hotair--2020-11-29--Here is how this year's visit with Santa Claus will be different

Next up on the holiday calendar is Christmas .
In normal years , cities across the country hold Thanksgiving Day parades and the very last float is a Santa Claus-themed one .
Santa ushers in the Christmas holiday season .
This year as families prepare for Christmas , a visit with Santa Claus for their children will be different because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The coronavirus pandemic has drastically altered how Americans have celebrated every holiday since Easter .
A visit with Santa Claus is still possible this year but it is going to be unusual .
It will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in past years , you may not be able to simply show up at a mall or other public place and wait in line to visit with Santa .
There will be no placing little ones on Santa ’ s lap so that Christmas wishes can be discussed and a keepsake photograph can be snapped .
Some innovative ways of having a socially-distanced experience will be in effect .
Santa Claus is a high-risk guy for the coronavirus because of his age and belly like a bowl full of jelly , so an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely include plexiglass .
Some stores have already canceled in-store visits to maintain crowd control .
Kids will instead tell Santa what they want for Christmas from six feet away , and sometimes from behind a sheet of plexiglass .
Santa and his visitors may need to wear a face mask , even while posing for photos .
And some malls will put faux gift boxes and other decorations in front of Saint Nick to block kids from charging toward him .
Other safety measures include online reservations to cut down on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and hand sanitizer aplenty .
Santa ’ s hours are also getting cut to give him a break from crowds .
Macy ’ s canceled its in-person visits this year , saying it couldn ’ t provide a safe environment for the more than 250,000 people that show up to see Kriss Kringle at its New York flagship store .
Malls have struggled this year because of coronavirus lockdowns so an effort is being made to accommodate Santa ’ s visitors in order to encourage shoppers to get out and resist only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mall .
According to GlobalData Retail , more than 10 million U.S. households visited Santa in a mall or store last year .
The majority of those visitors then went to nearby restaurants or stores .
Santa is good for foot traffic .
Some malls are holding off a bit this year and scheduling appearances by Santa later .
There is no one-size-fits-all approach .
Plexiglass barriers don ’ t look good in photographs so some malls are deciding against that option .
How about Santa in a snow globe ?
Mall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month , plans to bring Santa to nearly 60 malls at the end of November , about three weeks later than last year .
The company decided against a plexiglass barrier because it didn ’ t look right in photos .
But Santa will be socially distanced and wear a face mask .
He may also put on a plastic shield to protect his face .
“ We ’ re doing everything possible so that he stays healthy , ” says Mary Lynn Morse , CBL ’ s marketing vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa visits at 130 of its shopping centers in April , opting for sleighs and gift boxes where visitors can sit away from Santa .
At one of its malls , The SoNo Collection in Norwalk , Connecticut , a round piece of plexiglass will be placed in front of Santa so it looks like he ’ s inside a snow globe .
For those who don ’ t feel comfortable visiting a mall , other options are available .
How about a Zoom call with Santa ?
It sounds kind of depressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things in the year of the plague .
And , there is a virtual Santa company called JingleRing .
Who knew ?
JingleRing gives people a way to chat with Santa from home .
One Santa is skipping the mall experience this year and doing video calls with children instead .
He ’ s training other Santas to get them ready for their own video calls .
Ed Taylor , a Santa who typically spends several months in Los Angeles filming TV spots and making mall appearances , will stay at home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think about the high risk profile for COVID , you ’ re kind of drawing a picture of Santa , ” Taylor says .
He ’ ll be doing video calls with families and has been holding online classes to get other Santas camera-ready .
Meeting kids virtually means getting them to speak up more , since the calls usually run seven minutes — about twice as long as mall visits , where the main objective is to snap a good picture .
Sam ’ s Clubs are offering members the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free of charge .
You can choose a Santa that “ best suits your family ” and give your child ’ s name and age in advance for a personalized greeting .
There are personalized letters and postcards available online for children .
There is also the old-school way of communicating with Santa Claus available this year .
The U.S. Post Office encourages children to mail their Christmas wish lists to Santa .
Plan ahead .
Let ’ s try to give the little ones as normal of a holiday as possible .

Next up on the holiday calendar is Christmas. In normal years, cities across the country hold Thanksgiving Day parades and the very last float is a Santa Claus-themed one. Santa ushers in the Christmas holiday season. This year as families prepare for Christmas, a visit with Santa Claus for their children will be different because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has drastically altered how Americans have celebrated every holiday since Easter. A visit with Santa Claus is still possible this year but it is going to be unusual. It will be important to plan ahead. Unlike in past years, you may not be able to simply show up at a mall or other public place and wait in line to visit with Santa. There will be no placing little ones on Santa’s lap so that Christmas wishes can be discussed and a keepsake photograph can be snapped. Some innovative ways of having a socially-distanced experience will be in effect.
Santa Claus is a high-risk guy for the coronavirus because of his age and belly like a bowl full of jelly, so an in-person visit will require face masks and will likely include plexiglass. Some stores have already canceled in-store visits to maintain crowd control.
Kids will instead tell Santa what they want for Christmas from six feet away, and sometimes from behind a sheet of plexiglass. Santa and his visitors may need to wear a face mask, even while posing for photos. And some malls will put faux gift boxes and other decorations in front of Saint Nick to block kids from charging toward him. Other safety measures include online reservations to cut down on lines, workers wiping down holiday-decorated sets, and hand sanitizer aplenty. Santa’s hours are also getting cut to give him a break from crowds. Macy’s canceled its in-person visits this year, saying it couldn’t provide a safe environment for the more than 250,000 people that show up to see Kriss Kringle at its New York flagship store.
Malls have struggled this year because of coronavirus lockdowns so an effort is being made to accommodate Santa’s visitors in order to encourage shoppers to get out and resist only shopping online. Santa brings people to the mall. According to GlobalData Retail, more than 10 million U.S. households visited Santa in a mall or store last year. The majority of those visitors then went to nearby restaurants or stores. Santa is good for foot traffic.
Some malls are holding off a bit this year and scheduling appearances by Santa later. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Plexiglass barriers don’t look good in photographs so some malls are deciding against that option. How about Santa in a snow globe?
Mall operator CBL, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, plans to bring Santa to nearly 60 malls at the end of November, about three weeks later than last year. The company decided against a plexiglass barrier because it didn’t look right in photos. But Santa will be socially distanced and wear a face mask. He may also put on a plastic shield to protect his face. “We’re doing everything possible so that he stays healthy,” says Mary Lynn Morse, CBL’s marketing vice president. Mall owner Brookfield started planning in-person Santa visits at 130 of its shopping centers in April, opting for sleighs and gift boxes where visitors can sit away from Santa. At one of its malls, The SoNo Collection in Norwalk, Connecticut, a round piece of plexiglass will be placed in front of Santa so it looks like he’s inside a snow globe.
For those who don’t feel comfortable visiting a mall, other options are available. How about a Zoom call with Santa? It sounds kind of depressing but that’s how we do things in the year of the plague. And, there is a virtual Santa company called JingleRing. Who knew? JingleRing gives people a way to chat with Santa from home.
One Santa is skipping the mall experience this year and doing video calls with children instead. He’s training other Santas to get them ready for their own video calls.
Ed Taylor, a Santa who typically spends several months in Los Angeles filming TV spots and making mall appearances, will stay at home in southern Oregon this year. “When you think about the high risk profile for COVID, you’re kind of drawing a picture of Santa,” Taylor says. He’ll be doing video calls with families and has been holding online classes to get other Santas camera-ready. Meeting kids virtually means getting them to speak up more, since the calls usually run seven minutes — about twice as long as mall visits, where the main objective is to snap a good picture.
Sam’s Clubs are offering members the opportunity to book five-minute video visits with Santa free of charge. You can choose a Santa that “best suits your family” and give your child’s name and age in advance for a personalized greeting.
There are personalized letters and postcards available online for children. There is also the old-school way of communicating with Santa Claus available this year. The U.S. Post Office encourages children to mail their Christmas wish lists to Santa.
One tradition that doesn’t have to change (and can always be done safely): sending letters to Santa. The U.S. Postal Service has instructions on how to get a letter from St. Nick himself, postmarked from the North Pole. Follow each step and make sure you send your letters by Dec. 7 so that they can be received in time for Christmas.
It's been a very difficult year for so many. Are you worried about the holidays? Do you believe in the magic of Santa? Write him a letter! Be specific. Include a return address. Send it to 123 ELF ROAD NORTH POLE 88888 and put a stamp on it! #DoYouBelieveInMagic pic.twitter.com/OaAwyj9V8L — USPS Operation Santa (@USPSOpSanta) November 10, 2020
Plan ahead. Let’s try to give the little ones as normal of a holiday as possible.


