantee.[Pena-Rodriguez v. Colorado]
I know, this sounds like a lot of jurisprudential inside baseball. But look at what SCOTUS did there. Translation into plain English:
"Sure, the no-impeachment rule is essential to prevent the legal process gumming up with endless second-guessing of jury decisions based on what one juror thought he heard another juror say in the jury room. But essential as the rule may be, rooting out racial bias is more important!"
The Court has declared:
"As horrific as it would be for the courts to seize up under a flood of cases second-guessing jury decisions, if our diversity becomes a casualty, that would be worse."
Let’s put aside the Hate Fact that, as Ann Coulter demonstrated in Adios America!, Mexicans are in fact peculiarly prone to molesting underage girls.
And I'm even leaving aside the fact that the alleged statements by the juror in this case referred to Mexicans and illegal aliens, neither of which is a race. Aren't legal minds supposed to use words with fine, scholarly precision?
I guess I'm just showing my white privilege there.
This was a 5-3 decision, with Justices Alito, Roberts, and Thomas all dissenting. [Jury Secrecy Doesn't Apply if Bias Taints Deliberations, Justices Rule , by Adam Liptak, NYT, March 6, 2017]. Justice Alito thought a bad precedent had been set, a watertight seal broken. He was actually quite apocalyptic about it, in his soft-spoken style: "It is questionable whether our system of trial by jury can endure this attempt to perfect it."
I would love to have heard the late Antonin Scalia's opinion.
The Court majority were blithe about the consequences. "Not every offhand comment indicating racial bias or hostility will justify" an investigation into jurors' deliberations, Justice Kennedy wrote cheerfully in the majority decision.
You wanna bet?
The court's Wise Latina stuck to the General Casey principle. Nothing, nothing, not even the destruction of the jury system, could be worse than holding negative opinions about Mexicans and illegals, said Justice Sotomayor: "There may be cases of juror bias so extreme that, almost by definition, the jury trial right has been abridged."
So there you are. Racial bias is the worst thing ever in the history of the world. Exposing it and suppressing the Depravity Of Whiteness justifies anything, anything—up to and including the destruction of Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence.
The U.S. Supreme Court says so. And it’s the Voice Of God.
Isn’t it?
John Derbyshire [email him] writes an incredible amount on all sorts of subjects for all kinds of outlets. (This no longer includes National Review, whose editors had some kind of tantrum and fired him. ) He is the author of We Are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism and several other books. He’s had two books published by VDARE.com: FROM THE DISSIDENT RIGHT (also available in Kindle) and From the Dissident Right II: Essays 2013. His writings are archived at JohnDerbyshire.com.


vdare--2020-03-11--The Real Joe Biden: The Car Dealer's Son

Basically , Joe is the car dealer ’ s son , the cocky but friendly high school football star ( wide receiver ) with the cool car .
An interesting thing about Biden is that he ’ s had enough work done that later in life he got back to some the golden boy good looks he had in high school .
But in-between he had lost his looks in the late 1960s when the culture switched to long hair just when he was losing his .
Biden ’ s class background is complicated , but not unique .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend ’ s , who grew up middle class and only discovered later that his salesman father had been chauffeured to grade school in a limousine during the 1920s .
Biden ’ s father likewise grew up rich , but went off and on through ups and downs : Joe Sr. had it all in his 20s , sailing yachts off the New England coast , riding to the hounds , driving fast cars , flying airplanes .
A decade later , he found himself with a wife and four children living in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treeless suburb of Wilmington , selling used cars .
His children saw hints of his former life in his wardrobe  he was always impeccably dressed with a perfect pocket square  and in the back of his closet , where he kept his riding pinks , his polished boots and his polo mallet .
But eventually Joe Sr. got really good at selling cars and could afford to buy his blue-eyed boy nice things like this 1967 wedding gift , a Corvette with its 435 horsepower 427 cubic inch ( 7.0 liter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through enough constrained family budgets as a child that his self-image as middle class has never much changed .
So Trump and Biden are basically salesmen from that part of the 1960s before The Sixties arrived in the late 1960s , with Trump pretending to be more high class than he is and Biden pretending to be not quite as high class .

Basically, Joe is the car dealer’s son, the cocky but friendly high school football star (wide receiver) with the cool car.
An interesting thing about Biden is that he’s had enough work done that later in life he got back to some the golden boy good looks he had in high school.
But in-between he had lost his looks in the late 1960s when the culture switched to long hair just when he was losing his.
Biden: “My dad didn’t have a lot of money, but he ran the largest Chevrolet dealership in the state.”
Biden’s class background is complicated, but not unique.
It’s pretty similar to my best friend’s, who grew up middle class and only discovered later that his salesman father had been chauffeured to grade school in a limousine during the 1920s.
Biden’s father likewise grew up rich, but went off and on through ups and downs:
Father’s Tough Life an Inspiration for Biden
By John M. Broder
Oct. 23, 2008 Joe Sr. had it all in his 20s, sailing yachts off the New England coast, riding to the hounds, driving fast cars, flying airplanes. A decade later, he found himself with a wife and four children living in a two-bedroom apartment in a dreary, treeless suburb of Wilmington, selling used cars. His children saw hints of his former life in his wardrobe  he was always impeccably dressed with a perfect pocket square  and in the back of his closet, where he kept his riding pinks, his polished boots and his polo mallet.
But eventually Joe Sr. got really good at selling cars and could afford to buy his blue-eyed boy nice things like this 1967 wedding gift, a Corvette with its 435 horsepower 427 cubic inch (7.0 liter) engine.
But Joe Jr. went through enough constrained family budgets as a child that his self-image as middle class has never much changed.
So Trump and Biden are basically salesmen from that part of the 1960s before The Sixties arrived in the late 1960s, with Trump pretending to be more high class than he is and Biden pretending to be not quite as high class.


