hotair--2020-07-20--Woman accused of throwing Molotov cocktail at NYPD pleads not guilty

Samantha Shader threw a Molotov cocktail at an NYPD vehicle back in May .
There were four officers inside the vehicle at the time .
Fortunately the homemade firebomb didn ’ t ignite .
The police arrested Shader and now she is facing a long list of charges .
Last Friday she pleaded not guilty .
Shader was indicted in June on seven counts , including use of explosives , arson , using an explosive to commit a felony , arson conspiracy , use of a destructive device , civil disorder and possessing and making a destructive device .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police Department officers saw Shader throw a Molotov cocktail at their vehicle , jumped out and arrested her .
The May 29 incident was caught on video shot by a witness .
Prosecutors said Shader admitted to “ possessing the Molotov cocktail and throwing it at the NYPD vehicle.
” Prosecutors say Shader “ wanted to cause harm to NYPD officers and damage NYPD property , ” according to a detention memo .
Unfortunately for Shader , the whole thing was caught on video .
This happened during a Black Lives Matter march @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she told investigators the Molotov cocktail wasn ’ t hers .
Instead , she claimed it had been given to her by a black man in the crowd .
Caught on tape , Shader admitted to throwing the Molotov cocktail , but claimed “ she was approached on the street and given ‘ the bottle ’ by a black male , who was in a group with one other black male and a black woman , ” the papers say .
She even described the trio , saying the man who handed her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with hair in “ skinny dreads ” of different colors , the papers say .
The other man was smaller and wore a hat , and the woman was thin with “ poofy ” hair in a ponytail , Shader allegedly claimed .
“ Shader stated that the man who handed her the bottle told her that they were going to prove a point , and [ Shader ] stated she felt important at the time she took the bottle because she was the only white person in the area , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story isn ’ t true .
Shader drove to the protest in a car filled with glass bottles of the same type as the one she threw at the police .
Police even found a note in Shader ’ s car which read , “ I found a few more glass bottles Than I thought I had , Though still not many .
Wish I had more .
BE SAFE Please .
Really [ . ]
Good Luck , – Love Tim.
” Tim was identified as 29-year-old Timothy Amerman .
He now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to throw the bottles at the police but denies that he was aware she intended to make Molotov cocktails out of them .
He has been charged with “ civil disorder and civil disorder conspiracy.
” So the irony here is that this deeply committed BLM protester tried to blame a ( nonexistent ) group of black people for producing Molotov cocktails the moment she was arrested .
Shader faces up to 20 years if convicted on all charges .

Samantha Shader threw a Molotov cocktail at an NYPD vehicle back in May. There were four officers inside the vehicle at the time. Fortunately the homemade firebomb didn’t ignite. The police arrested Shader and now she is facing a long list of charges. Last Friday she pleaded not guilty.
Shader was indicted in June on seven counts, including use of explosives, arson, using an explosive to commit a felony, arson conspiracy, use of a destructive device, civil disorder and possessing and making a destructive device. According to a criminal complaint, New York Police Department officers saw Shader throw a Molotov cocktail at their vehicle, jumped out and arrested her. The May 29 incident was caught on video shot by a witness. Prosecutors said Shader admitted to “possessing the Molotov cocktail and throwing it at the NYPD vehicle.” Prosecutors say Shader “wanted to cause harm to NYPD officers and damage NYPD property,” according to a detention memo.
Unfortunately for Shader, the whole thing was caught on video.
This happened during a Black Lives Matter march in Brooklyn. After her arrest, she told investigators the Molotov cocktail wasn’t hers. Instead, she claimed it had been given to her by a black man in the crowd.
Caught on tape, Shader admitted to throwing the Molotov cocktail, but claimed “she was approached on the street and given ‘the bottle’ by a black male, who was in a group with one other black male and a black woman,” the papers say. She even described the trio, saying the man who handed her the bottle was a “thicker guy” with hair in “skinny dreads” of different colors, the papers say. The other man was smaller and wore a hat, and the woman was thin with “poofy” hair in a ponytail, Shader allegedly claimed. “Shader stated that the man who handed her the bottle told her that they were going to prove a point, and [Shader] stated she felt important at the time she took the bottle because she was the only white person in the area,” the papers say.
Investigators say that story isn’t true. Shader drove to the protest in a car filled with glass bottles of the same type as the one she threw at the police. Police even found a note in Shader’s car which read, “I found a few more glass bottles Than I thought I had, Though still not many. Wish I had more. BE SAFE Please. Really[.] Good Luck, – Love Tim.” Tim was identified as 29-year-old Timothy Amerman. He now claims that he thought Shader was going to throw the bottles at the police but denies that he was aware she intended to make Molotov cocktails out of them. He has been charged with “civil disorder and civil disorder conspiracy.”
