veteranstoday--2020-04-03--Washington State Group 1st to Sue Fox News for Calling Coronavirus a ‘Hoax’

A Washington state group has become the first in the nation to sue Fox News over its coronavirus coverage , asking a state court to keep the cable network from airing false information about the pandemic .
The 10-page complaint — filed Thursday in King County — also names as defendants Fox News Corp. , owner Rupert Murdoch , AT & T TV , and COMCAST .
It seeks an injunction to prohibit the conservative-leaning outlet from “ interfering with reasonable and necessary measures to contain the virus by publishing further false and deceptive content.
” Reacting in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for FOX News Media , told Times of San Diego : “ Wrong on the facts , frivolous on the law .
We will defend vigorously and seek sanctions as appropriate.
” Arthur West , leader of the 3-year-old Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics , or WASHLITE , the plaintiff , said in a phone interview that its members have run into people who still believe earlier Fox News reports that the pandemic was a hoax .
The case , filed at 12:13 p.m. Thursday , has been assigned to Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set .
West said the defendants haven ’ t yet been formally served notice of the case .
Fox News interfered with social distancing measures , West said from the state first slammed by the virus .
“ That ’ s the real evil of this type of programming , ” West said .
“ We believe it delayed and interfered with a prompt and adequate response to this coronavirus pandemic within the state of Washington.
” West denied that the nonprofit group ( with perhaps 30 associate members ) was aiming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s like the theater thing , ” he said .
“ Up to the point where you get up in the theater and yell ‘ Fire !
’ you can say whatever you want .
But when you get to the point where you are endangering the community — that transcends the limits of the First Amendment.
” He also contends that commercial speech is involved , not private speech by members of the public .
The WASHLITE suit includes a request for relief under the state ’ s Consumer Protection Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by “ falsely and deceptively disseminating ‘ News ’ via cable news contracts that the coronavirus was a ‘ hoax , ’ and that it was otherwise not a danger to public health and safety.
” In March 9 broadcasts by Sean Hannity and Trish Regan , “ defendants acted in bad faith to willfully and maliciously disseminate false information denying and minimizing the danger posed by the spread of the novel Coronavirus , or COVID-19 , which is now recognized as an international pandemic , ” the suit says .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ parted ways ” with anchor Regan after what some called a rant against the “ coronavirus impeachment scam.
” But Eric Goldman , professor at Santa Clara University School of Law and an expert on so-called SLAPP lawsuits , says this complaint looks like one — a strategic lawsuit against public participation meant to chill free speech .
“ WASHLITE essentially accuses Fox News of false advertising because of its editorial misinformation , ” Goldman said Friday via email .
“ For all of Fox News ’ sins , they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misinformation .
As a result , this legal effort to punish Fox News could very well run afoul of Washington ’ s anti-SLAPP law .
If the court deems this lawsuit a SLAPP , WASHLITE will be obligated to write a check to Fox News for its ill-advised lawsuit.
” That doesn ’ t mean Goldman approves of Fox News content .
He calls its COVID-19 coverage deplorable .
“ Many thousands of Americans will die because they relied on the misinformation broadcast by Fox News , ” said Goldman , a board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working to pass federal anti-SLAPP legislation in Congress .
“ Historians will harshly condemn Fox News ’ irresponsibility and gaslighting on COVID-19 ( and many other subjects ) .
” Goldman called attention the work of Harvard law professor Yochai Benkler , who argued that Fox News ’ disinformation is a leading source of America ’ s problems .
Responding to the Goldman critique , West on Friday noted a 2015 high court ruling in Davis v. Cox that struck down the state ’ s prior SLAPP law ’ s summary proceeding as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is nothing effective left of the present statute , ” West said .
“ Second , the CPA only requires a showing of a capacity to deceive , and is unique in this way.
” Finally , ordinary conditions don ’ t apply in Washington , with First Amendment rights to assemble and travel already “ rightfully ” restricted , he said .
“ Reasonable time , place and manner restrictions on speech have almost universally been upheld in the extraordinary circumstances where such measures are necessary to forestall a clear and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is one such occasion.
” WASHLITE ’ s West says the case will be bolstered via discovery .
“ We want to know when Fox News knew that the coronavirus was actually a dangerous thing , and we believe there is some evidence that … Mr. Murdoch and the staff running Fox News were implementing coronavirus protection measures for their staff … while at the same time they were broadcasting that it was a hoax.
” He said the case isn ’ t a choice between order and liberty .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anarchy without either , ” West said via email .
“ There is a danger that , if the court does not temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom , it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact.
” The suit follows in the wake of an open letter by scores of journalism professors assailing Fox News for “ misinformation ” that endangers its older audience ’ s health .
Elizabeth “ Liz ” Hallock , a Green Party candidate for governor , is the lone attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report on Hannity ’ s evolving statements on the virus .
“ We ’ ll have time in discovery to siphon through what was presented on the network and how it was presented , ” she said via email .
“ There ’ s no doubt in my mind the sentiment that the novel coronavirus was a hoax was recirculated on Fox News like bad air.
” She said this sentiment was repeated in her community and “ made it exceedingly difficult to run a business that was trying to keep our facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus.
” West , 59 , is an Olympia resident who says he makes a living as an open-government advocate .
Other board members have experience in tough cases , he says .
But Katie Gillespie , president of the Washington state chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists , says she ’ s never heard of the group .
“ The go-to sunshine org in Washington is the Washington Coalition for Open Government , ” she said .
That group didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment .
WASHLITE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Supreme Court case in which he sought disclosures under the state ’ s Public Records Act .
West said the group is asking for nominal damages .
“ We ’ re not doing this to make a million dollars , ” he said .
“ We ’ re doing this because we seriously believe that Fox ’ s coverage was outrageous and intolerable and interfered with an effective response to the coronavirus.
” The virus crisis has “ disrupted everyone ’ s lifestyle and schedule , ” he said on the phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time we ’ ve come up for air.
” He also defended having a single lawyer take on the news giant — No .
1 in cable ratings .
“ One good lawyer is worth a team of adequate lawyers , ” West said .
“ One good lawyer with a good case can beat an entire law firm .
”