hotair--2020-11-29--COVID-19 outbreak on Oregon mink farm among people and animals confirmed

An Oregon mink farm reported an outbreak of the coronavirus among animals and workers on November 19 .
The farm was placed under quarantine by the Oregon Department of Agriculture ( ODA ) on November 23 .
No animals or animal products can leave the farm while the farm is under quarantine .
All of the farm ’ s workers were asked to self-quarantine .
Andrea Cantu-Schomus , a spokeswoman for ODA , would not say which county the mink farm is in or how many farm workers tested positive for the coronavirus .
She cited federal health privacy rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more specific information .
She did say that the farm has about 12,000 animals .
The majority of the state ’ s mink farms , eight out of 11 , are located in Marion County .
When the farm ’ s owner reported the COVID-19 outbreak among the mink , ODA took samples from ten of the sick minks .
All of the samples came back positive for COVID-19 .
Cantu-Schomus didn ’ t say how many minks are affected but that the ten animals tested were a sample of the mink population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authority asked the farmworkers to self-isolate .
Several states have reported outbreaks in farmed minks , as have other countries .
Earlier this month , Denmark reported a decision to exterminate its entire population of minks , about 17 million .
The report from Denmark that a mutated strain of the virus spread from the minks to humans has not been reported elsewhere .
Oregon has the nation ’ s fourth-largest farmed mink industry .
Wisconsin , Utah , and Michigan also have a large number of mink farms .
All of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and national environmental groups are taking advantage of the reported outbreaks by lobbying for the closure of mink farms .
“ This was so foreseeable , ” said Lori Ann Burd , with the Center for Biological Diversity , one of the groups urging Oregon to take action .
“ We ’ ll certainly be following up with the agency to demand answers and to find out what they ’ re doing to mitigate this outbreak and public health risk.
” In letters to Gov .
Kate Brown and state agencies , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mink farms , as well as quarantines and a phased buy-out of the industry .
At that time , state officials said they did not intend to take any of the groups ’ recommendations .
Oregon ’ s state veterinarian has been communicating with mink farmers about the outbreaks , Cantu-Schomus has said .
“ We have been engaged with the Oregon mink industry for some time , providing information on biosecurity to prevent the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 and were ready to respond , ” State Veterinarian Ryan Scholz said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmer did the right thing by self-reporting symptoms very early and he is now cooperating with us and the Oregon Health Authority in taking care of his animals and staff , ” Scholz said .
“ So far , we have no reports of mink mortalities linked to the virus but that could change as the virus progresses.
” In Wisconsin , about 3,400 farmed mink have died over the past month after contracting the virus .
And in Utah , about 10,000 mink have died since August .
All of the minks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the virus .
It is suspected that farmworkers spread the virus to the animals .
The mink didn ’ t infect the workers .
More testing will be done in 7 to 10 days after the symptoms stop and , if necessary , continue every 14 days until no infected mink is found .
The sample size will be much larger .
The ODA has no plans to do inspections or test mink unless symptoms are reported .
ODA is working with OHA , the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC to study how the virus is transmitted among mink , other animals on the farm , and people .
According to the World Health Organization , cases of COVID-19 have been reported in farmed mink in the Netherlands , Spain , Sweden , Italy , and Greece .
Michael Whelan , executive director of Medford-based Fur Commission USA , a national nonprofit representing mink farmers , said the group is offering free testing to farm operators and employees .
He reminds farmers of the seriousness of the virus and of the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the mink .
The good news is that there is no indication that the virus is being spread to humans by the minks .
Though investigations are on-going , there is no evidence of mink to human spread .

An Oregon mink farm reported an outbreak of the coronavirus among animals and workers on November 19. The farm was placed under quarantine by the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) on November 23. No animals or animal products can leave the farm while the farm is under quarantine. All of the farm’s workers were asked to self-quarantine.
Andrea Cantu-Schomus, a spokeswoman for ODA, would not say which county the mink farm is in or how many farm workers tested positive for the coronavirus. She cited federal health privacy rules as the reason for not giving out more specific information. She did say that the farm has about 12,000 animals. The majority of the state’s mink farms, eight out of 11, are located in Marion County.
When the farm’s owner reported the COVID-19 outbreak among the mink, ODA took samples from ten of the sick minks. All of the samples came back positive for COVID-19. Cantu-Schomus didn’t say how many minks are affected but that the ten animals tested were a sample of the mink population on the farm. The Oregon Health Authority asked the farmworkers to self-isolate.
Several states have reported outbreaks in farmed minks, as have other countries. Earlier this month, Denmark reported a decision to exterminate its entire population of minks, about 17 million. The report from Denmark that a mutated strain of the virus spread from the minks to humans has not been reported elsewhere.
Oregon has the nation’s fourth-largest farmed mink industry. Wisconsin, Utah, and Michigan also have a large number of mink farms. All of these states have reported coronavirus outbreaks. State and national environmental groups are taking advantage of the reported outbreaks by lobbying for the closure of mink farms.
“This was so foreseeable,” said Lori Ann Burd, with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups urging Oregon to take action. “We’ll certainly be following up with the agency to demand answers and to find out what they’re doing to mitigate this outbreak and public health risk.” In letters to Gov. Kate Brown and state agencies, the groups asked for immediate inspections of Oregon’s mink farms, as well as quarantines and a phased buy-out of the industry. At that time, state officials said they did not intend to take any of the groups’ recommendations. Oregon’s state veterinarian has been communicating with mink farmers about the outbreaks, Cantu-Schomus has said. “We have been engaged with the Oregon mink industry for some time, providing information on biosecurity to prevent the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 and were ready to respond,” State Veterinarian Ryan Scholz said in a written statement Friday. “The farmer did the right thing by self-reporting symptoms very early and he is now cooperating with us and the Oregon Health Authority in taking care of his animals and staff,” Scholz said. “So far, we have no reports of mink mortalities linked to the virus but that could change as the virus progresses.” In Wisconsin, about 3,400 farmed mink have died over the past month after contracting the virus. And in Utah, about 10,000 mink have died since August.
All of the minks on the farm appear to have recovered from the virus. It is suspected that farmworkers spread the virus to the animals. The mink didn’t infect the workers. More testing will be done in 7 to 10 days after the symptoms stop and, if necessary, continue every 14 days until no infected mink is found. The sample size will be much larger. The ODA has no plans to do inspections or test mink unless symptoms are reported. ODA is working with OHA, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the CDC to study how the virus is transmitted among mink, other animals on the farm, and people.
According to the World Health Organization, cases of COVID-19 have been reported in farmed mink in the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Italy, and Greece.
Michael Whelan, executive director of Medford-based Fur Commission USA, a national nonprofit representing mink farmers, said the group is offering free testing to farm operators and employees. He reminds farmers of the seriousness of the virus and of the need to screen people who come in contact with the mink. The good news is that there is no indication that the virus is being spread to humans by the minks. Though investigations are on-going, there is no evidence of mink to human spread.


hotair--2020-11-29--D'oh, de Blasio: On second thought, let's open the schools again