So the irony here is that this deeply committed BLM protester tried to blame a (nonexistent) group of black people for producing Molotov cocktails the moment she was arrested. Shader faces up to 20 years if convicted on all charges.


hotair--2020-07-20--Boston's "Bail Fund" is freeing more than just protesters

In case you ’ re not familiar with the Massachusetts Bail Fund , it ’ s an organization that ’ s been around for a while and is opposed to the concept of cash bail , providing money to bail out low-income suspects who can ’ t afford the cost themselves .
Up until the recent George Floyd protests began , it was a relatively modest operation , relying on the generosity of donors and paying bail amounts of less than $ 500 .
But once the protests and riots began ginning up , business for the non-profit suddenly became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 31 million dollars in only a couple of months , primarily from people who believed that they were helping to bail out “ protesters ” who had been “ unfairly ” arrested for various charges .
And it ’ s true that MBF did indeed bail out quite a few people who had been picked up during the protests , including those accused of far more than just raising their voices , such as looters and arsonists .
But those weren ’ t the only people being sprung free .
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newly fattened coffers have allowed them to begin bailing out people being held on very high amounts of bail in the tens of thousands of dollars .
And some of them were behind bars on very serious charges .
But its sudden prosperity has led the Bail Fund into controversial territory as many of the prisoners they have bailed out face increasingly serious , often violent , charges , and some have long criminal records .
Donors who rushed to support bail funds after the Floyd death likely thought they were helping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face bail of up to a few hundred dollars .
The fund bailed out scores of protesters arrested during the Boston demonstrations , but it has set free many facing more serious charges as well .
[ Joel ] Rodriguez , for example , had been in jail for nine months before his release , serving time for assaulting and harassing several victims , according to court records .
Now he ’ s out on bail for additional domestic violence charges , which he described to the Globe as “ problems of love.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ excerpt above , was not arrested as part of any George Floyd protest .
He ’ d previously spent nine months in jail for assault and harassment .
This time he was awaiting $ 1,100 cash bail on charges of domestic violence and abuse .
( What he referred to as “ love problems.
” ) But the $ 1,100 MBF put up to spring Rodriguez was small potatoes compared to the whopping $ 85,000 they spent the following day to free Karmau Cotton-Landers .
He was accused of shooting someone in broad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The police found the handgun he ’ d used and extra ammunition on him at the time of his arrest .
Another beneficiary of MBF ’ s largess was Darren McFadden , who actually had attended a George Floyd protest back in May .
But his “ peaceful protesting ” also allegedly included busting up and looting at least one store .
On top of that , Mr. McFadden ’ s interest in five-finger discounts long predated his civic activism for racial equality .
He ’ d already run up more than 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed robbery .
But MBF sprang him loose along with everyone else .
The Globe article goes on to list even more suspects who were turned loose .
They include one guy who robbed five women at knifepoint , one who robbed a gas station with a gun , and the real gem in the collection was a guy named Otis Walker who was awaiting trial on three counts of child rape .
I can understand how some people who are too poor to afford fifty bucks for bail can wind up stuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges .
And even if I don ’ t necessarily agree , I can see the argument for some charitable group helping them get back to their families if they ’ re likely to show up for their trials .
But it sounds like Massachusetts Bail Fund was acting more like someone going on a drunken shopping spree with all of the new cash flowing into their account , springing everyone and anyone they came across .
Some of those people are held on high bail amounts for a reason .
And if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recidivism list this summer for anything serious .
the press should be demanding some answers from MBF .

In case you’re not familiar with the Massachusetts Bail Fund, it’s an organization that’s been around for a while and is opposed to the concept of cash bail, providing money to bail out low-income suspects who can’t afford the cost themselves. Up until the recent George Floyd protests began, it was a relatively modest operation, relying on the generosity of donors and paying bail amounts of less than $500. But once the protests and riots began ginning up, business for the non-profit suddenly became very good. They reportedly took in $31 million dollars in only a couple of months, primarily from people who believed that they were helping to bail out “protesters” who had been “unfairly” arrested for various charges.
And it’s true that MBF did indeed bail out quite a few people who had been picked up during the protests, including those accused of far more than just raising their voices, such as looters and arsonists. But those weren’t the only people being sprung free. As the Boston Globe reports this week, their newly fattened coffers have allowed them to begin bailing out people being held on very high amounts of bail in the tens of thousands of dollars. And some of them were behind bars on very serious charges.