Though the lawsuit does not fully enumerate instances when Fox News personnel characterized the virus as a hoax during the two-month period, it points to March 9 broadcasts by Fox hosts Sean Hannity and Trish Regan as examples.
On that day, Hannity said, “They’re scaring the living hell out of people and I see it as, like, ‘Oh, let’s bludgeon Trump again with this new hoax.’”
A Washington state group has become the first in the nation to sue Fox News over its coronavirus coverage, asking a state court to keep the cable network from airing false information about the pandemic.
The 10-page complaint — filed Thursday in King County — also names as defendants Fox News Corp., owner Rupert Murdoch, AT&T TV, and COMCAST.
It seeks an injunction to prohibit the conservative-leaning outlet from “interfering with reasonable and necessary measures to contain the virus by publishing further false and deceptive content.”
Reacting in a statement, Lily Fu Claffee, general counsel for FOX News Media, told Times of San Diego: “Wrong on the facts, frivolous on the law. We will defend vigorously and seek sanctions as appropriate.”
Arthur West, leader of the 3-year-old Washington League for Increased Transparency and Ethics, or WASHLITE, the plaintiff, said in a phone interview that its members have run into people who still believe earlier Fox News reports that the pandemic was a hoax.
(One board member was diagnosed with coronavirus, he said, asking the name be withheld.)
The case, filed at 12:13 p.m. Thursday, has been assigned to Judge Ken Schubert — with no hearing date set. West said the defendants haven’t yet been formally served notice of the case.
Fox News interfered with social distancing measures, West said from the state first slammed by the virus.
“That’s the real evil of this type of programming,” West said. “We believe it delayed and interfered with a prompt and adequate response to this coronavirus pandemic within the state of Washington.”
West denied that the nonprofit group (with perhaps 30 associate members) was aiming to stifle First Amendment rights.
“It’s like the theater thing,” he said. “Up to the point where you get up in the theater and yell ‘Fire!’ you can say whatever you want. But when you get to the point where you are endangering the community — that transcends the limits of the First Amendment.”
He also contends that commercial speech is involved, not private speech by members of the public.
The WASHLITE suit includes a request for relief under the state’s Consumer Protection Act, alleging Fox News violated the act by “falsely and deceptively disseminating ‘News’ via cable news contracts that the coronavirus was a ‘hoax,’ and that it was otherwise not a danger to public health and safety.”
In March 9 broadcasts by Sean Hannity and Trish Regan, “defendants acted in bad faith to willfully and maliciously disseminate false information denying and minimizing the danger posed by the spread of the novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19, which is now recognized as an international pandemic,” the suit says.
Last week, Fox Business Network said it officially “parted ways” with anchor Regan after what some called a rant against the “coronavirus impeachment scam.”
But Eric Goldman, professor at Santa Clara University School of Law and an expert on so-called SLAPP lawsuits, says this complaint looks like one — a strategic lawsuit against public participation meant to chill free speech.
“WASHLITE essentially accuses Fox News of false advertising because of its editorial misinformation,” Goldman said Friday via email. “For all of Fox News’ sins, they don’t engage in false advertising by broadcasting misinformation. As a result, this legal effort to punish Fox News could very well run afoul of Washington’s anti-SLAPP law. If the court deems this lawsuit a SLAPP, WASHLITE will be obligated to write a check to Fox News for its ill-advised lawsuit.”
That doesn’t mean Goldman approves of Fox News content. He calls its COVID-19 coverage deplorable.
“Many thousands of Americans will die because they relied on the misinformation broadcast by Fox News,” said Goldman, a board member of the Public Participation Project, working to pass federal anti-SLAPP legislation in Congress. “Historians will harshly condemn Fox News’ irresponsibility and gaslighting on COVID-19 (and many other subjects).”
Goldman called attention the work of Harvard law professor Yochai Benkler, who argued that Fox News’ disinformation is a leading source of America’s problems.
Responding to the Goldman critique, West on Friday noted a 2015 high court ruling in Davis v. Cox that struck down the state’s prior SLAPP law’s summary proceeding as unconstitutional.
“Stripping this away, there is nothing effective left of the present statute,” West said. “Second, the CPA only requires a showing of a capacity to deceive, and is unique in this way.”
Finally, ordinary conditions don’t apply in Washington, with First Amendment rights to assemble and travel already “rightfully” restricted, he said.
“Reasonable time, place and manner restrictions on speech have almost universally been upheld in the extraordinary circumstances where such measures are necessary to forestall a clear and present danger,” he said. “This is one such occasion.”
WASHLITE’s West says the case will be bolstered via discovery.
“We want to know when Fox News knew that the coronavirus was actually a dangerous thing, and we believe there is some evidence that … Mr. Murdoch and the staff running Fox News were implementing coronavirus protection measures for their staff … while at the same time they were broadcasting that it was a hoax.”
He said the case isn’t a choice between order and liberty.
“It is between liberty with order and anarchy without either,” West said via email. “There is a danger that, if the court does not temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom, it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact.”
The suit follows in the wake of an open letter by scores of journalism professors assailing Fox News for “misinformation” that endangers its older audience’s health.
Elizabeth “Liz” Hallock, a Green Party candidate for governor, is the lone attorney for WASHLITE. She shared a Vox.com report on Hannity’s evolving statements on the virus.
“We’ll have time in discovery to siphon through what was presented on the network and how it was presented,” she said via email. “There’s no doubt in my mind the sentiment that the novel coronavirus was a hoax was recirculated on Fox News like bad air.”
She said this sentiment was repeated in her community and “made it exceedingly difficult to run a business that was trying to keep our facility clean and prevent the spread of the virus.”
West, 59, is an Olympia resident who says he makes a living as an open-government advocate. Other board members have experience in tough cases, he says.
But Katie Gillespie, president of the Washington state chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, says she’s never heard of the group.
“The go-to sunshine org in Washington is the Washington Coalition for Open Government,” she said. That group didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
WASHLITE board member David Koenig prevailed in a Washington Supreme Court case in which he sought disclosures under the state’s Public Records Act.
West said the group is asking for nominal damages.
“We’re not doing this to make a million dollars,” he said. “We’re doing this because we seriously believe that Fox’s coverage was outrageous and intolerable and interfered with an effective response to the coronavirus.”
Why hadn’t they sued earlier?
The virus crisis has “disrupted everyone’s lifestyle and schedule,” he said on the phone. “This is pretty much the first time we’ve come up for air.”
He also defended having a single lawyer take on the news giant — No. 1 in cable ratings.
“One good lawyer is worth a team of adequate lawyers,” West said. “One good lawyer with a good case can beat an entire law firm.”
SOURCE: Times Of San Diego