Gee , I wonder why Americans don ’ t put their trust in their elected leadership these days ?
After Bill de Blasio closed schools in New York City , supposedly on the basis of science , parents and health experts erupted in protest .
No data actually supported the idea that elementary schools spread COVID-19 , especially not anywhere near the levels to which bars and restaurants do — which de Blasio wants to keep open .
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday that he would reopen public elementary schools , abruptly shifting policy in the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placing more of a priority on economic activities like indoor dining than the well-being of its children .
Mr. de Blasio said that middle and high schools would remain closed , but he also signaled that he would overhaul how the city manages schools during the pandemic , which has forced millions of children in the United States out of schools and is widely perceived to have done significant damage to their education and mental health .
The mayor said the city would abandon a 3 percent test positivity threshold that it had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largest in the country , with 1.1 million children .
And he said the system would aim to give most parents the option of sending their children to school five days a week , which would effectively end the so-called hybrid learning system .
Good news ?
Sorta .
Leave it to de Blasio to offer a particularly douche-tastic codicil on returning to classrooms .
Students are only eligible if they already signed up for the hybrid learning program , which leaves two-thirds of Big Apple schoolkids still locked out : That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo did their level best to frighten parents out of using any in-person option at all .
They only gave them a few weeks to suss out the situation , weeks in which the pair kept hinting that schools would have to be closed .
Guess what they chose to do ?
Several weeks before Mayor Bill de Blasio shut New York City ’ s school system , the nation ’ s largest , amid a surge in coronavirus cases , he handed parents a daunting deadline : They had only a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to classrooms this school year , and likely until at least next fall .
This week , New Yorkers returned their verdict : Only about 35,000 children who had been learning remotely at the start of the school year asked to switch into some in-person learning whenever city schools reopen .
The number of families choosing to return to classrooms represents both a major disappointment and surprise for the mayor , who has said he has a mandate from parents to reopen schools .
Parents were asked to make the wrenching decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the school year while the threat of systemwide closure loomed .
All city schools closed for in-person learning indefinitely on Thursday , though the mayor has vowed to reopen them as soon as possible .
Now de Blasio wants to hold them to that commitment despite today ’ s admission that his policy was hyperbolic and unproductive in the first place .
Not to mention that even at that time , the science pointed toward keeping schools open and perhaps consider more restrictions on in-person dining and boozing : On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s largest district — one of the first to open for in-person instruction — would join the ranks of cities closing their public schools .
But as the country grapples with how to educate kids while also curbing the coronavirus , the emphasis on transmission in schools may be misplaced .
The best available data suggests that infection rates in schools simply mirror the prevalence of covid-19 in the surrounding community — and that addressing community spread is where our efforts should be focused .
… Sadly , schools in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher infection rates — but the same is true of the communities these schools are located in .
Again , there is a noticeably lower rate of infection among younger students than among staff , suggesting that sending children in these neighborhoods to school for in-person instruction would not increase the danger of their contracting covid-19 .
Given that these are precisely the groups that are losing the most from distance learning , this suggests we should make their return to in-person school a priority .
The data from New York also makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases .
During the four-week period studied , roughly 80 percent of schools in the state reported no covid-19 cases at all .
And of those schools that did detect covid , nearly 90 percent had only one or two cases across all students and staff .
A single case is unlikely to be the result of in-school transmission — meaning students and teachers don ’ t appear to be catching covid from each other .
Note well the date on this Washington Post article — November 20 , two days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public schools.That ’ s also the deadline de Blasio gave parents to make up their minds about school access , too .
By that time , Brown University professor Emily Oster already had sufficient data from New York to conclude that schools weren ’ t at risk for become super-spreader epicenters .
It took nine days for de Blasio to reconsider , and then only partly and with one last punitive prerequisite for New York City ’ s parents .
That data almost certainly isn ’ t the catalyst for de Blasio ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ d bet dollars to donuts that Dr. Anthony Fauci ’ s appearance this morning on ABC ’ s This Week provided that catalyst by contradicting de Blasio ’ s claims of following the science .
Allahpundit forwarded it over to me this afternoon : Fauci ’ s rebuttal clearly made de Blasio ’ s position untenable , especially in progressive New York City , where Fauci ’ s credibility almost certainly outstrips every elected official , and not just Trump .
But it shouldn ’ t have come to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports from UNICEF and an earlier report from Oster that argued clearly that the science showed no apparent added risk of spread at schools .
“ The evidence is pointing in one direction , ” Oster wrote in early October , six weeks before de Blasio closed the schools .
“ Schools do not , in fact , appear to be major spreaders of COVID-19.
” The UNICEF report from 191 countries declaring schools not to be a risk came out on the very day de Blasio closed the schools .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should “ close the bars ” to keep the schools open ; Fauci himself notes that ’ s too glib .
But maybe New Yorkers should start to consider closing de Blasio out of office sometime soon , a move that might improve city voters ’ mental and physical health .

Gee, I wonder why Americans don’t put their trust in their elected leadership these days? After Bill de Blasio closed schools in New York City, supposedly on the basis of science, parents and health experts erupted in protest. No data actually supported the idea that elementary schools spread COVID-19, especially not anywhere near the levels to which bars and restaurants do — which de Blasio wants to keep open.
Today, de Blasio suddenly backpedaled, at least partially:
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday that he would reopen public elementary schools, abruptly shifting policy in the face of widespread criticism that New York City was placing more of a priority on economic activities like indoor dining than the well-being of its children. Mr. de Blasio said that middle and high schools would remain closed, but he also signaled that he would overhaul how the city manages schools during the pandemic, which has forced millions of children in the United States out of schools and is widely perceived to have done significant damage to their education and mental health. The mayor said the city would abandon a 3 percent test positivity threshold that it had adopted for closing the school system, the largest in the country, with 1.1 million children. And he said the system would aim to give most parents the option of sending their children to school five days a week, which would effectively end the so-called hybrid learning system.
Good news? Sorta. Leave it to de Blasio to offer a particularly douche-tastic codicil on returning to classrooms. Students are only eligible if they already signed up for the hybrid learning program, which leaves two-thirds of Big Apple schoolkids still locked out:
Students can return only if they have already signed up for in-person learning, meaning fewer than 335,000 of the city’s schoolchildren, or roughly a third, are even eligible.
That’s because de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo did their level best to frighten parents out of using any in-person option at all. They only gave them a few weeks to suss out the situation, weeks in which the pair kept hinting that schools would have to be closed. Guess what they chose to do?
Several weeks before Mayor Bill de Blasio shut New York City’s school system, the nation’s largest, amid a surge in coronavirus cases, he handed parents a daunting deadline: They had only a few weeks to decide if their children would return to classrooms this school year, and likely until at least next fall. This week, New Yorkers returned their verdict: Only about 35,000 children who had been learning remotely at the start of the school year asked to switch into some in-person learning whenever city schools reopen. The number of families choosing to return to classrooms represents both a major disappointment and surprise for the mayor, who has said he has a mandate from parents to reopen schools. Parents were asked to make the wrenching decision about how their children would learn for the rest of the school year while the threat of systemwide closure loomed. All city schools closed for in-person learning indefinitely on Thursday, though the mayor has vowed to reopen them as soon as possible.
Now de Blasio wants to hold them to that commitment despite today’s admission that his policy was hyperbolic and unproductive in the first place. Not to mention that even at that time, the science pointed toward keeping schools open and perhaps consider more restrictions on in-person dining and boozing:
On Wednesday, New York City announced that the nation’s largest district — one of the first to open for in-person instruction — would join the ranks of cities closing their public schools. But as the country grapples with how to educate kids while also curbing the coronavirus, the emphasis on transmission in schools may be misplaced. The best available data suggests that infection rates in schools simply mirror the prevalence of covid-19 in the surrounding community — and that addressing community spread is where our efforts should be focused. … Sadly, schools in areas with significant minority populations do have higher infection rates — but the same is true of the communities these schools are located in. Again, there is a noticeably lower rate of infection among younger students than among staff, suggesting that sending children in these neighborhoods to school for in-person instruction would not increase the danger of their contracting covid-19. Given that these are precisely the groups that are losing the most from distance learning, this suggests we should make their return to in-person school a priority. The data from New York also makes it possible to look at the distribution of cases. During the four-week period studied, roughly 80 percent of schools in the state reported no covid-19 cases at all. And of those schools that did detect covid, nearly 90 percent had only one or two cases across all students and staff. A single case is unlikely to be the result of in-school transmission — meaning students and teachers don’t appear to be catching covid from each other.
Note well the date on this Washington Post article — November 20, two days after de Blasio announced the closure of all public schools.That’s also the deadline de Blasio gave parents to make up their minds about school access, too. By that time, Brown University professor Emily Oster already had sufficient data from New York to conclude that schools weren’t at risk for become super-spreader epicenters. It took nine days for de Blasio to reconsider, and then only partly and with one last punitive prerequisite for New York City’s parents.
That data almost certainly isn’t the catalyst for de Blasio’s “abrupt” change in position. I’d bet dollars to donuts that Dr. Anthony Fauci’s appearance this morning on ABC’s This Week provided that catalyst by contradicting de Blasio’s claims of following the science. Allahpundit forwarded it over to me this afternoon:
Dr. Fauci: "The default position should be to try as best as possible within reason to keep the children in school or to get them back to school […] if you look at the data the spread among children and from children is not really big at all"pic.twitter.com/G0MqlA0NDQ — Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) November 29, 2020
Fauci’s rebuttal clearly made de Blasio’s position untenable, especially in progressive New York City, where Fauci’s credibility almost certainly outstrips every elected official, and not just Trump. But it shouldn’t have come to that, either. DeAngelis also linked to reports from UNICEF and an earlier report from Oster that argued clearly that the science showed no apparent added risk of spread at schools. “The evidence is pointing in one direction,” Oster wrote in early October, six weeks before de Blasio closed the schools. “Schools do not, in fact, appear to be major spreaders of COVID-19.” The UNICEF report from 191 countries declaring schools not to be a risk came out on the very day de Blasio closed the schools.
It’s still an open question whether we should “close the bars” to keep the schools open; Fauci himself notes that’s too glib. But maybe New Yorkers should start to consider closing de Blasio out of office sometime soon, a move that might improve city voters’ mental and physical health.