But its sudden prosperity has led the Bail Fund into controversial territory as many of the prisoners they have bailed out face increasingly serious, often violent, charges, and some have long criminal records. Donors who rushed to support bail funds after the Floyd death likely thought they were helping to bail out jailed protesters, who typically face bail of up to a few hundred dollars. The fund bailed out scores of protesters arrested during the Boston demonstrations, but it has set free many facing more serious charges as well. [Joel] Rodriguez, for example, had been in jail for nine months before his release, serving time for assaulting and harassing several victims, according to court records. Now he’s out on bail for additional domestic violence charges, which he described to the Globe as “problems of love.”
Joel Rodriguez, mentioned in the excerpt above, was not arrested as part of any George Floyd protest. He’d previously spent nine months in jail for assault and harassment. This time he was awaiting $1,100 cash bail on charges of domestic violence and abuse. (What he referred to as “love problems.”)
But the $1,100 MBF put up to spring Rodriguez was small potatoes compared to the whopping $85,000 they spent the following day to free Karmau Cotton-Landers. He was accused of shooting someone in broad daylight on Boston Common in April. The police found the handgun he’d used and extra ammunition on him at the time of his arrest.
Another beneficiary of MBF’s largess was Darren McFadden, who actually had attended a George Floyd protest back in May. But his “peaceful protesting” also allegedly included busting up and looting at least one store. On top of that, Mr. McFadden’s interest in five-finger discounts long predated his civic activism for racial equality. He’d already run up more than 60 arrests, including a three-year stretch for armed robbery. But MBF sprang him loose along with everyone else.
The Globe article goes on to list even more suspects who were turned loose. They include one guy who robbed five women at knifepoint, one who robbed a gas station with a gun, and the real gem in the collection was a guy named Otis Walker who was awaiting trial on three counts of child rape.
I can understand how some people who are too poor to afford fifty bucks for bail can wind up stuck in jail for long periods on minor charges. And even if I don’t necessarily agree, I can see the argument for some charitable group helping them get back to their families if they’re likely to show up for their trials. But it sounds like Massachusetts Bail Fund was acting more like someone going on a drunken shopping spree with all of the new cash flowing into their account, springing everyone and anyone they came across. Some of those people are held on high bail amounts for a reason. And if any of them wind up back on the recidivism list this summer for anything serious. the press should be demanding some answers from MBF.


hotair--2020-07-20--Defundorama: Minneapolis police "disbanding" via disability claims?

The Minneapolis city council wants to dismantle its police force .
It may not get the chance , however , as the police officers themselves may accomplish it first .
The city has received an overwhelming number of disability claims from law enforcement that might sideline a quarter of its police force .
The curve isn ’ t flattening , either , according to an attorney handling the claims : The continued surge of Minneapolis police officers seeking disability benefits after the George Floyd unrest is heightening concerns of a police staffing shortage amid a wave of violent crime .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claims , said his office met with an additional 43 Minneapolis cops this week who have retained him .
That ’ s in addition to the estimated 150 officers who Meuser said at a July 10 news conference had retained him .
And it brings the total closer to 200 now , out of a sworn force of about 850 .
Meuser said most of the officers starting the disability paperwork leave their jobs fairly quickly on a medical leave .
The disability claims process can take up to six months .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dozens ” of more appointments with officers scheduled for next week .
“ The curve has not flattened , ” Meuser said .
“ We are signing up a staggering number of officers every day right now.
” That will put the city council in a rather difficult position .
Even though they want to disband the police department , the city charter requires them to field their own police force .
They want a referendum to pass an amendment to repeal that part of the charter , but until then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the police department but specific minimum staffing levels as well .
They must have “ a police force of at least 0.0017 employees per resident ” ; with a population of 425,000 ( as of 2018 ) , that requires the city to have at least 724 “ employees.
” If they ’ re down to 650 , they ’ re already in technical violation of their city charter .
There ’ s another problem here , too , which is one of momentum .
If the police force thins out this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for work elsewhere , too .
At some point , the desire to serve the community will pale in respect to the danger of having no backup on ever-more-dangerous streets .
Those officers might not go through a disability process — they will simply walk away , either to join other law enforcement agencies or to do something else .
That process might already be accelerating , but if it hasn ’ t happened yet , it almost certainly will , and soon .
The state legislature may try to head that off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short of defunding .
The special session called in part to deal with this crisis ( also with bond issues ) reached some sort of agreement around midday : The Republican leader of the Minnesota Senate said he ’ s struck a “ tentative ” agreement with Democrats who control the House on a series of police accountability proposals , setting a deadline of midnight on Monday to pass any deals and adjourn a special session of the Legislature .