veteranstoday--2020-04-03--Trump and the spread of CV19 in the US

Trump and the spread of CV19 in the US

On 10 March 2020 US President Donald Trump told reporters in reference to the Novel Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) : “ It will go away , just stay calm.
” He added , “ It ’ s really working out .
And a lot of good things are going to happen.
” ( This is also the president ’ s attitude towards global warming . )
When soon it became clear that things were not “ working out ” and “ good things ” were definitely not happening , he denied any responsibility .
He said “ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and proceeded to blame the previous administration of Barack Obama .
Actually , all of this was in character for President Trump .
He has never shown any ability to think ahead and respond to events in a well thought out fashion .
His ability to own up to his own mistakes is like that of a 16-year-old teenager .
He is also ignorant of what he is dealing with .
But here at least he is not alone .
Most people , including the vast majority of Americans , don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes from .
That is one reason why it is so easy to misidentify it is a “ Chinese disease ” .
Alas , diseases don ’ t carry a nationality .
Also , people are only vaguely aware of the exponential growth potential of this disease and why that factor justifies the kind of social distancing policies that many governments are now adopting .
So below , I will give some details on these factors .
I confess I am not an expert in any of this , but if my anecdotal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know more than my neighbours .
I will strive for accuracy and , If I make some notable mistake , I am sure someone out there will let me know .
If an error is confirmed , I will send out a correction or elaboration .
COVID-19 has the label of a pandemic disease – one that is spreading through large areas of the globe .
“ Mere ” epidemics are more localized .
COVID-19 is also a novel or new disease , which in this case means that it is a mutation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature .
Such terms as pandemic and epidemic do not say anything about the severity of the disease , and so they can run the range from relatively mild to deadly .
Flu epidemics and pandemics are good examples of this – thus the annual flu season can vary in its intensity .
On the other hand , the infamous Spanish Flu of 1918 ( which wasn ’ t Spanish in origin ) was a pandemic that is estimated to have killed between 20 and 50 million people worldwide .
Coming towards the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims included hundreds of US and Allied soldiers and sailors confined to transports and other ships heading to and from France .
Those vessels , like today ’ s cruise ships , served as incubators for the disease .
As noted above , COVID-19 and its kin are viruses .
Viruses are different than the bacteria that cause many infections .
Antibiotics take care of most bacteria-caused diseases , though the overuse of such drugs can , and have , produced “ superbug ” bacteria that are resistant to most antibiotics .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against bacteria-causing illness , it is a constant struggle between the bacteria ’ s ability to mutate and production of more effective antibiotics .
Viruses can not be treated with antibiotics .
The best way to fight them is through vaccines .
Most vaccines work by taking an inert sample of the disease agent and using it to safely stimulate the body ’ s immune system , thus creating a ready ability to produce the proper antibodies to the illness if it is contracted .
Unfortunately , a vaccine can not be developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all for a particular microbe .
So , often their is an interim period between the appearance of a truly novel virus – such as COVID-19 – and the production and distribution of an adequate vaccine .
Even when available , vaccines are not 100 per cent effective as can be seen with the annual flu vaccines .
This is because , like bacteria , viruses mutate .
In the case of most viruses and bacteria , you catch the disease in the following ways : 1 ) close contact with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body fluids are spread through sneezing , coughing , sweating , excreting , and so forth ; 2 ) Touch surfaces that has the virus or bacteria on it due to previous contact with an infected person or animal : the survival time outside the body of any particular disease agent varies .
COVID-19 .
seems to be able to survive between three and 72 hours depending on the nature of the surface , such as a door knob , computer keyboard , box of cookies , etc .
These facts speak to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ts : hand washing , not touching your face ( but covering your mouth and nose with the inside of your elbow if you have to cough or sneeze ) , and keeping your social distance ( a sneeze can shoot out the bad bugs some 10 feet ) .
These are familiar recommendations ( if often ignored ) because they also apply to the common cold .
Community lockdowns enforcing social distancing , on the other hand , are really new and can be life-altering requirements .
Where does the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New infectious viruses are often mutations of existing ones and/or animal-based viruses that somehow manage to jump from their animal hosts to humans – the latter kind being referred to as zoonosis diseases .
Ebola and HIV ( Aids ) are diseases that made this jump .
Bats are one ready source of coronaviruses that do occasionally jump to humans .
Bats are hosts to multiple strains of such viruses which often get spread via intermediate hosts ( civits , pangolins and camels ) which in turn can pass them on to humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ebola , some viruses have made the bat-to-human jump directly .
No one really knows where COVID-19 originated .
We do know that there was an initial outbreak in Wuhan , China , among people who worked in a market that sold wild animals , but some of these animals were imported into China , so the COVID-19 strain that is causing all this trouble could well have originated further afield .
Because COVID-19 is new , humans have no inherent immunity to it , and that creates the prospect of exponential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to itself , the disease will increase at a very rapid rate .
How fast depends on circumstances , and this factor allows for human intervention .
That rate of increase of an infectious disease is mathematically represented by a “ basic [ rate of ] reproduction number ” , the symbol for which is R0 ( R naught or R zero ) .
We will abbreviate it and just use R. Say you have a disease with an R number of 2 .
That means the first person with the disease , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to two others , who will each give it to two more and on it goes .
Think of it this way : 1×2=2 , 2×2=4 , 4×2=8 , 8×2=16 , etc .
On a graph , this rate of increase is known as a J curve , because it shoots up rapidly .
The COVID-19 virus has an R number of 2.5 ( 1×2.5= 2.5 , 2.5×2.5= 6.25 , 6.25×2.5=15.62,15.62×2.5=39.05 , etc. )
.
By the way , the R number for the measles can range between 12 and 18 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this disease is so important .
Given the explosive spread potential of such a novel infectious disease as COVID-19 , the aim is to flatten out the J curve by creating environmental circumstances that force the R number to 1 or less .
Do that and the pandemic stops .
So how do you do that ?
The Washington Post has set up computer simulations of four different approaches : doing nothing , enforcing a quarantine ( such as the Chinese one ) , setting up a scenario of moderate social distancing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing .
Obviously , doing nothing is unacceptable to a vast majority of people ( though , as we will see , there are exceptions ) .
In the case of the COVID-19 in the US , a country of 330 million , a hands-off approach would most likely find millions of Americans infected , and thousands dying , by summer .
A strict quarantine for so large a population is difficult to do without the use of near-totalitarian methods and is probably politically and culturally unacceptable within the Western milieu .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing .
According to the computer modelling referred to above , the most effective scenario is that of “ extensive social distancing ” .
It is no surprise that this approach is exactly the one now being tried in much of the United States and Europe .
There is the corresponding question of how long such social distancing has to go on .
Given that in the US the authorities have come up short on the issue of testing , the answer to that question is complicated by the uncertainty of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule , the earlier the intervention , the shorter the time necessary for flattening the J curve .
The US is , if you will , behind the curve in this regard .
Given the population size , it will take longer than the two-week window associated with the appearance of COVID-19 symptoms .
We began this analysis by noting that President Donald Trump was , for far too long , dismissive of COVID-19 and in favour of doing nothing .
On 28 February , a month after cases of COVID-19 showed up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out at Democrats for raising alarm about the virus , calling it their [ the Democrats ’ ] “ new hoax ” .
Indeed , there is evidence that Trump thought of the idea of a pandemic as a fantasy , and , as a consequence , in 2018 his administration shut down the government ’ s “ global health security team ” and later cut the budget of the Centres for Disease Control ’ s department for animal-to-human transmitted infectious diseases by 20 per cent .
Presently , the Centres for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 11 billion to defend the nation against a very real pandemic .
In the meantime , Trump engineered a defence budget of some $ 738 billion , with which the Pentagon , at least in immediate terms , it defend the country from nothing .
Soon enough the spread of COVID-19 became something Trump could not just dismiss with throw-away lines like , “ just stay calm , it will go away ” .
Even so , the president could not get beyond that naive and blasé attitude .
Again acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early March 2020 that he wanted to see “ low numbers ” when it came to the spread of COVID-19 .
He thought that low numbers now would boost his “ potential re-election ” in November.This despite the fact that he had done nothing to actually realise low numbers .
This was a sure sign of a deluded mind that insists there can be no difference between his own desires and reality .
The result was a period of blatant lying on the part of Trump and his staff and the failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ascertain the real numbers of the pandemic as it spread through the country .
It also confirmed Donald Trump as a criminal accomplice to that spread .
Now , of course , with reality having become undeniable , the president is in the process of rewriting his own history .
On 17 March 2020 he told reporters “ I ’ ve always known this is real – this is a pandemic .
I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.
” That is again the delusional Trump –Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our present leadership should be a warning to us all .
Don ’ t judge prospective leaders on airy platform promises or after-the-fact rationalisations , but rather on a demonstrated ability to think straight and with foresight , along with an ability to rationally adjust as conditions change .
Of course , folks have to be able to recognise those qualities in others .
Avoid leaders who are bound by an ideology that confines their interests to one class , and biases that display misogynistic , racist , and/or fundamentalist leanings .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks have to themselves be free of such biases .
Finally , always go for the leaders who believe in science .
One might note that Donald Trump fails on all points .
How many others fail as well ?
So , will we be prepared the next time ?
The United States and the rest of the world will eventually overcome COVID-19 .
But , as it is not the first pandemic we have faced , it will not be the last .