hotair--2020-11-29--On the move: First doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have flown to U.S. from Belgium

The first doses of Pfizer ’ s coronavirus vaccine are on the move .
United Airlines is flying the vaccine to the United States , though the airline is not confirming any specifics of the operation .
When the vaccine receives final approval , the doses will be in position for quick distribution .
In October , the FAA established the FAA COVID-19 Vaccine Air Transport Team to support the mass air shipments of the vaccines .
Special accommodations have to be in place to transport the shipments , including a large amount of dry ice cargo to keep the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is being reported that the FAA is allowing United to carry 15,000 pounds of dry ice per flight .
That amount is five times over the normally permitted limit .
“ As a result of the historic pace of vaccine development through Operation Warp Speed and careful logistics planning , the FAA today is supporting the first mass air shipment of a vaccine , ” the FAA statement read .
“ The FAA established the ‘ FAA COVID-19 Vaccine Air Transport Team ’ in October to ensure safe , expeditious , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need continued cold temperatures during transport , which , in some circumstances , require dry ice , a hazardous material , ” the statement added .
The transport team works with the COVID Vaccine Readiness Task Team .
There are several moving parts to the mass transportation and distribution effort that will be necessary to get the vaccine to everyone .
United Airlines is remaining silent , though , on which flights carry the vaccines .
It will be an around-the-clock operation with flights carrying the vaccine receiving priority .
A United spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday that the vaccine rollout was being handled by United Cargo , which established a COVID Vaccine Readiness Task Team earlier this year “ to help ensure we have the right people , products , services , and partnerships in place to support a vaccine distribution effort on a global scale.
” “ We have made a commitment to our pharmaceutical and medical customers that we are ready to safely and effectively support their vaccines transportation needs , ” the spokesperson added , noting that the safety and security of the vaccine “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for emergency use authorization ( EUA ) .
A request was submitted to the FDA last week .
Pfizer ’ s vaccine was developed in partnership with the German biotechnology company BioNTech .
Part of Pfizer ’ s distribution plan includes using refrigerated storage sites across the United States and Europe .
Dozens of cargo flights and hundreds of truck trips will be necessary every day .
The United Kingdom is expected to approve Pfizer ’ s vaccine this week .
Just nine months into the coronavirus pandemic , a vaccine is available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Operation Warp Speed .
The success of this public-private partnership can not be overstated .

The first doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine are on the move. United Airlines is flying the vaccine to the United States, though the airline is not confirming any specifics of the operation. When the vaccine receives final approval, the doses will be in position for quick distribution.
In October, the FAA established the FAA COVID-19 Vaccine Air Transport Team to support the mass air shipments of the vaccines. Special accommodations have to be in place to transport the shipments, including a large amount of dry ice cargo to keep the vaccine at an extremely cold temperature. It is being reported that the FAA is allowing United to carry 15,000 pounds of dry ice per flight. That amount is five times over the normally permitted limit.
“As a result of the historic pace of vaccine development through Operation Warp Speed and careful logistics planning, the FAA today is supporting the first mass air shipment of a vaccine,” the FAA statement read. “The FAA established the ‘FAA COVID-19 Vaccine Air Transport Team’ in October to ensure safe, expeditious, and efficient transportation of vaccines. Several vaccines need continued cold temperatures during transport, which, in some circumstances, require dry ice, a hazardous material,” the statement added.
The transport team works with the COVID Vaccine Readiness Task Team. There are several moving parts to the mass transportation and distribution effort that will be necessary to get the vaccine to everyone. United Airlines is remaining silent, though, on which flights carry the vaccines. It will be an around-the-clock operation with flights carrying the vaccine receiving priority.
A United spokesperson told The Hill in a statement on Friday that the vaccine rollout was being handled by United Cargo, which established a COVID Vaccine Readiness Task Team earlier this year “to help ensure we have the right people, products, services, and partnerships in place to support a vaccine distribution effort on a global scale.” “We have made a commitment to our pharmaceutical and medical customers that we are ready to safely and effectively support their vaccines transportation needs,” the spokesperson added, noting that the safety and security of the vaccine “is our priority.”
Pfizer is waiting for emergency use authorization (EUA). A request was submitted to the FDA last week. Pfizer’s vaccine was developed in partnership with the German biotechnology company BioNTech. Part of Pfizer’s distribution plan includes using refrigerated storage sites across the United States and Europe. Dozens of cargo flights and hundreds of truck trips will be necessary every day. The United Kingdom is expected to approve Pfizer’s vaccine this week.
Just nine months into the coronavirus pandemic, a vaccine is available and waiting for final approval, thanks to Operation Warp Speed. The success of this public-private partnership cannot be overstated.


hotair--2020-11-29--Trump: I'm ashamed that I endorsed Brian Kemp

Next weekend ’ s rally in Georgia is , or was , supposed to unite the party before the January 5 runoffs .
Good luck with that after he inevitably spends 45 minutes at the mic ranting about how Kemp and his deputies are “ enemies of the people ” who rigged the election against him .
“ Many Trump aides and many GA senate folks are uneasy he ’ s going to GA and see potential downside .
Here ’ s why , ” said Maggie Haberman of the clip above .
I ’ m morbidly excited to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successfully primarying Kemp in 2022 after this .
Stacey Abrams must be overjoyed at her good luck upon realizing that she won ’ t have an uphill battle against an incumbent governor two years from now after all .
Probably she ’ ll be facing election-truther Doug Collins or some QAnon crank handpicked by Trump for his endorsement .
Trump ’ s specific grievance against Kemp is unclear but I think it ’ s supposed to be .
There ’ s no thought-through theory of malfeasance here ; it ’ s as simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was supposed to win and being a child about it by trying to blame others for his failure .
Kemp failed him and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger failed him because they … didn ’ t rig the election in his favor when they realized the vote would be close , I guess ?
The nearest thing he has to a concrete allegation is ye olde Dominion software conspiracy , which ironically was debunked by Georgia ’ s own hand recount of paper ballots .
( Trump has never explained how he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio comfortably even though they used Dominion software too . )
Amazingly , he went out of his way in his interview this morning to remind Georgia Republicans that Dominion machines will also be used in the Senate runoff elections : If you ’ re an election truther who ’ s convinced himself that the fix is in with Dominion , why would you turn out for another election in which Dominion machines will be used ?
Also , where ’ s Trump getting the idea that Abrams has “ collected ” 850,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been posting updates on her Twitter feed about how many Georgians have *requested* mail-in ballots for the runoff .
( At last check it was 900,000 . )
There ’ s no evidence that she ’ s harvesting those ballots .
We ’ ve reached a point in Trump ’ s deterioration where it ’ s become impossible to separate knowing lies from facts that he ’ s misconstrued to conspiracy garbage that he earnestly believes .
He ’ s treating the wound to his ego inflicted by the election results by applying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might help him feel better .
He may genuinely have no mechanism left to distinguish what ’ s true from what ’ s outlandishly false .
E.g .
: Kemp and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger will be the long-term casualties of this crankery .
The nearer-term potential casualties are Loeffler and Perdue : It doesn ’ t matter that both candidates are essentially lock-step with Trump , or that there is no evidence of links to electoral malfeasance .
On Twitter and its less-restrictive alternative Parler , Trump ’ s more hardline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s favorite — and untrue — voter-fraud theories .
Hashtags like # CrookedPerdue and # CrookedKelly are flying around .
The two lawmakers ’ Parler accounts are brimming with posts accusing them of being secret “ liberal DemoRats.
” … [ Sidney ] Powell , Trump ’ s erstwhile attorney , turned parts of the MAGA community against Loeffler when she started pushing an untrue allegation that Loeffler had somehow conspired with a voting technology company , Dominion Voting Systems , to suppress votes for Collins… Lin Wood , a prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to overturn the state ’ s results , has repeatedly called for Loeffler to drop out of the race , pressed Perdue to show more Trump loyalty and for them both to begin “ investigations ” into the election .
At risk of being scapegoated by a possibly unstoppable conspiracy theory , Loeffler has followed the Trumpian example : She ’ s tried to pass the buck to a bigger scapegoat .
Georgians haven ’ t lost faith in the state ’ s elections because of Raffensperger , they ’ ve lost faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was cheated and people like Loeffler keep enabling him for their own selfish reasons .
The single biggest disgrace of this entire disgraceful post-election period , in fact , is how Raffensperger has been treated by Trump and his cronies in the GOP establishment .
Two days ago , on Thanksgiving , the president referred to him as “ an enemy of the people , ” a term he usually applies to the media and one so cartoonishly demagogic it would have made Orwell blush .
Raffensperger and his family have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started singling him out for abuse , with his wife Tricia telling reporters that they ’ ve escalated from garden-variety “ watch your back ” stuff early on to lurid descriptions of sexual violence aimed at her more recently .
Trump has no empathy for others and won ’ t dial back his criticism as a matter of simple decency to spare her and her husband from further harassment but establishment Republicans could speak up since they are , in theory , different .
Aren ’ t they ?
More troubling to Raffensperger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife , Tricia , have received over the past few weeks — and a break-in at another family member ’ s home .
All of it has prompted him to accept a state security detail .
“ If Republicans don ’ t start condemning this stuff , then I think they ’ re really complicit in it , ” he said .
“ It ’ s time to stand up and be counted .
Are you going to stand for righteousness ?
Are you going to stand for integrity ?
Or are you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
You wanted to condemn the wild mob when it ’ s on the left side .
What are you going to do when it ’ s on our side ?
” They ’ re not going to do anything .
For Washington Republicans , whether the mob is an asset or a liability depends entirely on votes .
If conspiratorial demagoguery chases enough people out of the party that it begins to hurt the GOP ’ s Election Day bottom line , then they ’ ll start to worry about it and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may mean for Raffensperger and his family .