A package of changes to policing in the state became a top priority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of George Floyd by Minneapolis police .
The agreement includes a ban on the use of chokeholds and warrior-style training for officers , as well as changes in police arbitration and the creation of a new advisory council within a state officer licensing and standards board , said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka , R-East Gull Lake .
That might leave room for the Minneapolis city council to save face and withdraw its charter change .
Black leaders and groups in the city have become increasing vocal in their opposition to the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more police , albeit with better accountability .
It also might help them avoid a very dicey fight over the status of the popular chief of police , the first black chief in the city ’ s history : Although Eighth Ward Council Member Andrea Jenkins and seven of her colleagues pledged last month to replace the city ’ s police force with a “ transformative ” public safety system , they admitted they didn ’ t have “ all the answers about what a police-free future looks like.
” Among the lingering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the city ’ s first Black police chief .
On a City Council wracked by Floyd ’ s death at the hands of police , views differ about what the future may bring .
“ In my vision , yes , I see Chief Arradondo as part of a public safety continuum in the city of Minneapolis , ” said Jenkins , the council vice president .
“ One of the things that people continue to talk about is that we need police officers that are from the community .
Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and understands the realities of Black life , the racism that exists in police culture and in the broader society.
” But some of her colleagues could go a different route .
They say the chief ’ s fate will depend on a proposed charter amendment that eliminates the requirement to maintain a police force .
If the amendment passes , some council members said they could envision a new department that may not include officers and could be led by someone without a law enforcement background .
This is just insane .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in charge of law enforcement is akin to appointing a non-lawyer to the Supreme Court .
Or perhaps even better , asking someone without any football experience except as a fan to become the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings .
The difference between these two analogies and the reality of what the Minneapolis city council proposes is that the reality of their proposal will get more people killed , especially the social workers they think can replace police officers .
Let ’ s hope that the state legislature ’ s tentative agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The city ’ s voters are likely to give it a chance before taking the incredibly reckless step of accepting the extreme nihilism of their city council .
And hopefully , those same voters will realize just how much elections matter and quit electing clowns to public office .

The Minneapolis city council wants to dismantle its police force. It may not get the chance, however, as the police officers themselves may accomplish it first. The city has received an overwhelming number of disability claims from law enforcement that might sideline a quarter of its police force.
The curve isn’t flattening, either, according to an attorney handling the claims:
The continued surge of Minneapolis police officers seeking disability benefits after the George Floyd unrest is heightening concerns of a police staffing shortage amid a wave of violent crime. Ron Meuser Jr., the lawyer handling the claims, said his office met with an additional 43 Minneapolis cops this week who have retained him. That’s in addition to the estimated 150 officers who Meuser said at a July 10 news conference had retained him. And it brings the total closer to 200 now, out of a sworn force of about 850. Meuser said most of the officers starting the disability paperwork leave their jobs fairly quickly on a medical leave. The disability claims process can take up to six months. He said his office has “dozens and dozens” of more appointments with officers scheduled for next week. “The curve has not flattened,” Meuser said. “We are signing up a staggering number of officers every day right now.”
That will put the city council in a rather difficult position. Even though they want to disband the police department, the city charter requires them to field their own police force. They want a referendum to pass an amendment to repeal that part of the charter, but until then, the charter requires not just the funding of the police department but specific minimum staffing levels as well. They must have “a police force of at least 0.0017 employees per resident”; with a population of 425,000 (as of 2018), that requires the city to have at least 724 “employees.” If they’re down to 650, they’re already in technical violation of their city charter.
There’s another problem here, too, which is one of momentum. If the police force thins out this rapidly, other officers will start looking for work elsewhere, too. At some point, the desire to serve the community will pale in respect to the danger of having no backup on ever-more-dangerous streets. Those officers might not go through a disability process — they will simply walk away, either to join other law enforcement agencies or to do something else. That process might already be accelerating, but if it hasn’t happened yet, it almost certainly will, and soon.
The state legislature may try to head that off with a package of reforms that stop short of defunding. The special session called in part to deal with this crisis (also with bond issues) reached some sort of agreement around midday:
The Republican leader of the Minnesota Senate said he’s struck a “tentative” agreement with Democrats who control the House on a series of police accountability proposals, setting a deadline of midnight on Monday to pass any deals and adjourn a special session of the Legislature. A package of changes to policing in the state became a top priority for lawmakers after the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. The agreement includes a ban on the use of chokeholds and warrior-style training for officers, as well as changes in police arbitration and the creation of a new advisory council within a state officer licensing and standards board, said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake.