vdare--2020-03-11--Rasmussen Poll Reports Republican Suspicion About Whether Coronavirus Is A Media Concoction

A March 5 posting on the Rasmussen Reports website headlined 60 % of Republicans See Coronavirus Scare As Tool to Get Trump .
It seems there is a belief on the right that “ the media and some politicians are playing up the threat of coronavirus to hurt President Trump.
” Wherever would these citizens get such an idea ?
Perhaps they have seen Dr. Drew Pinsky on TV pointing out the crazy discrepancies of press attention to the flu in the United States with around 18,000 dead this year versus the coronavirus ’ 26 deaths as of today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , which should be a hint about the group most endangered .
There is a pattern to corona deaths , but it is confined to those already old and feeble , not the general public .
Yet the media would have us believe that a couple dozen deaths of the elderly portend a nationwide pandemic in the near future from the virus .
Dr. Drew appeared on CBS New York a few days ago : DR. DREW : “ A bad flu season is 80,000 dead , we ’ ve got about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have a hundred from corona .
Which should you be worried about influenza or Corona ?
A hundred versus 18,000 ?
It ’ s not a trick question .
And look , everything that ’ s going on with the New York cleaning the subways and everyone using Clorox wipes and get your flu shot , which should be the other message , that ’ s good .
That ’ s a good thing , so I have no problem with the behaviors .
What I have a problem with is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting destroyed that people ’ s lives are being upended , not by the virus , but by the panic .
The panic must stop .
And the press , they really somehow need to be held accountable because they are hurting people.
” Dr. Drew has been a rare voice of sanity during a mass media panic attack which is having negative affects in the stock market and many businesses .
Nothing on television that I ’ ve seen has discussed the demographics of those killed by the illness .
But a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deaths in America brought up the following : Everything we know about the 26 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. , KXAN , March 9 , 2020 .
.
.
But a breakdown of the deaths do offer some guidance as to which people are most at risk .
Based on a rough estimate using the range of ages given for the victims , we can tell that the average age of each victim is approximately 77 years old .
No one younger than 40 has died from the disease in the U.S .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one person in their 40s who did die had an underlying medical condition .
.
.
Meanwhile high school events are being postponed out of “ an abundance of caution.
” More like an abundance of media-induced hysteria .
But if America can rack up a few dozen additional deaths , the press will probably name the illness the Trump Pandemic .

A March 5 posting on the Rasmussen Reports website headlined 60% of Republicans See Coronavirus Scare As Tool to Get Trump.
It seems there is a belief on the right that “the media and some politicians are playing up the threat of coronavirus to hurt President Trump.”
Wherever would these citizens get such an idea?
Perhaps they have seen Dr. Drew Pinsky on TV pointing out the crazy discrepancies of press attention to the flu in the United States with around 18,000 dead this year versus the coronavirus’ 26 deaths as of today. Nineteen deaths occurred in a Seattle nursing home, which should be a hint about the group most endangered.
There is a pattern to corona deaths, but it is confined to those already old and feeble, not the general public. Yet the media would have us believe that a couple dozen deaths of the elderly portend a nationwide pandemic in the near future from the virus.
Dr. Drew appeared on CBS New York a few days ago:
DR. DREW: “A bad flu season is 80,000 dead, we’ve got about 18,000 dead from influenza this year, we have a hundred from corona. Which should you be worried about influenza or Corona? A hundred versus 18,000? It’s not a trick question. And look, everything that’s going on with the New York cleaning the subways and everyone using Clorox wipes and get your flu shot, which should be the other message, that’s good. That’s a good thing, so I have no problem with the behaviors. What I have a problem with is the panic and the fact that businesses are getting destroyed that people’s lives are being upended, not by the virus, but by the panic. The panic must stop. And the press, they really somehow need to be held accountable because they are hurting people.”
Dr. Drew has been a rare voice of sanity during a mass media panic attack which is having negative affects in the stock market and many businesses.
Nothing on television that I’ve seen has discussed the demographics of those killed by the illness. But a Google search for Average Age of Coronavirus Deaths in America brought up the following:
Everything we know about the 26 coronavirus deaths in the U.S., KXAN, March 9, 2020 . . . But a breakdown of the deaths do offer some guidance as to which people are most at risk. Based on a rough estimate using the range of ages given for the victims, we can tell that the average age of each victim is approximately 77 years old. No one younger than 40 has died from the disease in the U.S. Deaths skew much older. And even the one person in their 40s who did die had an underlying medical condition. . .
Meanwhile high school events are being postponed out of “an abundance of caution.” More like an abundance of media-induced hysteria.
But if America can rack up a few dozen additional deaths, the press will probably name the illness the Trump Pandemic.