On 10 March 2020 US President Donald Trump told reporters in reference to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): “It will go away, just stay calm.” He added, “It’s really working out. And a lot of good things are going to happen.” (This is also the president’s attitude towards global warming.) When soon it became clear that things were not “working out” and “good things” were definitely not happening, he denied any responsibility. He said “I don’t take any responsibility at all” and proceeded to blame the previous administration of Barack Obama. Actually, all of this was in character for President Trump. He has never shown any ability to think ahead and respond to events in a well thought out fashion. His ability to own up to his own mistakes is like that of a 16-year-old teenager.
He is also ignorant of what he is dealing with. But here at least he is not alone. Most people, including the vast majority of Americans, don’t know much about COVID-19 or where it comes from. That is one reason why it is so easy to misidentify it is a “Chinese disease”. Alas, diseases don’t carry a nationality. Also, people are only vaguely aware of the exponential growth potential of this disease and why that factor justifies the kind of social distancing policies that many governments are now adopting. So below, I will give some details on these factors.
I confess I am not an expert in any of this, but if my anecdotal experience is at all accurate, I know more than my neighbours. I will strive for accuracy and, If I make some notable mistake, I am sure someone out there will let me know. If an error is confirmed, I will send out a correction or elaboration.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 has the label of a pandemic disease – one that is spreading through large areas of the globe. “Mere” epidemics are more localized. COVID-19 is also a novel or new disease, which in this case means that it is a mutation of a virus that already existed in nature. Such terms as pandemic and epidemic do not say anything about the severity of the disease, and so they can run the range from relatively mild to deadly. Flu epidemics and pandemics are good examples of this – thus the annual flu season can vary in its intensity. On the other hand, the infamous Spanish Flu of 1918 (which wasn’t Spanish in origin) was a pandemic that is estimated to have killed between 20 and 50 million people worldwide. Coming towards the end of World War I, the victims included hundreds of US and Allied soldiers and sailors confined to transports and other ships heading to and from France. Those vessels, like today’s cruise ships, served as incubators for the disease.
As noted above, COVID-19 and its kin are viruses. Viruses are different than the bacteria that cause many infections. Antibiotics take care of most bacteria-caused diseases, though the overuse of such drugs can, and have, produced “superbug” bacteria that are resistant to most antibiotics. In fact, in the realm of warfare against bacteria-causing illness, it is a constant struggle between the bacteria’s ability to mutate and production of more effective antibiotics.
Viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics. The best way to fight them is through vaccines. Most vaccines work by taking an inert sample of the disease agent and using it to safely stimulate the body’s immune system, thus creating a ready ability to produce the proper antibodies to the illness if it is contracted. Unfortunately, a vaccine cannot be developed overnight, if one can be developed at all for a particular microbe. So, often their is an interim period between the appearance of a truly novel virus – such as COVID-19 – and the production and distribution of an adequate vaccine. Even when available, vaccines are not 100 per cent effective as can be seen with the annual flu vaccines. This is because, like bacteria, viruses mutate.
In the case of most viruses and bacteria, you catch the disease in the following ways: 1) close contact with an infected person or animal, whose microbe-laden body fluids are spread through sneezing, coughing, sweating, excreting, and so forth; 2) Touch surfaces that has the virus or bacteria on it due to previous contact with an infected person or animal: the survival time outside the body of any particular disease agent varies. COVID-19. seems to be able to survive between three and 72 hours depending on the nature of the surface, such as a door knob, computer keyboard, box of cookies, etc.
These facts speak to the usual list of dos and don’ts: hand washing, not touching your face (but covering your mouth and nose with the inside of your elbow if you have to cough or sneeze), and keeping your social distance (a sneeze can shoot out the bad bugs some 10 feet). These are familiar recommendations (if often ignored) because they also apply to the common cold. Community lockdowns enforcing social distancing, on the other hand, are really new and can be life-altering requirements. Where does the need for such extreme measures come from?
Threat of exponential spread
New infectious viruses are often mutations of existing ones and/or animal-based viruses that somehow manage to jump from their animal hosts to humans – the latter kind being referred to as zoonosis diseases. Ebola and HIV (Aids) are diseases that made this jump. Bats are one ready source of coronaviruses that do occasionally jump to humans. Bats are hosts to multiple strains of such viruses which often get spread via intermediate hosts (civits, pangolins and camels) which in turn can pass them on to humans. Conversely, as in the case of Ebola, some viruses have made the bat-to-human jump directly.
No one really knows where COVID-19 originated. We do know that there was an initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, among people who worked in a market that sold wild animals, but some of these animals were imported into China, so the COVID-19 strain that is causing all this trouble could well have originated further afield.
Because COVID-19 is new, humans have no inherent immunity to it, and that creates the prospect of exponential spread. This means that when left to itself, the disease will increase at a very rapid rate. How fast depends on circumstances, and this factor allows for human intervention. That rate of increase of an infectious disease is mathematically represented by a “basic [rate of] reproduction number”, the symbol for which is R0 (R naught or R zero). We will abbreviate it and just use R.
Say you have a disease with an R number of 2. That means the first person with the disease, patient 0, will on average give it to two others, who will each give it to two more and on it goes. Think of it this way: 1×2=2, 2×2=4, 4×2=8, 8×2=16, etc. On a graph, this rate of increase is known as a J curve, because it shoots up rapidly.
The COVID-19 virus has an R number of 2.5 (1×2.5= 2.5, 2.5×2.5= 6.25, 6.25×2.5=15.62,15.62×2.5=39.05, etc.). By the way, the R number for the measles can range between 12 and 18, which is why taking the vaccine for this disease is so important.
Given the explosive spread potential of such a novel infectious disease as COVID-19, the aim is to flatten out the J curve by creating environmental circumstances that force the R number to 1 or less. Do that and the pandemic stops. So how do you do that? The Washington Post has set up computer simulations of four different approaches: doing nothing, enforcing a quarantine (such as the Chinese one), setting up a scenario of moderate social distancing, and finally establishing a scenario of extensive social distancing.
Obviously, doing nothing is unacceptable to a vast majority of people (though, as we will see, there are exceptions). In the case of the COVID-19 in the US, a country of 330 million, a hands-off approach would most likely find millions of Americans infected, and thousands dying, by summer. A strict quarantine for so large a population is difficult to do without the use of near-totalitarian methods and is probably politically and culturally unacceptable within the Western milieu. That leaves “reasonable enforcement” of social distancing. According to the computer modelling referred to above, the most effective scenario is that of “extensive social distancing”. It is no surprise that this approach is exactly the one now being tried in much of the United States and Europe.
There is the corresponding question of how long such social distancing has to go on. Given that in the US the authorities have come up short on the issue of testing, the answer to that question is complicated by the uncertainty of how many Americans are infected. As a rule, the earlier the intervention, the shorter the time necessary for flattening the J curve. The US is, if you will, behind the curve in this regard. Given the population size, it will take longer than the two-week window associated with the appearance of COVID-19 symptoms.
President Trump’s irresponsibility
We began this analysis by noting that President Donald Trump was, for far too long, dismissive of COVID-19 and in favour of doing nothing. On 28 February, a month after cases of COVID-19 showed up in the US, “Trump lashed out at Democrats for raising alarm about the virus, calling it their [the Democrats’] “new hoax”. Indeed, there is evidence that Trump thought of the idea of a pandemic as a fantasy, and, as a consequence, in 2018 his administration shut down the government’s “global health security team” and later cut the budget of the Centres for Disease Control’s department for animal-to-human transmitted infectious diseases by 20 per cent. Presently, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has a budget of about $11 billion to defend the nation against a very real pandemic. In the meantime, Trump engineered a defence budget of some $738 billion, with which the Pentagon, at least in immediate terms, it defend the country from nothing.
Soon enough the spread of COVID-19 became something Trump could not just dismiss with throw-away lines like, “just stay calm, it will go away”. Even so, the president could not get beyond that naive and blasé attitude. Again acting in character, he told his cabinet in early March 2020 that he wanted to see “low numbers” when it came to the spread of COVID-19. He thought that low numbers now would boost his “potential re-election” in November.This despite the fact that he had done nothing to actually realise low numbers. This was a sure sign of a deluded mind that insists there can be no difference between his own desires and reality. The result was a period of blatant lying on the part of Trump and his staff and the failure to create a testing infrastructure to help ascertain the real numbers of the pandemic as it spread through the country. It also confirmed Donald Trump as a criminal accomplice to that spread.
Now, of course, with reality having become undeniable, the president is in the process of rewriting his own history. On 17 March 2020 he told reporters “I’ve always known this is real – this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.” That is again the delusional Trump –Trump the congenital liar.
Conclusion
This failure of our present leadership should be a warning to us all. Don’t judge prospective leaders on airy platform promises or after-the-fact rationalisations, but rather on a demonstrated ability to think straight and with foresight, along with an ability to rationally adjust as conditions change. Of course, folks have to be able to recognise those qualities in others. Avoid leaders who are bound by an ideology that confines their interests to one class, and biases that display misogynistic, racist, and/or fundamentalist leanings. Of course, to choose such leaders, folks have to themselves be free of such biases. Finally, always go for the leaders who believe in science. One might note that Donald Trump fails on all points. How many others fail as well?
So, will we be prepared the next time? The United States and the rest of the world will eventually overcome COVID-19. But, as it is not the first pandemic we have faced, it will not be the last.


veteranstoday--2020-04-03--Atlantic: CV19 Unique threat to the (Red State) South

In a matter of weeks , the coronavirus has gone from a novel , distant threat to an enemy besieging @ @ @ @ @ world .
The burden of COVID-19 and the economic upheaval wrought by the measures to @ @ @ @ @ Humanity now has a common foe , and we will grow increasingly familiar with its @ @ @ @ @ this virus ’ s aspects remain unknown .
The developing wisdom—earned the hard way in @ @ @ @ @ Italy—has been that older people and sicker people are substantially more likely to suffer severe @ @ @ @ @ than their younger , healthier counterparts .
Older people are much more likely than young @ @ @ @ @ , kidney disease , hypertension , or heart disease , and those conditions are more @ @ @ @ @ infection into something nastier .
But what happens when these assumptions don ’ t hold @ @ @ @ @ people battling the pandemic share the same risks ?