That might leave room for the Minneapolis city council to save face and withdraw its charter change. Black leaders and groups in the city have become increasing vocal in their opposition to the idea, especially in high-crime neighborhoods that want more police, albeit with better accountability. It also might help them avoid a very dicey fight over the status of the popular chief of police, the first black chief in the city’s history:
Although Eighth Ward Council Member Andrea Jenkins and seven of her colleagues pledged last month to replace the city’s police force with a “transformative” public safety system, they admitted they didn’t have “all the answers about what a police-free future looks like.” Among the lingering questions is the fate of Medaria Arradondo, the city’s first Black police chief. On a City Council wracked by Floyd’s death at the hands of police, views differ about what the future may bring. “In my vision, yes, I see Chief Arradondo as part of a public safety continuum in the city of Minneapolis,” said Jenkins, the council vice president. “One of the things that people continue to talk about is that we need police officers that are from the community. Well, our police chief is from the community and understands the realities of Black life, the racism that exists in police culture and in the broader society.” But some of her colleagues could go a different route. They say the chief’s fate will depend on a proposed charter amendment that eliminates the requirement to maintain a police force. If the amendment passes, some council members said they could envision a new department that may not include officers and could be led by someone without a law enforcement background.
This is just insane. Putting someone without any law enforcement experience in charge of law enforcement is akin to appointing a non-lawyer to the Supreme Court. Or perhaps even better, asking someone without any football experience except as a fan to become the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. The difference between these two analogies and the reality of what the Minneapolis city council proposes is that the reality of their proposal will get more people killed, especially the social workers they think can replace police officers.
Let’s hope that the state legislature’s tentative agreement pre-empts this idiotic proposal from going forward. The city’s voters are likely to give it a chance before taking the incredibly reckless step of accepting the extreme nihilism of their city council. And hopefully, those same voters will realize just how much elections matter and quit electing clowns to public office.


hotair--2020-07-20--South Korean study says children 10 and older transmit the virus at least as easily as adults

They don ’ t get severe cases at the same rate adults do , of course .
You can look at the hospitalization and mortality data by age in any state and see that younger people are more likely to have mild outcomes from infection .
The fear isn ’ t that 12-year-olds are going to end up in the ICU if they go back to class this fall .
The fear is that mom and dad are going to end up in the ICU after junior gets infected at school and brings the virus home to them .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be restated on occasion because some very powerful people seem unable to grasp it , even five months into this nightmare .
The South Korean study tried to gauge children ’ s infectiousness based on circumstantial evidence , by looking at several thousand people who were the first in their households to report symptoms and then doing contact tracing to try to determine where they got the virus .
That can be tricky with kids since they ’ re apparently less likely to have symptoms themselves , but scientists who spoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by its rigor and methodology .
Result : Children under 10 were roughly half as likely as adults to spread the virus to others , consistent with other studies .
That may be because children generally exhale less air — and therefore less virus-laden air — or because they exhale that air closer to the ground , making it less likely that adults would breathe it in .
Even so , the number of new infections seeded by children may rise when schools reopen , the study authors cautioned .
“ Young children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school closure ends , contributing to community transmission of Covid-19 , ” they wrote .
Other studies have also suggested that the large number of contacts for schoolchildren , who interact with dozens of others for a good part of the day , may cancel out their smaller risk of infecting others… The study is more worrisome for children in middle and high school .
This group was even more likely to infect others than adults were , the study found .
But some experts said that finding may be a fluke or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behaviors .
The results of this study were published over the weekend and haven ’ t penetrated the culture widely yet .
I ’ m sitting here wondering what ’ ll happen to support for reopening schools once it does .
There ’ s been a hope/suspicion for the past several months that children are broadly immune to infection because they so seldom develop severe cases .
If that ’ s not true then the trend towards keeping schools closed — at least middle schools and high schools — will accelerate .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Support for fully reopening , as Trump wants to do , is very soft and destined to become softer .
Even Republicans can ’ t reach a plurality in favor .
There ’ s a gender divide too , with 55 percent of men in favor of at least partially reopening schools versus just 36 percent of women .
( Ironically , men are more likely to die from COVID-19 than women are . )
In fact , a near-majority of women , 48 percent , want schools closed or online-only .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protracted failure to get control of the epidemic is going to continue to push people towards keeping things closed down .
Which may lead us towards an outcome that ’ s dystopian even by 2020 standards .
We may end up with a three-tiered educational system this fall .