Next weekend’s rally in Georgia is, or was, supposed to unite the party before the January 5 runoffs. Good luck with that after he inevitably spends 45 minutes at the mic ranting about how Kemp and his deputies are “enemies of the people” who rigged the election against him.
“Many Trump aides and many GA senate folks are uneasy he’s going to GA and see potential downside. Here’s why,” said Maggie Haberman of the clip above. I’m morbidly excited to see what sort of fringe crank ends up successfully primarying Kemp in 2022 after this. Stacey Abrams must be overjoyed at her good luck upon realizing that she won’t have an uphill battle against an incumbent governor two years from now after all. Probably she’ll be facing election-truther Doug Collins or some QAnon crank handpicked by Trump for his endorsement.
Trump’s specific grievance against Kemp is unclear but I think it’s supposed to be. There’s no thought-through theory of malfeasance here; it’s as simple as Trump having lost a state he was supposed to win and being a child about it by trying to blame others for his failure. Kemp failed him and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger failed him because they … didn’t rig the election in his favor when they realized the vote would be close, I guess? The nearest thing he has to a concrete allegation is ye olde Dominion software conspiracy, which ironically was debunked by Georgia’s own hand recount of paper ballots. (Trump has never explained how he was able to win battlegrounds like Iowa and Ohio comfortably even though they used Dominion software too.) Amazingly, he went out of his way in his interview this morning to remind Georgia Republicans that Dominion machines will also be used in the Senate runoff elections:
“Look at the election you have coming up [in Georgia] right now. You’re using the same garbage machinery, Dominion” — Trump demoralizes Republicans by suggesting their votes don’t matter because the upcoming Senate runoffs in Georgia are rigged pic.twitter.com/aYM6KcGaos — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 29, 2020
If you’re an election truther who’s convinced himself that the fix is in with Dominion, why would you turn out for another election in which Dominion machines will be used?
Also, where’s Trump getting the idea that Abrams has “collected” 850,000 votes from people? She’s been posting updates on her Twitter feed about how many Georgians have *requested* mail-in ballots for the runoff. (At last check it was 900,000.) There’s no evidence that she’s harvesting those ballots. We’ve reached a point in Trump’s deterioration where it’s become impossible to separate knowing lies from facts that he’s misconstrued to conspiracy garbage that he earnestly believes. He’s treating the wound to his ego inflicted by the election results by applying any scraps of information to it that might help him feel better. He may genuinely have no mechanism left to distinguish what’s true from what’s outlandishly false. E.g.:
Trump here suggests the FBI and the DOJ are involved in the giant conspiracy to steal the election from him. Alrighty, then. https://t.co/3Cg80ptXQZ — S.V. Dáte (@svdate) November 29, 2020
Kemp and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger will be the long-term casualties of this crankery. The nearer-term potential casualties are Loeffler and Perdue:
It doesn’t matter that both candidates are essentially lock-step with Trump, or that there is no evidence of links to electoral malfeasance. On Twitter and its less-restrictive alternative Parler, Trump’s more hardline followers have linked the duo to the president’s favorite — and untrue — voter-fraud theories. Hashtags like #CrookedPerdue and #CrookedKelly are flying around. The two lawmakers’ Parler accounts are brimming with posts accusing them of being secret “liberal DemoRats.”… [Sidney] Powell, Trump’s erstwhile attorney, turned parts of the MAGA community against Loeffler when she started pushing an untrue allegation that Loeffler had somehow conspired with a voting technology company, Dominion Voting Systems, to suppress votes for Collins… Lin Wood, a prominent Georgia attorney who filed his own suit to overturn the state’s results, has repeatedly called for Loeffler to drop out of the race, pressed Perdue to show more Trump loyalty and for them both to begin “investigations” into the election.
At risk of being scapegoated by a possibly unstoppable conspiracy theory, Loeffler has followed the Trumpian example: She’s tried to pass the buck to a bigger scapegoat.
Asked of @GovKemp & SoS role in election, @SenatorLoeffler says: “The buck stops with the Secretary of State. He is supposed to run a trusted, free, fair, transparent election. David Perdue and I have called for him to step down because Georgians have lost faith in our elections” pic.twitter.com/s5UU4s46AY — Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) November 29, 2020
Georgians haven’t lost faith in the state’s elections because of Raffensperger, they’ve lost faith because the president keeps insisting without evidence that he was cheated and people like Loeffler keep enabling him for their own selfish reasons. The single biggest disgrace of this entire disgraceful post-election period, in fact, is how Raffensperger has been treated by Trump and his cronies in the GOP establishment. Two days ago, on Thanksgiving, the president referred to him as “an enemy of the people,” a term he usually applies to the media and one so cartoonishly demagogic it would have made Orwell blush. Raffensperger and his family have been getting death threats ever since Trump started singling him out for abuse, with his wife Tricia telling reporters that they’ve escalated from garden-variety “watch your back” stuff early on to lurid descriptions of sexual violence aimed at her more recently. Trump has no empathy for others and won’t dial back his criticism as a matter of simple decency to spare her and her husband from further harassment but establishment Republicans could speak up since they are, in theory, different. Aren’t they?
More troubling to Raffensperger were the many threats he and his wife, Tricia, have received over the past few weeks — and a break-in at another family member’s home. All of it has prompted him to accept a state security detail. “If Republicans don’t start condemning this stuff, then I think they’re really complicit in it,” he said. “It’s time to stand up and be counted. Are you going to stand for righteousness? Are you going to stand for integrity? Or are you going to stand for the wild mob? You wanted to condemn the wild mob when it’s on the left side. What are you going to do when it’s on our side?”
They’re not going to do anything. For Washington Republicans, whether the mob is an asset or a liability depends entirely on votes. If conspiratorial demagoguery chases enough people out of the party that it begins to hurt the GOP’s Election Day bottom line, then they’ll start to worry about it and not a second sooner. Whatever that may mean for Raffensperger and his family.


hotair--2020-11-29--It's on: Carter Page files $75M lawsuit against FBI, DoJ -- and James Comey