In a matter of weeks, the coronavirus has gone from a novel, distant threat to an enemy besieging cities and towns across the world. The burden of COVID-19 and the economic upheaval wrought by the measures to contain it feel epochal. Humanity now has a common foe, and we will grow increasingly familiar with its face.
Yet plenty of this virus’s aspects remain unknown. The developing wisdom—earned the hard way in Wuhan, Washington, and Italy—has been that older people and sicker people are substantially more likely to suffer severe illness or die from COVID-19 than their younger, healthier counterparts. Older people are much more likely than young people to have lung disease, kidney disease, hypertension, or heart disease, and those conditions are more likely to transform a coronavirus infection into something nastier. But what happens when these assumptions don’t hold up, and the young people battling the pandemic share the same risks?
The numbers emerging seem to indicate that more young people in the South are dying from COVID-19. Although the majority of coronavirus-related deaths in Louisiana are still among victims over 70 years old, 43 percent of all reported deaths have been people under 70. In Georgia, people under 70 make up 49 percent of reported deaths. By comparison, people under 70 account for only 20 percent of deaths in Colorado. read more:


veteranstoday--2020-04-03--NEO: Giuliani’s MKO Puts Albania at Risk for CV19

As Europe is coming to terms with the reality of a life interrupted courtesy of the covid-19 pandemic , governments after governments have had to call for their respective communities to comply with strict isolation rules not to overwhelm their already stretched out healthcare systems .
Speaking at a daily public briefing this Friday ( March 28 , 2020 ) Director of NHS England Professor Stephen Powis made abundantly clear that staying home would not only help save lives by preventing the spread of the disease but that it would also give healthcare workers a chance to adequately treat those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fashion .
“ Now is the time to really lockdown and help to save lives … We can get on top of this virus by avoiding contact with others and reducing the transmission rate.
” At a time when doctors across Europe have had to take drastic measures – quite literally making life and death decisions over which patients are more deserving of care , condemning hundreds if not thousands to die , the MKO/MEK group which found refuge in Albania has refused to heed government ’ s guidelines , thus endangering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced he would restrict the movement of its citizens to counter the spread of the covid-19 virus and avoid the social upheaval neighbouring Italy is undergoing , the MKO/MEK is blatantly refusing to conform to the new social order on the premise that their ‘ sovereignty ’ supersedes that of their host country .
Months after Rama defended his country ’ s decision to accept members of Mujahedin Khalgh Organization ( MKO ) , a dissident group organised and governed around and under the leadership of Maryam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system of governance has attracted the favours of several international actors – none more than the United States of America , Albania finds itself in a difficult situation .
Who is the MKO/MEK ?
Believed to have between 5,000 to 13,000 members , the MKO/MEK ( Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization ) was established in the 1960s to express a mixture of Marxism and Islamism .
If for a while the MKO aligned its politics with that of Iran ’ s revolutionaries against the Shah , its leadership quickly turned on Ayatollah Khomeini ’ s new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly terror attacks which would ultimately lead to a state-run crackdown against all of its members .
In 1981 , the MKO claimed responsibility for the death of 74 senior officials , including 27 MPs and dozens of civilians – including children .
Forced into exile in neighbouring Iraq , the MKO offered its arms and its resources to then dictator Saddam Husein during his military campaign against Iran .
If the Mojahedin-e Khalq started off as a militant revolutionary movement committed in principle to bringing human rights and democracy to Iran , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cult-like group centered around the worship of its leadership – the Rajavis .
Since its founding in 1963 , it is believed to have killed hundreds or even thousands of Iranians , as well as a handful of Americans .
The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a turning point for the group , which sought to reinvent itself as a democratic force .
Today , it functions as a fringe exiled group with characteristics of a cult that works for regime change in Iran , though it has little visible support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a democratic political institution although its own internal structure is anything but .
A state within the state , the MKO/MEK simply does not recognise any authority outside that of its leaders : Maryam and Masoud Rajavi .
In a joint press conference with the secretary-general of NATO earlier this January Rama noted : Only , MKO/MEK members do not exactly qualify as victims … rather they committed atrocious acts of butchery against their own fellow Iranians on the basis of their ideology .
Up until 2012 the group was listed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Recently seen as ‘ reformed ’ by virtue of its hatred for Tehran ’ s clerical rule the MKO/MEK ’ s claims it espouses democracy ’ s tenets somewhat do not hold before the systematic mistreatment and human rights abuses its members have to endure .
Former MKO members have reported abuses ranging from detention and persecution of ordinary members wishing to leave the organization , to lengthy solitary confinements , severe beatings , and torture of dissident members .
The MKO held political dissidents in its internal prisons during the 1990s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Iraqi authorities , who held them in Abu Ghraib .
With fresh reports pointing to a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in Albania , government officials have said to be in a race against time , battling an enemy who knows no borders and no rules of engagement .
Needless to say that cooperation has become a matter of life or death .
To default of those measures the state put in place : movement restrictions , closure of all non-essential businesses , self-isolations and such could render all efforts to contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not on the MKO ’ s agenda … With most of its members aged 50 and over the group is particularly vulnerable to the assaults of the illness – a fact its leadership seems oblivious to as it has refused to comply with the state ’ s health guidelines and injunctions .
As of Saturday , Albanian Ministry of Health and Social Protection reported a total of 197 coronavirus infections , and a death toll of 10 total .
Looking at how quickly Italy lost control of its fight against covid-19 virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , countries such as that as Albania which for now have avoided the viral tsunami proactive measures against the pandemic remain the only viable line of defence – provisioning absolute compliance .
As Prime Minister Rama stressed in an address to the people , any direct infringement to the new rules constitutes treason .
And yet the MKO/MEK which camp is located in Tirana has defiantly refused to ground its operations .
With hundreds of its members locked in close quarters as they pound social media to promote and/or defend the virtue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much an if but a when .
Thousands today in Tirana sit in the virus ’ direct line of fire … death could soon decimate the camp , leaving neighbouring communities at the mercy of exposure .
Catherine Shakdam is a research fellow at the Al Bayan Centre for Planning & Studies and a political analyst specializing in radical movements .
She is the author of A Tale of Grand Resistance : Yemen , the Wahhabi and the House of Saud .
She writes exclusively for the online magazine “ New Eastern Outlook @ @