For the poor kids , who don ’ t have computers and speedy Internet and whose parents work jobs that can ’ t be done from home , classroom instruction — and the higher risk of infection risk it brings — may be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who do have computers and parents whose work can be done remotely , remote learning with its many inadequacies may be the way to go .
And for the really upscale kids , whose parents have money to burn , there may be concierge service .
Why send your child to school when you can bring the school to him or her ?
Fed up with remote education , parents who can pay have a new plan for fall : import teachers to their homes… Across the country , families are gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over text messages to make matches .
Teachers are being recruited , sometimes furtively , to work with small clusters of children .
A Facebook group dedicated to helping families connect and learn how to do this drew 3,400 members in nine days , with at least seven local groups already spun off .
“ This is a thing now , ” said Phil Higgins , a psychotherapist in Salem , Mass.
, who joined with two other families to hire a woman to create a “ pseudo summer camp ” for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now considering hiring this woman , who normally works as a school-based behavioral specialist , as a teacher for 40 hours per week during the school year .
She would help the kids work through their school-offered remote learning .
I ’ m grimly fascinated by the potential repercussions for the teaching industry .
Are school districts going to get into bidding wars for teachers with clusters of rich families who ’ ve banded together in “ learning pods ” ?
If you ’ re a teacher who ’ s not under contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an offer of $ 100,000 for the year to teach , say , six kids at someone ’ s spacious , well-appointed home ?
( That ’ s how much it can cost to lure a teacher away from a public school , an education consultant told WaPo . )
What happens to the local public school if there are enough rich parents around to poach a meaningful number of teachers from their faculty ?
Do the poor kids just … not get educated ?
Can the school district threaten to blackball teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discourage them from doing so ?
E.g.
, “ You won ’ t be rehired after there ’ s a vaccine if you bail on us now.
” And what happens to the “ learning pod ” if school is closed through the fall but then we get a vaccine or some effective treatment and things reopen in January ?
Does the teacher get his/her full salary for the year from the parents or do they go back to school too — assuming the school will even take them back ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quotes from parents wrestling with the fairness , and unfairness , of the “ learning pod ” scheme .
One said she ’ d quit her job and teach her kid herself before she hired a teacher because the latter scheme is just too privileged .
Others take the view that you should do the very best for your children that you can , and if that means you can hire a teacher for them while their poorer classmates have to do without then that ’ s what it means .
Some navel-gazed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher but would feel guilty about the narrow class confines of their social circle ‘ n stuff .
The truly dystopian stage will arrive when/if this idea takes off nationally and suddenly there ’ s a run on teachers in every upper-middle-class community .
“ I just heard that Mr. Harris and Mrs. Jones are off the market , snapped up by learning pods in that new gated community .
We need to hire someone now before there ’ s no one left.
” If you thought people behaved irrationally and desperately about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait until you see how they react to hoarding professional instruction for their precious children .
One last point about reopening schools .
Bloomberg reported a few days ago that kids and teens represent a “ ballooning ” percentage of COVID-19 infections in the U.S .
In California the share of infections across the population among under-18s is approaching 10 percent .
In Florida , 31 percent of all children tested have been positive .
Much of that is a function of increased testing : Now that tests are more plentiful , kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gone undetected a few months ago are being tested and found positive .
That doesn ’ t mean that kids who are largely asymptomatic are necessarily as infectious as everyone else , but they ’ re clearly very capable of being infected .
And if you believe South Korean scientists , above a certain age they ’ re quite capable of passing it on .

They don’t get severe cases at the same rate adults do, of course. You can look at the hospitalization and mortality data by age in any state and see that younger people are more likely to have mild outcomes from infection. The fear isn’t that 12-year-olds are going to end up in the ICU if they go back to class this fall.
The fear is that mom and dad are going to end up in the ICU after junior gets infected at school and brings the virus home to them.
And yes, that basic point does need to be restated on occasion because some very powerful people seem unable to grasp it, even five months into this nightmare.
Gov. Mike Parson: “These kids have got to get back to school…. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals…. They’re going to go home and they’re going to get over it.” https://t.co/yEtHbYf3sZ pic.twitter.com/SzoieUGPOh — St. Louis Post-Dispatch (@stltoday) July 20, 2020
The South Korean study tried to gauge children’s infectiousness based on circumstantial evidence, by looking at several thousand people who were the first in their households to report symptoms and then doing contact tracing to try to determine where they got the virus. That can be tricky with kids since they’re apparently less likely to have symptoms themselves, but scientists who spoke to the Times about the study were impressed by its rigor and methodology. Result:
Children under 10 were roughly half as likely as adults to spread the virus to others, consistent with other studies. That may be because children generally exhale less air — and therefore less virus-laden air — or because they exhale that air closer to the ground, making it less likely that adults would breathe it in. Even so, the number of new infections seeded by children may rise when schools reopen, the study authors cautioned. “Young children may show higher attack rates when the school closure ends, contributing to community transmission of Covid-19,” they wrote. Other studies have also suggested that the large number of contacts for schoolchildren, who interact with dozens of others for a good part of the day, may cancel out their smaller risk of infecting others… The study is more worrisome for children in middle and high school. This group was even more likely to infect others than adults were, the study found. But some experts said that finding may be a fluke or may stem from the children’s behaviors.