Will Carter Page succeed , and will he get a dime out of anyone even if he does ?
I don ’ t know — but it ’ s worth it all the same .
His $ 75 million lawsuit against James Comey , the FBI , and the Department of Justice has a number of institutional obstacles in its path .
At the same time , however , the sheer injustice of illegally surveilling and then smearing someone internally known to be a CIA source working on behalf of his country requires at least some accountability : Carter Page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI surveilled during the Russia probe , has filed a $ 75 million lawsuit against the bureau , Justice Department and former FBI Director James Comey .
The lawsuit filed Friday accuses the FBI , DOJ and Comey of violating Page ’ s constitutional “ and other legal rights in connection with unlawful surveillance and investigation of him by the United States Government.
” “ This case is about holding accountable the entities and individuals who are responsible for the most egregious violation and abuse of the [ Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forty years ago , ” the complaint states .
Actually , the respondent list is longer than Fox News lets on .
The complaint also targets Kevin Clinesmith , who has already pled guilty to a criminal charge of falsifying evidence presented to the FISA court about Page .
Inspector General Michael Horowitz identified Clinesmith as the lawyer who knowingly changed an e-mail to keep the court from finding out that Page worked for the CIA against the Russians and not the other way around .
Besides Clinesmith , we have almost the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Peter Strzok and Andrew McCabe , both cashiered by the FBI for their behavior in the probe involving Page , are respondents to this suit .
So is Lisa Page , Strzok ’ s paramour and texting partner who discussed the infamous “ backup plan.
” Interestingly , Page is also suing Joe Pientka , mostly known for the Michael Flynn investigation — and for his initial assessment that Flynn was telling the truth .
Why is Pientka getting pulled into the Page case ?
Hmmm .
There are also a couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Brian Auten , as well as up to twenty John and Jane Does .
However justified Page ’ s claims might be , he faces large hurdles .
First , under the doctrine of sovereign immunity , it is extremely difficult to sue the federal ( or state ) government or its agencies — not impossible , but extremely difficult .
First , under the Federal Tort Claims Act , one must file an administrative claim first and give the government six months to respond .
Page has already done that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s suit claims that the lack of response amounts to a “ right to sue letter , ” the permission to proceed with a lawsuit that would be required under sovereign immunity .
The DoJ is likely to take a different perspective on that claim and argue that the functions of investigation and intelligence work are core to governmental operations and fall under the “ absolute immunity ” subdoctrine , which would bar almost any lawsuit regardless of merit .
If a judge agrees , then to get around that Page would likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of evidence standard ) that the entire Russiagate probe was solely a corrupt operation with malicious intent , and not within the proper scope of government operations or the scope of work of the individuals involved .
Speaking of which , two more problems come into play with the suits against individuals — at least those who were employees of federal agencies at the time .
( Presumably that includes all of the John/Jane Does , but we don ’ t know that yet . )
Qualified immunity of a different sort covers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are part of their normal work .
The notable exception here is violation of constitutional rights — and Page ’ s Fourth Amendment rights were clearly violated by the unsupported surveillance conducted against him by intelligence operations within the US .
( That is precisely the kind of Fourth Amendment violation FISA is intended to prevent . )
Clinesmith , at the very least , knew full well of this violation and facilitated it anyway .
If Page can prove the other individuals knew it , then he could possibly get around qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would not be easy , but the discovery process would be fascinating .
However , that assumes the individuals named will remain in the lawsuit .
The other problem Page might have with suing individuals is the Westfall Act — the same law that Donald Trump and William Barr tried using in a defamation case earlier this year .
The court shot that attempt down by pointing out that calling someone a liar isn ’ t exactly a core presidential duty .
However , the Westfall Act would clearly cover the individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their liability to the United States and perhaps strengthening the qualified immunity defense as a result : Under the Westfall Act , the exclusive remedy for anyone injured by the negligent or wrongful act of a federal employee acting in the scope of employment is a suit against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act .
28 U.S.C .
§ 2679 ( b ) ( 1 ) ( 2010 ) .
Despite this clear statutory command , department attorneys often encounter plaintiffs who seek to recover money damages from the personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violation of state tort law .
Fortunately , this pleading mistake is easily remedied .
The Westfall Act permits the Attorney General to certify that the employee “ was acting within the scope of his office or employment at the time of the incident out of which the claim arose.
” 28 U.S.C .
§ 2679 ( d ) ( 1 ) ( 2010 ) .
If the case is pending in state court , the certification permits the case to be removed any time prior to trial .
28 U.S.C .
§ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 2010 ) .
The certification also causes the employee to be dismissed from the action and the United States substituted in his place as the only defendant on the state law tort claim .
Id .
From that point the case proceeds like any other claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act and all the usual FTCA defenses apply .
28 U.S.C .
§ 2679 ( d ) ( 4 ) ( 2010 ) .
Of course , the FTCA is a limited waiver of sovereign immunity and expressly excludes certain claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
§ 2680 ( a ) ( 2010 ) ( claims challenging discretionary decisions ) ; 28 U.S.C .
§ 2680 ( h ) ( 2010 ) ( intentional torts ) .
Moreover , as noted elsewhere in this issue , compliance with the FTCA ’ s statute of limitations is a jurisdictional prerequisite .
See 28 U.S.C .
§§ 1346 ( b ) , 2401 ( b ) ( 2010 ) .
Accordingly , in some cases following the substitution of the United States as sole party defendant under the Westfall Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not entitled to relief .
Some plaintiffs respond by arguing that the substitution was improper , apparently preferring to sue the employee individually instead of pursuing a claim against the United States that is doomed to fail .
Usually this argument is couched in terms of a challenge to the certification of scope of employment .
This seems like a fairly easy case for a Westfall Act motion , one which the plaintiffs bear the burden of proof for defeating .
Given that all of the claims in Page ’ s suit against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well within the normal scope of their employment , those respondents will likely escape any sort of entanglement in Page ’ s suit , except the legal work necessary to get themselves dismissed from it .
Notably , Page ’ s complaint doesn ’ t discuss the Westfall Act or any form of immunity , sovereign or otherwise .
Let ’ s just say the odds aren ’ t stacked in Page ’ s favor .
However , he does have one factor in his favor — the transition to a Biden administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get out from under the whole Russiagate nonsense as quickly and as cleanly as possible to give Joe Biden a fresh start .
If so , they might dispose of the individual cases and consolidate respondent actions through the Westfall Act , and then cut a settlement with Page acknowledging Clinesmith ’ s wrongdoing , at least .
That gives everyone a face-saving way out , while giving Page a well-deserved measure of justice .
Until then , it will be fun to see everyone squirm for a while .
Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years he spent getting dragged through the mud .