As Europe is coming to terms with the reality of a life interrupted courtesy of the covid-19 pandemic, governments after governments have had to call for their respective communities to comply with strict isolation rules not to overwhelm their already stretched out healthcare systems.
Speaking at a daily public briefing this Friday (March 28, 2020) Director of NHS England Professor Stephen Powis made abundantly clear that staying home would not only help save lives by preventing the spread of the disease but that it would also give healthcare workers a chance to adequately treat those affected by the virus in a meaningful fashion. “Now is the time to really lockdown and help to save lives … We can get on top of this virus by avoiding contact with others and reducing the transmission rate.”
At a time when doctors across Europe have had to take drastic measures – quite literally making life and death decisions over which patients are more deserving of care, condemning hundreds if not thousands to die, the MKO/MEK group which found refuge in Albania has refused to heed government’s guidelines, thus endangering the nation as a whole.
Just as the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced he would restrict the movement of its citizens to counter the spread of the covid-19 virus and avoid the social upheaval neighbouring Italy is undergoing, the MKO/MEK is blatantly refusing to conform to the new social order on the premise that their ‘sovereignty’ supersedes that of their host country.
Months after Rama defended his country’s decision to accept members of Mujahedin Khalgh Organization (MKO), a dissident group organised and governed around and under the leadership of Maryam Rajavi, which opposition to Iran’ system of governance has attracted the favours of several international actors – none more than the United States of America, Albania finds itself in a difficult situation.
Who is the MKO/MEK?
Believed to have between 5,000 to 13,000 members, the MKO/MEK (Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization) was established in the 1960s to express a mixture of Marxism and Islamism. If for a while the MKO aligned its politics with that of Iran’s revolutionaries against the Shah, its leadership quickly turned on Ayatollah Khomeini’s new clerical order – spearheading a series of deadly terror attacks which would ultimately lead to a state-run crackdown against all of its members.
In 1981, the MKO claimed responsibility for the death of 74 senior officials, including 27 MPs and dozens of civilians – including children.
Forced into exile in neighbouring Iraq, the MKO offered its arms and its resources to then dictator Saddam Husein during his military campaign against Iran.
If the Mojahedin-e Khalq started off as a militant revolutionary movement committed in principle to bringing human rights and democracy to Iran, it quickly devolved into a secretive, cult-like group centered around the worship of its leadership – the Rajavis.
Since its founding in 1963, it is believed to have killed hundreds or even thousands of Iranians, as well as a handful of Americans.
The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a turning point for the group, which sought to reinvent itself as a democratic force.
Today, it functions as a fringe exiled group with characteristics of a cult that works for regime change in Iran, though it has little visible support inside the country. It portrays itself as a democratic political institution although its own internal structure is anything but.
Albania’s conundrum
A state within the state, the MKO/MEK simply does not recognise any authority outside that of its leaders: Maryam and Masoud Rajavi.
In a joint press conference with the secretary-general of NATO earlier this January Rama noted:
“Albania has accepted to give shelter to thousands whose lives have been threatened by the regime of Tehran. This is part of what we are, part of our tradition. We accepted the most number of Jews after the second world war and our country was a safe haven for them.”
Only, MKO/MEK members do not exactly qualify as victims … rather they committed atrocious acts of butchery against their own fellow Iranians on the basis of their ideology. Up until 2012 the group was listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States. Recently seen as ‘reformed’ by virtue of its hatred for Tehran’s clerical rule the MKO/MEK’s claims it espouses democracy’s tenets somewhat do not hold before the systematic mistreatment and human rights abuses its members have to endure.
Former MKO members have reported abuses ranging from detention and persecution of ordinary members wishing to leave the organization, to lengthy solitary confinements, severe beatings, and torture of dissident members. The MKO held political dissidents in its internal prisons during the 1990s and later turned over many of them to Iraqi authorities, who held them in Abu Ghraib.
With fresh reports pointing to a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in Albania, government officials have said to be in a race against time, battling an enemy who knows no borders and no rules of engagement.
Needless to say that cooperation has become a matter of life or death. To default of those measures the state put in place: movement restrictions, closure of all non-essential businesses, self-isolations and such could render all efforts to contain the epidemic null and void.
Cooperation is not on the MKO’s agenda …
With most of its members aged 50 and over the group is particularly vulnerable to the assaults of the illness – a fact its leadership seems oblivious to as it has refused to comply with the state’s health guidelines and injunctions.
As of Saturday, Albanian Ministry of Health and Social Protection reported a total of 197 coronavirus infections, and a death toll of 10 total.
Looking at how quickly Italy lost control of its fight against covid-19 virus for a lack of adequate social distancing, countries such as that as Albania which for now have avoided the viral tsunami proactive measures against the pandemic remain the only viable line of defence – provisioning absolute compliance.
As Prime Minister Rama stressed in an address to the people, any direct infringement to the new rules constitutes treason.
And yet the MKO/MEK which camp is located in Tirana has defiantly refused to ground its operations. With hundreds of its members locked in close quarters as they pound social media to promote and/or defend the virtue of the group, contagion is not so much an if but a when.
Thousands today in Tirana sit in the virus’ direct line of fire … death could soon decimate the camp, leaving neighbouring communities at the mercy of exposure.
Catherine Shakdam is a research fellow at the Al Bayan Centre for Planning & Studies and a political analyst specializing in radical movements. She is the author of A Tale of Grand Resistance: Yemen, the Wahhabi and the House of Saud. She writes exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.


veteranstoday--2020-04-03--Removal of Navy Captain May Have Violated Military Whistleblower Law

Removal of Navy Captain May Have Violated Military Whistleblower Law Washington D.C. , April 3 , 2020 .
Yesterday the U.S. Navy announced that it removed the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt after he raised the alarm over concern for the sailors on his ship , which is in the midst of COVID-19 outbreak .
“ The removal of Captain Crozier as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt may have violated whistleblower laws , ” according to the national whistleblower law expert Stephen M. Kohn .
Captain Brett Crozier sent a strongly worded memorandum to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He explained that the aircraft carrier was “ unable to comply with CDC protocols ” to “ prevent unnecessary deaths.
” He warned : “ If we do not act now , we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset – our sailors.
” As of Friday morning , 137 members of Captain Crozier ’ s crew tested positive for COVID-19 .
“ Military law permitted Captain Crozier to inform a wide range of officials of the life-threatening conditions aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt , including any ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or safety , ’ ” according to Kohn .
The whistleblower law also permitted Captain Crozier to report “ gross mismanagement ” committed by the U.S. Navy .
“ Under legal precedent , the failure of the U.S. Navy to take immediate and effective steps to stop the spread of the Coronavirus on the USS Theodore Roosevelt could reasonably be viewed by Captain Crozier as ‘ gross mismanagement.
’ Furthermore , the life-threatening conditions on the carrier unquestionably constituted ‘ substantial and specific danger to public health and safety .
Consequently , Captain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a protected disclosure under law , ” Kohn said .
“ The Military Whistleblower Law , which applies to the U.S. Navy , protects numerous whistleblower-related communications , even if they are made to hundreds of people , ” according to Kohn .
Protected disclosures under the law include communications to : • “ any person or organization in the chain of command ; ” • “ a member of a Department of Defense audit , inspection , investigation , or law enforcement organization ; ” and “ any other person or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established administrative procedures for such communications.
” According to CNN ’ s report , Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly stated that he was concerned because the captain used an “ unsecured system ” when emailing his memo , “ adding to the chances it could be leaked.
” CNN directly quoted Secretary Modly as criticizing Captain Crozier because , “ He sent it out pretty broadly , and in sending it out broadly he did not take care to ensure that it couldn ’ t be leaked , and that ’ s part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . '
” “ Secretary Modly ’ s justification for removing Captain Crozier raises the specter of illegal retaliation .
There is no requirement that a military whistleblower must raise concerns using a “ secured system , ” or must limit the scope of his or her disclosures to “ take care ” that concerns are not “ leaked.
” The opposite is the case .
The law permits military whistleblowers like Captain Crozer to send their memos to every single Member of Congress , with no restrictions on the ability of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press .
Secretary Modly ’ s admissions constitute evidence of possible retaliatory motive , ” Kohn said .
Under military law , whistleblower disclosures made by Captain Crozier would only lose their protection if they were “ unlawful.
” The Navy has not alleged that any of Captain Crozier ’ s communications violated the law .
“ There is an even bigger issue here than whether Captain Crozier is protected under military law .
Removing Captain Crozier from his duties sends the wrong message .
It creates a chilling effect on others who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompt and aggressive action to alert the public to health and safety threats .
During this crisis , disclosures like those made by Captain Crozier should be rewarded , not punished , ” Kohn said .
“ Attempts to censor or stop public disclosures of truthful and important health concerns during the coronavirus pandemic does not serve the public interest , ” Kohn added .
Stephen M. Kohn has represented whistleblowers for over 35-years .
He is the founding partner of the qui tam and whistleblower rights law firm of Kohn , Kohn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published author on whistleblower law .
His most recent book is The New Whistleblower ’ s Handbook : A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing What ’ s Right and Protecting Yourself ( Lyons Press 2017 ) .
He is also a co-founder of the National Whistleblower Center , where he serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors .
Americans have the right to blow the whistle on coronavirus frauds or safety issues .
Learn more by reading the Coronavirus FAQ and Kohn ’ s article “ Whistleblowing and the Coronavirus Crisis .
”