The results of this study were published over the weekend and haven’t penetrated the culture widely yet. I’m sitting here wondering what’ll happen to support for reopening schools once it does. There’s been a hope/suspicion for the past several months that children are broadly immune to infection because they so seldom develop severe cases. If that’s not true then the trend towards keeping schools closed — at least middle schools and high schools — will accelerate. Here’s where things stand today:
Support for fully reopening, as Trump wants to do, is very soft and destined to become softer. Even Republicans can’t reach a plurality in favor. There’s a gender divide too, with 55 percent of men in favor of at least partially reopening schools versus just 36 percent of women. (Ironically, men are more likely to die from COVID-19 than women are.) In fact, a near-majority of women, 48 percent, want schools closed or online-only. The South Korean study and America’s protracted failure to get control of the epidemic is going to continue to push people towards keeping things closed down.
Which may lead us towards an outcome that’s dystopian even by 2020 standards. We may end up with a three-tiered educational system this fall. For the poor kids, who don’t have computers and speedy Internet and whose parents work jobs that can’t be done from home, classroom instruction — and the higher risk of infection risk it brings — may be the only option. For more upscale kids, who do have computers and parents whose work can be done remotely, remote learning with its many inadequacies may be the way to go. And for the really upscale kids, whose parents have money to burn, there may be concierge service. Why send your child to school when you can bring the school to him or her?
Fed up with remote education, parents who can pay have a new plan for fall: import teachers to their homes… Across the country, families are gathering with strangers in Facebook groups and friends over text messages to make matches. Teachers are being recruited, sometimes furtively, to work with small clusters of children. A Facebook group dedicated to helping families connect and learn how to do this drew 3,400 members in nine days, with at least seven local groups already spun off. “This is a thing now,” said Phil Higgins, a psychotherapist in Salem, Mass., who joined with two other families to hire a woman to create a “pseudo summer camp” for their four children this summer. They are now considering hiring this woman, who normally works as a school-based behavioral specialist, as a teacher for 40 hours per week during the school year. She would help the kids work through their school-offered remote learning.
I’m grimly fascinated by the potential repercussions for the teaching industry. Are school districts going to get into bidding wars for teachers with clusters of rich families who’ve banded together in “learning pods”? If you’re a teacher who’s not under contract, how do you say no to an offer of $100,000 for the year to teach, say, six kids at someone’s spacious, well-appointed home? (That’s how much it can cost to lure a teacher away from a public school, an education consultant told WaPo.) What happens to the local public school if there are enough rich parents around to poach a meaningful number of teachers from their faculty? Do the poor kids just … not get educated?
Can the school district threaten to blackball teachers who are considering jumping ship in order to discourage them from doing so? E.g., “You won’t be rehired after there’s a vaccine if you bail on us now.” And what happens to the “learning pod” if school is closed through the fall but then we get a vaccine or some effective treatment and things reopen in January? Does the teacher get his/her full salary for the year from the parents or do they go back to school too — assuming the school will even take them back?
The WaPo story is fun for the many quotes from parents wrestling with the fairness, and unfairness, of the “learning pod” scheme. One said she’d quit her job and teach her kid herself before she hired a teacher because the latter scheme is just too privileged. Others take the view that you should do the very best for your children that you can, and if that means you can hire a teacher for them while their poorer classmates have to do without then that’s what it means. Some navel-gazed about how they’d hire a teacher but would feel guilty about the narrow class confines of their social circle ‘n stuff. The truly dystopian stage will arrive when/if this idea takes off nationally and suddenly there’s a run on teachers in every upper-middle-class community. “I just heard that Mr. Harris and Mrs. Jones are off the market, snapped up by learning pods in that new gated community. We need to hire someone now before there’s no one left.” If you thought people behaved irrationally and desperately about hoarding toilet paper back in March, wait until you see how they react to hoarding professional instruction for their precious children.