Will Carter Page succeed, and will he get a dime out of anyone even if he does? I don’t know — but it’s worth it all the same. His $75 million lawsuit against James Comey, the FBI, and the Department of Justice has a number of institutional obstacles in its path. At the same time, however, the sheer injustice of illegally surveilling and then smearing someone internally known to be a CIA source working on behalf of his country requires at least some accountability:
Carter Page, a former Trump aide whom the FBI surveilled during the Russia probe, has filed a $75 million lawsuit against the bureau, Justice Department and former FBI Director James Comey. The lawsuit filed Friday accuses the FBI, DOJ and Comey of violating Page’s constitutional “and other legal rights in connection with unlawful surveillance and investigation of him by the United States Government.” “This case is about holding accountable the entities and individuals who are responsible for the most egregious violation and abuse of the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] FISA statute since it was enacted over forty years ago,” the complaint states.
Actually, the respondent list is longer than Fox News lets on. The complaint also targets Kevin Clinesmith, who has already pled guilty to a criminal charge of falsifying evidence presented to the FISA court about Page. Inspector General Michael Horowitz identified Clinesmith as the lawyer who knowingly changed an e-mail to keep the court from finding out that Page worked for the CIA against the Russians and not the other way around.
Besides Clinesmith, we have almost the full rogue’s gallery from Russiagate. Peter Strzok and Andrew McCabe, both cashiered by the FBI for their behavior in the probe involving Page, are respondents to this suit. So is Lisa Page, Strzok’s paramour and texting partner who discussed the infamous “backup plan.” Interestingly, Page is also suing Joe Pientka, mostly known for the Michael Flynn investigation — and for his initial assessment that Flynn was telling the truth. Why is Pientka getting pulled into the Page case? Hmmm. There are also a couple of more minor players, Stephen Somma and Brian Auten, as well as up to twenty John and Jane Does.
However justified Page’s claims might be, he faces large hurdles. First, under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, it is extremely difficult to sue the federal (or state) government or its agencies — not impossible, but extremely difficult. First, under the Federal Tort Claims Act, one must file an administrative claim first and give the government six months to respond. Page has already done that, as paragraphs 237-8 detail. Page’s suit claims that the lack of response amounts to a “right to sue letter,” the permission to proceed with a lawsuit that would be required under sovereign immunity. The DoJ is likely to take a different perspective on that claim and argue that the functions of investigation and intelligence work are core to governmental operations and fall under the “absolute immunity” subdoctrine, which would bar almost any lawsuit regardless of merit. If a judge agrees, then to get around that Page would likely have to prove (on a preponderance of evidence standard) that the entire Russiagate probe was solely a corrupt operation with malicious intent, and not within the proper scope of government operations or the scope of work of the individuals involved.
Speaking of which, two more problems come into play with the suits against individuals — at least those who were employees of federal agencies at the time. (Presumably that includes all of the John/Jane Does, but we don’t know that yet.) Qualified immunity of a different sort covers government officials as long as their actions are part of their normal work. The notable exception here is violation of constitutional rights — and Page’s Fourth Amendment rights were clearly violated by the unsupported surveillance conducted against him by intelligence operations within the US. (That is precisely the kind of Fourth Amendment violation FISA is intended to prevent.) Clinesmith, at the very least, knew full well of this violation and facilitated it anyway. If Page can prove the other individuals knew it, then he could possibly get around qualified immunity with them as well. Proving that would not be easy, but the discovery process would be fascinating.
However, that assumes the individuals named will remain in the lawsuit. The other problem Page might have with suing individuals is the Westfall Act — the same law that Donald Trump and William Barr tried using in a defamation case earlier this year. The court shot that attempt down by pointing out that calling someone a liar isn’t exactly a core presidential duty. However, the Westfall Act would clearly cover the individuals named in this suit, effectively transferring their liability to the United States and perhaps strengthening the qualified immunity defense as a result:
Under the Westfall Act, the exclusive remedy for anyone injured by the negligent or wrongful act of a federal employee acting in the scope of employment is a suit against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act. 28 U.S.C. § 2679(b)(1) (2010). Despite this clear statutory command, department attorneys often encounter plaintiffs who seek to recover money damages from the personal assets of federal employees for an alleged violation of state tort law. Fortunately, this pleading mistake is easily remedied. The Westfall Act permits the Attorney General to certify that the employee “was acting within the scope of his office or employment at the time of the incident out of which the claim arose.” 28 U.S.C. § 2679(d)(1) (2010). If the case is pending in state court, the certification permits the case to be removed any time prior to trial. 28 U.S.C. § 2679(d)(2) (2010). The certification also causes the employee to be dismissed from the action and the United States substituted in his place as the only defendant on the state law tort claim. Id. From that point the case proceeds like any other claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act and all the usual FTCA defenses apply. 28 U.S.C. § 2679(d)(4) (2010). Of course, the FTCA is a limited waiver of sovereign immunity and expressly excludes certain claims. See, e.g., 28 U.S.C. § 2680(a) (2010) (claims challenging discretionary decisions); 28 U.S.C. § 2680(h) (2010) (intentional torts). Moreover, as noted elsewhere in this issue, compliance with the FTCA’s statute of limitations is a jurisdictional prerequisite. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2401(b) (2010). Accordingly, in some cases following the substitution of the United States as sole party defendant under the Westfall Act, it is clear the plaintiff is not entitled to relief. Some plaintiffs respond by arguing that the substitution was improper, apparently preferring to sue the employee individually instead of pursuing a claim against the United States that is doomed to fail. Usually this argument is couched in terms of a challenge to the certification of scope of employment.
This seems like a fairly easy case for a Westfall Act motion, one which the plaintiffs bear the burden of proof for defeating. Given that all of the claims in Page’s suit against these individuals arise from actions that were well within the normal scope of their employment, those respondents will likely escape any sort of entanglement in Page’s suit, except the legal work necessary to get themselves dismissed from it. Notably, Page’s complaint doesn’t discuss the Westfall Act or any form of immunity, sovereign or otherwise.
Let’s just say the odds aren’t stacked in Page’s favor. However, he does have one factor in his favor — the transition to a Biden administration. The DoJ might well want to get out from under the whole Russiagate nonsense as quickly and as cleanly as possible to give Joe Biden a fresh start. If so, they might dispose of the individual cases and consolidate respondent actions through the Westfall Act, and then cut a settlement with Page acknowledging Clinesmith’s wrongdoing, at least. That gives everyone a face-saving way out, while giving Page a well-deserved measure of justice.
Until then, it will be fun to see everyone squirm for a while. Let’s hope Page gets some satisfaction for the years he spent getting dragged through the mud.


hotair--2020-11-29--No sleeping on watch: Sunday reflection

No sleeping on watch: Sunday reflection

Jesus said to his disciples : “ Be watchful !
Be alert !
You do not know when the time will come .
It is like a man traveling abroad .
He leaves home and places his servants in charge , each with his own work , and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch .
Watch , therefore ; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming , whether in the evening , or at midnight , or at cockcrow , or in the morning .
May he not come suddenly and find you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I say to all : ‘ Watch !
’ ” Whenever I hear or read the warning be alert , it takes takes me back to my teenage years .
At that time , gag t-shirts were very much the fashion in public schools , at least in Southern California where you can wear t-shirts as fashion for most of the year .
( Not so much in Minnesota , especially for middle-aged men . )
Back in the day , one such popular shirt carried the message , Be alert — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say , being alert and preparing for anything didn ’ t rank high up the teenage agenda anyway .
We spent our time pursuing our fun and passions , and usually ignoring our education until absolutely necessary .
We weren ’ t “ lerts ” in any form or fashion at all .
I made a mediocrity of my high-school career by skipping homework and acing tests , and the latter usually with some last-hour cramming .
Put simply , the one top priority of that period of my life was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid the price in college , where the structure of education changed entirely .
This is the difference between being alert and being prepared .
Preparation requires intent , it requires insight , but most of all it requires a commitment to the task at hand .
Preparation involves arranging one ’ s life for a priority in order to ready one ’ s self to meet it .
One could be alert for an upcoming school test , but being prepared for it meant studying effectively , working through the source material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and time , although that ’ s different than our Gospel reading today .
You know that old , common nightmare about missing the final ?
Yeah … I can tell you that it ’ s not entirely a dream .
The world needs more lerts .
Preparation is a major component of formation .
Effective students form their lives and their wills to the task of studying .
Discipleship is the same process , only in a more all-encompassing manner for a lifetime and beyond .
In fact , Jesus warns us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formation to His Word must be a lifetime mission of preparation for His salvation .
We do not and can not know the time and date for our judgment , which means that procrastination could be fatal to our hopes of living in His grace in the next life .
This also has implications for the kind of formation required .
A merely performative display will not suffice , because pretense is impossible to maintain for any substantial amount of time .
Begrudging acts of charity don ’ t work either , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not transformation , and we are called to transforming ourselves into true disciples .
To choose performance over transformation misses the point , and is basically sleeping on watch anyway , as Jesus warns against here .
The only way to properly form ourselves is to do it wholeheartedly , by embracing the Word in our hearts and forming our wills to the Lord .
That is how we remain awake during the long watch before the Lord of the house comes to us , or more accurately , how we come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we prepare ourselves to enter into the Trinitarian live of pure caritas love , where we empty ourselves out to the Lord just as He empties Himself out completely to us .
That might seem a wee bit tougher than cramming for a chemistry exam — and it is .
It ’ s impossible to accomplish without the Lord ’ s grace .
Paul reminds the Corinthians of this in our second reading today , while assuring them that the Lord will provide us the strength and grace we need : I give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus , that in him you were enriched in every way , with all discourse and all knowledge , as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you , so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ .
He will keep you firm to the end , irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ .
God is faithful , and by him you were called to fellowship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord .
In this , Paul also alludes to preparation and formation as essential .
He reminds the church in Corinth that they have been “ enriched in every way ” with the truth and grace of Christ .
All that they now require is to form themselves to Christ through His spiritual gifts , and that Jesus will help them remain “ firm to the end ” as they pursue that formation .
That is what we are all called to do in Christ : Be formed , and in doing so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lord with all our minds , hearts , and souls .
So yes , be alert , because the world needs more lerts .
But far , far fewer loofs .
The front-page image is a detail from “ The Light of the World ” by William Holman Hunt , c. 1854 .
Currently on display in the side chapel at Keble College , Oxford , UK .
Via Wikimedia Commons .
“ Sunday Reflection ” is a regular feature , looking at the specific readings used in today ’ s Mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The reflection represents only my own point of view , intended to help prepare myself for the Lord ’ s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion .
Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here .