Removal of Navy Captain May Have Violated Military Whistleblower Law
Washington D.C., April 3, 2020. Yesterday the U.S. Navy announced that it removed the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt after he raised the alarm over concern for the sailors on his ship, which is in the midst of COVID-19 outbreak. “The removal of Captain Crozier as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt may have violated whistleblower laws,” according to the national whistleblower law expert Stephen M. Kohn.
Captain Brett Crozier sent a strongly worded memorandum to the Navy Command requesting help for his crew. He explained that the aircraft carrier was “unable to comply with CDC protocols” to “prevent unnecessary deaths.” He warned: “If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset – our sailors.” As of Friday morning, 137 members of Captain Crozier’s crew tested positive for COVID-19.
“Military law permitted Captain Crozier to inform a wide range of officials of the life-threatening conditions aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, including any ‘substantial and specific danger to public health or safety,’” according to Kohn. The whistleblower law also permitted Captain Crozier to report “gross mismanagement” committed by the U.S. Navy.
“Under legal precedent, the failure of the U.S. Navy to take immediate and effective steps to stop the spread of the Coronavirus on the USS Theodore Roosevelt could reasonably be viewed by Captain Crozier as ‘gross mismanagement.’ Furthermore, the life-threatening conditions on the carrier unquestionably constituted ‘substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. Consequently, Captain Crozier’s memorandum to the Navy was a protected disclosure under law,” Kohn said.
“The Military Whistleblower Law, which applies to the U.S. Navy, protects numerous whistleblower-related communications, even if they are made to hundreds of people,” according to Kohn.
Protected disclosures under the law include communications to:
“any person or organization in the chain of command;”
“a Member of Congress;”
“a member of a Department of Defense audit, inspection, investigation, or law enforcement organization;” and “any other person or organization designated pursuant to regulations or other established administrative procedures for such communications.”
According to CNN’s report, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly stated that he was concerned because the captain used an “unsecured system” when emailing his memo, “adding to the chances it could be leaked.” CNN directly quoted Secretary Modly as criticizing Captain Crozier because, “He sent it out pretty broadly, and in sending it out broadly he did not take care to ensure that it couldn’t be leaked, and that’s part of his responsibility, in my opinion.'”
“Secretary Modly’s justification for removing Captain Crozier raises the specter of illegal retaliation. There is no requirement that a military whistleblower must raise concerns using a “secured system,” or must limit the scope of his or her disclosures to “take care” that concerns are not “leaked.” The opposite is the case. The law permits military whistleblowers like Captain Crozer to send their memos to every single Member of Congress, with no restrictions on the ability of Congress to immediately release the memo to the press. Secretary Modly’s admissions constitute evidence of possible retaliatory motive,” Kohn said.
Under military law, whistleblower disclosures made by Captain Crozier would only lose their protection if they were “unlawful.” The Navy has not alleged that any of Captain Crozier’s communications violated the law.
“There is an even bigger issue here than whether Captain Crozier is protected under military law. Removing Captain Crozier from his duties sends the wrong message. It creates a chilling effect on others who are trying to save lives by taking prompt and aggressive action to alert the public to health and safety threats. During this crisis, disclosures like those made by Captain Crozier should be rewarded, not punished,” Kohn said.
“Attempts to censor or stop public disclosures of truthful and important health concerns during the coronavirus pandemic does not serve the public interest,” Kohn added.
Stephen M. Kohn has represented whistleblowers for over 35-years. He is the founding partner of the qui tam and whistleblower rights law firm of Kohn, Kohn and Colapinto, and the most highly published author on whistleblower law. His most recent book is The New Whistleblower’s Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing What’s Right and Protecting Yourself (Lyons Press 2017). He is also a co-founder of the National Whistleblower Center, where he serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Americans have the right to blow the whistle on coronavirus frauds or safety issues. Learn more by reading the Coronavirus FAQ and Kohn’s article “Whistleblowing and the Coronavirus Crisis.”


veteranstoday--2020-04-03--NYT: Putting Jared Kushner in Charge is Utter Madness

Reporting on the White House ’ s herky-jerky coronavirus response , Vanity Fair ’ s Gabriel Sherman has a quotation from Jared Kushner that should make all Americans , and particularly all New Yorkers , dizzy with terror .
According to Sherman , when New York ’ s governor , Andrew Cuomo , said that the state would need 30,000 ventilators at the apex of the coronavirus outbreak , Kushner decided that Cuomo was being alarmist .
“ I have all this data about I.C.U .
capacity , ” Kushner reportedly said .
“ I ’ m doing my own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot smarter about this .
New York doesn ’ t need all the ventilators.
” ( Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country ’ s top expert on infectious diseases , has said he trusts Cuomo ’ s estimate . )
Even now , it ’ s hard to believe that someone with as little expertise as Kushner could be so arrogant , but he said something similar on Thursday , when he made his debut at the White House ’ s daily coronavirus briefing : “ People who have requests for different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them are doing it based on projections which are not the realistic projections.
” Kushner has succeeded at exactly three things in his life .
He was born to the right parents , married well and learned how to influence his father-in-law .
Most of his other endeavors — his biggest real estate deal , his foray into newspaper ownership , his attempt to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians — have been failures .
Read more..

Reporting on the White House’s herky-jerky coronavirus response, Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman has a quotation from Jared Kushner that should make all Americans, and particularly all New Yorkers, dizzy with terror.
According to Sherman, when New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, said that the state would need 30,000 ventilators at the apex of the coronavirus outbreak, Kushner decided that Cuomo was being alarmist. “I have all this data about I.C.U. capacity,” Kushner reportedly said. “I’m doing my own projections, and I’ve gotten a lot smarter about this. New York doesn’t need all the ventilators.” (Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top expert on infectious diseases, has said he trusts Cuomo’s estimate.)
Even now, it’s hard to believe that someone with as little expertise as Kushner could be so arrogant, but he said something similar on Thursday, when he made his debut at the White House’s daily coronavirus briefing: “People who have requests for different products and supplies, a lot of them are doing it based on projections which are not the realistic projections.”
Kushner has succeeded at exactly three things in his life. He was born to the right parents, married well and learned how to influence his father-in-law. Most of his other endeavors — his biggest real estate deal, his foray into newspaper ownership, his attempt to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians — have been failures. Read more..


veteranstoday--2020-04-03--‘Captain Crozier!!!’ Fired by Trump for ‘Failure to Lie-Failure to Murder his Crew (Medal of Honor?)

Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War .
He is a disabled veteran and has worked @ @ @ @ @ for decades .
Gordon is an accredited diplomat and is generally accepted as one of @ @ @ @ @ .
He manages the world ’ s largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with @ @ @ @ @ has traveled extensively , is published around the world and is a regular guest on @ @ @ @ @ than “ several ” countries .
He is also a trained chef , wine enthusiast @ @ @ @ @ specializing in historical weapons and restoration .
Business experience and interests are in energy and @ @ @

Gordon Duff posted articles on VT from 2008 to 2022. He is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. A disabled veteran, he worked on veterans and POW issues for decades.
Gordon is an accredited diplomat and is generally accepted as one of the top global intelligence specialists. He manages the world’s largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with governments challenged by security issues.
Duff has traveled extensively, is published around the world, and is a regular guest on TV and radio in more than “several” countries. He is also a trained chef, wine enthusiast, avid motorcyclist, and gunsmith specializing in historical weapons and restoration. Business experience and interests are in energy and defense technology.


veteranstoday--2020-04-04--CoVid: €4 thousand “Ransom” for Dear Expired’s Urn asked to Relative by Funeral Home

No caress to the grandfather , the mother , the dying brother .
No liturgical parting for those who believe in the Risen Jesus Christ , no burial chamber for those who don ’ t believe .
The body sealed in the coffin in a hurry to avoid contagions by the operators of the funeral honors .
The coffin sent to the crematorium also with the help of army trucks in the province of Bergamo , where they were killed by the lethal CoVid-19 and hundreds of people continue to die per day .
So , even today , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , without even the consolation of a friendly face .
And for the purpose of this human affective and spiritual agony , when the “ so much fatigue was turned ” towards the “ immense horrid abyss ” feared by Giacomo Leopardi ’ s poem before it is “ the soul returned / from the squalid valley / To the Divine who is silent ” as invoked by the Resurrection of Alessandro Manzoni , here even the conquest of the “ correspondence of loving senses ” which for Ugo Foscolo “ heavenly dowry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sepulchres , becomes a grim , unexpected , inhuman challenge even more than the unfortunately very human merciless look of death … It ’ s the ransom !
You read that right … The ransom to get back the funeral urn with the dusty remains of the dear extinct .
The story happened in Central Italy is so absurd and terrible as to induce us to tell it immediately , without any further details , so that those who have some power in Italy can be alerted for a timely intervention… The unfortunate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release from the national press office of FederConsumatori ( Consumers Federation ) , which represents an organization for the protection of citizens-customers officially recognized by the Italian State .
Therefore the news is worthy of the maximum reliability .
The same representatives of this institution illustrate the episode with bewilderment and disappointment by announcing the appropriate verifications of the case to ascertain that there have been no misunderstandings .
But the issue in itself is so simple that it has induced them to report it to the media in the fear that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
« We received a request for help from a family who lost a loved one due to the coronavirus in Milan .
After hours and days full of pain and anxiety , the family members were contacted by the funeral home which asks for an amount of about 4,000 Euros to have the funeral urn and be able to proceed with the burial » reads the official statement sent by email from FederConsumatori national offices in Rome .
« It would seem , in fact , that they have been charged a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per day ) for the days when the body was hosted at a facility in Emilia Romagna awaiting cremation .
A far-fetched and shameful affair , which we hope is the result of an error , which in any case we will deepen to understand whose responsibilities are » adds the association of consumer defense .
In the areas of Bergamo and the border with Piedmont , it appears that the costs asked of the families of the deceased are considerably lower , also for cremations that took place outside the province or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
« We hope , therefore , that this is an isolated case .
If this is not the case , we invite the families involved to report it to us , we will assist them with discretion and respect , to ensure that anger should not be added to the pain experienced » adds FederConsumatori .
« Finally , we ask the Government , the local institutions of the areas where the mortality phenomenon is higher , as well as throughout the rest of the country , to carefully check that no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that not allow to no structure to ask for compensation for the parking of the corpses , which the Municipality of reference will have to take charge of » the citizens ’ paladins in Rome have written with a bitter final observation… « There are many cases of speculation and anomalies that , unfortunately , we have had to face during this pandemic .
Until now , however , we had come across forms of looting that relied on fear , today we are faced with those who speculate on pain » .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italians and inhabitants of the whole world .
As in any war – and there are many clues and authoritative opinions to suggest this pandemic caused by a biological weapon – there are the martyrs heroes in the trenches , doctors and nurses above all but also the elder priest that renounced to ventilator , there are the cowards – the health workers who have reported false diseases to avoid risking infection – , and there are vultures ready to decline the unexpected and criticalities of the emergency in their pockets .
Worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evil occult people who , with a diabolical fratricidal mentality , for fanatic ideological folly similar to that of ISIS suicide bombers , seem to have dared to premeditate and unleash it … Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio © COPYRIGHT GOSPA NEWS – for VETERANS TODAY only – no reproduction without authorizazion

by Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio for VT Italy
No caress to the grandfather, the mother, the dying brother. No liturgical parting for those who believe in the Risen Jesus Christ, no burial chamber for those who don’t believe.
The body sealed in the coffin in a hurry to avoid contagions by the operators of the funeral honors. The coffin sent to the crematorium also with the help of army trucks in the province of Bergamo, where they were killed by the lethal CoVid-19 and hundreds of people continue to die per day. So, even today, we die in Italy for the new SARS-2, without even the consolation of a friendly face.
And for the purpose of this human affective and spiritual agony, when the “so much fatigue was turned” towards the “immense horrid abyss” feared by Giacomo Leopardi’s poem before it is “the soul returned / from the squalid valley / To the Divine who is silent” as invoked by the Resurrection of Alessandro Manzoni, here even the conquest of the “correspondence of loving senses” which for Ugo Foscolo “heavenly dowry is in humans” thanks to the Sepulchres, becomes a grim, unexpected, inhuman challenge even more than the unfortunately very human merciless look of death …
It’s the ransom! You read that right … The ransom to get back the funeral urn with the dusty remains of the dear extinct.
The story happened in Central Italy is so absurd and terrible as to induce us to tell it immediately, without any further details, so that those who have some power in Italy can be alerted for a timely intervention…
The unfortunate story was the subject of a press release from the national press office of FederConsumatori (Consumers Federation), which represents an organization for the protection of citizens-customers officially recognized by the Italian State. Therefore the news is worthy of the maximum reliability.
The same representatives of this institution illustrate the episode with bewilderment and disappointment by announcing the appropriate verifications of the case to ascertain that there have been no misunderstandings. But the issue in itself is so simple that it has induced them to report it to the media in the fear that this unfortunate episode is not the only one.
«We received a request for help from a family who lost a loved one due to the coronavirus in Milan. After hours and days full of pain and anxiety, the family members were contacted by the funeral home which asks for an amount of about 4,000 Euros to have the funeral urn and be able to proceed with the burial» reads the official statement sent by email from FederConsumatori national offices in Rome.
«It would seem, in fact, that they have been charged a daily rate (of around 200 Euros per day) for the days when the body was hosted at a facility in Emilia Romagna awaiting cremation. A far-fetched and shameful affair, which we hope is the result of an error, which in any case we will deepen to understand whose responsibilities are» adds the association of consumer defense.
In the areas of Bergamo and the border with Piedmont, it appears that the costs asked of the families of the deceased are considerably lower, also for cremations that took place outside the province or outside the region, the statement states.
«We hope, therefore, that this is an isolated case. If this is not the case, we invite the families involved to report it to us, we will assist them with discretion and respect, to ensure that anger should not be added to the pain experienced» adds FederConsumatori.
«Finally, we ask the Government, the local institutions of the areas where the mortality phenomenon is higher, as well as throughout the rest of the country, to carefully check that no similar acts occur in their territory, that not allow to no structure to ask for compensation for the parking of the corpses, which the Municipality of reference will have to take charge of» the citizens’ paladins in Rome have written with a bitter final observation…
«There are many cases of speculation and anomalies that, unfortunately, we have had to face during this pandemic. Until now, however, we had come across forms of looting that relied on fear, today we are faced with those who speculate on pain».
CoronaVirus has already transformed the lives of Italians and inhabitants of the whole world. As in any war – and there are many clues and authoritative opinions to suggest this pandemic caused by a biological weapon – there are the martyrs heroes in the trenches, doctors and nurses above all but also the elder priest that renounced to ventilator, there are the cowards – the health workers who have reported false diseases to avoid risking infection –, and there are vultures ready to decline the unexpected and criticalities of the emergency in their pockets.
Worse than them there could be only the evil occult people who, with a diabolical fratricidal mentality, for fanatic ideological folly similar to that of ISIS suicide bombers, seem to have dared to premeditate and unleash it …
Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio
© COPYRIGHT GOSPA NEWS – for VETERANS TODAY only – no reproduction without authorizazion
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