This morning’s Gospel reading is Mark 13:33–37:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
Whenever I hear or read the warning be alert, it takes takes me back to my teenage years. At that time, gag t-shirts were very much the fashion in public schools, at least in Southern California where you can wear t-shirts as fashion for most of the year. (Not so much in Minnesota, especially for middle-aged men.) Back in the day, one such popular shirt carried the message, Be alert — the world needs more lerts!
Needless to say, being alert and preparing for anything didn’t rank high up the teenage agenda anyway. We spent our time pursuing our fun and passions, and usually ignoring our education until absolutely necessary. We weren’t “lerts” in any form or fashion at all. I made a mediocrity of my high-school career by skipping homework and acing tests, and the latter usually with some last-hour cramming. Put simply, the one top priority of that period of my life was not my educational formation — for which I paid the price in college, where the structure of education changed entirely.
This is the difference between being alert and being prepared. Preparation requires intent, it requires insight, but most of all it requires a commitment to the task at hand. Preparation involves arranging one’s life for a priority in order to ready one’s self to meet it. One could be alert for an upcoming school test, but being prepared for it meant studying effectively, working through the source material, and even literally knowing the day and time, although that’s different than our Gospel reading today.
You know that old, common nightmare about missing the final? Yeah … I can tell you that it’s not entirely a dream. The world needs more lerts.
Preparation is a major component of formation. Effective students form their lives and their wills to the task of studying. Discipleship is the same process, only in a more all-encompassing manner for a lifetime and beyond. In fact, Jesus warns us in today’s parable that our formation to His Word must be a lifetime mission of preparation for His salvation. We do not and cannot know the time and date for our judgment, which means that procrastination could be fatal to our hopes of living in His grace in the next life.
This also has implications for the kind of formation required. A merely performative display will not suffice, because pretense is impossible to maintain for any substantial amount of time. Begrudging acts of charity don’t work either, for the same reason. Those are performances, not transformation, and we are called to transforming ourselves into true disciples. To choose performance over transformation misses the point, and is basically sleeping on watch anyway, as Jesus warns against here.
The only way to properly form ourselves is to do it wholeheartedly, by embracing the Word in our hearts and forming our wills to the Lord. That is how we remain awake during the long watch before the Lord of the house comes to us, or more accurately, how we come to Him. By doing that, we prepare ourselves to enter into the Trinitarian live of pure caritas love, where we empty ourselves out to the Lord just as He empties Himself out completely to us.
That might seem a wee bit tougher than cramming for a chemistry exam — and it is. It’s impossible to accomplish without the Lord’s grace. Paul reminds the Corinthians of this in our second reading today, while assuring them that the Lord will provide us the strength and grace we need:
I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
In this, Paul also alludes to preparation and formation as essential. He reminds the church in Corinth that they have been “enriched in every way” with the truth and grace of Christ. All that they now require is to form themselves to Christ through His spiritual gifts, and that Jesus will help them remain “firm to the end” as they pursue that formation.
That is what we are all called to do in Christ: Be formed, and in doing so, become prepared for eternal life with the Lord with all our minds, hearts, and souls. So yes, be alert, because the world needs more lerts. But far, far fewer loofs.
The front-page image is a detail from “The Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt, c. 1854. Currently on display in the side chapel at Keble College, Oxford, UK. Via Wikimedia Commons.
“Sunday Reflection” is a regular feature, looking at the specific readings used in today’s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world. The reflection represents only my own point of view, intended to help prepare myself for the Lord’s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion. Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here.


hotair--2020-11-29--Cha-Ching: Black Friday sales hit new record totals

Retailers were not sure exactly what to expect this year during Black Friday sales .
The coronavirus pandemic has caused merchants to expand Black Friday into a long weekend or to move doorbuster deals online to help avoid crowds of shoppers trying to pile into brick and mortar stores .
Discounts are expected to continue to be offered throughout the weekend .
According to Adobe Analytics data , a new record was set on Black Friday sales this year – $ 9.0 billion , an increase of 21.6 % year over year .
As positive as that number is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Cyber Monday .
The coronavirus pandemic is changing how Americans shop .
Since Thanksgiving gatherings were recommended to be small , only household members asked to spend the holiday together , families weren ’ t heading out together to the mall to score some good deals after a big turkey dinner .
Where retail stores are allowed to be open , social distancing and face mask mandates are in place .
Store capacities have to be maintained , depending on local restrictions .
People are shopping from home instead of shopping in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is down 52.1 % compared to last year ’ s numbers .
A 22 % to 25 % decline in traffic in retail stores is expected during the six week holiday shopping period this year .
COVID-19 restrictions on family gathering drive sales : In states that put COVID-19 restrictions around family gatherings , there was 265 % higher year-over-year growth in online shopping over the last two days compared to states with less restrictions .
“ We are seeing strong growth as consumers continue to move shopping from offline to online this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smart devices and TVs that are traditional Black Friday purchases are sharing online shopping cart space this year with unorthodox Black Friday purchases such as groceries , clothes and alcohol , that would previously have been purchased in-store , ” said Taylor Schreiner , director , Adobe Digital Insights , in a statement .
Many shoppers are taking advantage of in-store and curbside pickups which increased 52 % on Black Friday year over year .
This allows shoppers to avoid in-store shopping .
Small retail businesses report sales 545 % higher on Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
That ’ s great news for small businesses , the hardest hit during coronavirus lockdowns .
“ We knew Black Friday [ traffic ] was going to be down , we just didn ’ t know how much it was going to be down , ” said Brian Field , a senior director of global retail consulting at Sensormatic Solutions .
“ Shoppers are spreading out their shopping throughout the holiday season because of concerns about social distancing and the pandemic.
” While shopping habits are changing due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greta Thunberg , the precocious climate change scold , posted her hot take on Black Friday on social media – don ’ t buy any stuff you don ’ t need .
She says overconsumption is wrecking the planet .
There ’ s some normalcy for us this holiday weekend .

Retailers were not sure exactly what to expect this year during Black Friday sales. The coronavirus pandemic has caused merchants to expand Black Friday into a long weekend or to move doorbuster deals online to help avoid crowds of shoppers trying to pile into brick and mortar stores. Discounts are expected to continue to be offered throughout the weekend.
According to Adobe Analytics data, a new record was set on Black Friday sales this year – $9.0 billion, an increase of 21.6% year over year. As positive as that number is, an even bigger sales record is anticipated on Cyber Monday.
It was the second-largest online spending day in U.S. history, coming in behind Cyber Monday 2019. Adobe expects Cyber Monday 2020 to become the largest online sales day in history, with spending between $10.8 billion (15% year-over-year growth) and $12.7 billion (35% year over year growth).
The coronavirus pandemic is changing how Americans shop. Since Thanksgiving gatherings were recommended to be small, only household members asked to spend the holiday together, families weren’t heading out together to the mall to score some good deals after a big turkey dinner. Where retail stores are allowed to be open, social distancing and face mask mandates are in place. Store capacities have to be maintained, depending on local restrictions. People are shopping from home instead of shopping in-person. Traffic at brick and mortar stores is down 52.1% compared to last year’s numbers. A 22% to 25% decline in traffic in retail stores is expected during the six week holiday shopping period this year.
COVID-19 restrictions on family gathering drive sales: In states that put COVID-19 restrictions around family gatherings, there was 265% higher year-over-year growth in online shopping over the last two days compared to states with less restrictions. “We are seeing strong growth as consumers continue to move shopping from offline to online this year. New consoles, phones, smart devices and TVs that are traditional Black Friday purchases are sharing online shopping cart space this year with unorthodox Black Friday purchases such as groceries, clothes and alcohol, that would previously have been purchased in-store,” said Taylor Schreiner, director, Adobe Digital Insights, in a statement.
Many shoppers are taking advantage of in-store and curbside pickups which increased 52% on Black Friday year over year. This allows shoppers to avoid in-store shopping. Small retail businesses report sales 545% higher on Black Friday when compared to an average day last month. That’s great news for small businesses, the hardest hit during coronavirus lockdowns.
“We knew Black Friday [traffic] was going to be down, we just didn’t know how much it was going to be down,” said Brian Field, a senior director of global retail consulting at Sensormatic Solutions. “Shoppers are spreading out their shopping throughout the holiday season because of concerns about social distancing and the pandemic.”
While shopping habits are changing due to the pandemic, some things never change. Greta Thunberg, the precocious climate change scold, posted her hot take on Black Friday on social media – don’t buy any stuff you don’t need. She says overconsumption is wrecking the planet.
School strike week 119. Today is black Friday. Overconsumption is wrecking present and future living conditions and the planet itself.
Don’t buy stuff you don’t need.#ClimateStrikeOnline #fridaysforfuture #schoolstrike4climate #flattenthecurve #FaceTheClimateEmergency pic.twitter.com/rMr02n0vwT — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) November 27, 2020
There’s some normalcy for us this holiday weekend.