One last point about reopening schools. Bloomberg reported a few days ago that kids and teens represent a “ballooning” percentage of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. In California the share of infections across the population among under-18s is approaching 10 percent. In Florida, 31 percent of all children tested have been positive. Much of that is a function of increased testing: Now that tests are more plentiful, kids with few or no symptoms who would have gone undetected a few months ago are being tested and found positive. That doesn’t mean that kids who are largely asymptomatic are necessarily as infectious as everyone else, but they’re clearly very capable of being infected. And if you believe South Korean scientists, above a certain age they’re quite capable of passing it on.


hotair--2020-07-20--Seattle: Vandals with baseball bats leave a trail of destruction, 12 officers injured

It seems like Seattle anarchists are tired of Portland getting all of the attention .
Sunday , a group of several hundred , some carrying baseball bats , split off from an ongoing protest march and left a trail of destruction .
When they reached the West Precinct , members of the group threw rocks and fireworks at police , 12 of whom were injured .
This view from above shows some of the fireworks going off .
This appears to be ground level from the same area .
According to Seattle PD , here ’ s what happened at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it to the West Precinct and some individuals attempted to break into the building .
Protesters threw rocks and bottles at the officers who were outside defending the precinct .
An unknown person or persons threw multiple large mortar-type fireworks at officers from a close range .
Multiple officers were injured by the fireworks thrown at them .
Two of the officers suffered lacerations and abrasion injuries while a third officer sustained burns to his neck area and needed to be treated by the Seattle Fire Department .
He was later transported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twelve officers were injured .
Blast balls and pepper spray were used to stop the assault on officers .
Officers arrested two individuals , one for assault and the other for theft .
One of the targets of the vandals yesterday was an Amazon Go store .
As you can see in the 2nd clip below , members of the mob go for the windows , other participants scout the periphery to make sure no one is filming .
This is standard procedure for these groups to make sure the people responsible can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Walgreens store was also vandalized and looted ( 2nd clip below ) : Another target of the mob was Starbucks .
It appears they vandalized more than one store .
This one is closer to Cal Anderson Park .
The targeting of Starbucks wasn ’ t accidental .
Protesters have recently called for a boycott of the chain because it donated to the Seattle Police Foundation .
This clip is from just a few days before the riot on Sunday .
But near he end of this moving riot the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same precinct that was at the center of CHAZ/CHOP a few weeks ago .
This is video from inside that precinct of rioters breaking in .
Finally , this local news report from yesterday afternoon shows police cleaning up the broken glass at the East Precinct .
Someone apparently threw a firework inside and started a small fire inside but it was put out .
There is currently one man facing federal charges for trying to set this same precinct on fire .

It seems like Seattle anarchists are tired of Portland getting all of the attention. Sunday, a group of several hundred, some carrying baseball bats, split off from an ongoing protest march and left a trail of destruction.
Demonstrators went from Westlake Park to the Municipal Courthouse and then headed back north to the West Precinct…leaving behind a trail of property destruction. These are criminal acts, not peaceful protests. pic.twitter.com/7GYkDxAg9s — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 20, 2020
When they reached the West Precinct, members of the group threw rocks and fireworks at police, 12 of whom were injured. This view from above shows some of the fireworks going off.
This video just sent to me shows protesters at the West Precinct. Fireworks are heard at first and then a few seconds later, it appears that some type of crowd control devices are used by @SeattlePD. At the end, you can see officers moving in on someone #KOMONews pic.twitter.com/2rpI21zPpZ — Cole Miller (@ColeMillerTV) July 19, 2020
This appears to be ground level from the same area.
https://twitter.com/hannnahewald93/status/1285029836180742150
According to Seattle PD, here’s what happened at the West Precinct.
The group eventually made it to the West Precinct and some individuals attempted to break into the building. Protesters threw rocks and bottles at the officers who were outside defending the precinct. An unknown person or persons threw multiple large mortar-type fireworks at officers from a close range. Multiple officers were injured by the fireworks thrown at them. Two of the officers suffered lacerations and abrasion injuries while a third officer sustained burns to his neck area and needed to be treated by the Seattle Fire Department. He was later transported to the hospital. A total of twelve officers were injured. Blast balls and pepper spray were used to stop the assault on officers. Officers arrested two individuals, one for assault and the other for theft.
One of the targets of the vandals yesterday was an Amazon Go store. As you can see in the 2nd clip below, members of the mob go for the windows, other participants scout the periphery to make sure no one is filming. This is standard procedure for these groups to make sure the people responsible can’t be identified later by police.
NOW: Antifa Militants and Black Lives Matter rioters are breaking into Amazon Go Downtown Seattle. This protest has turned into a riot. #SeattleProtest #AntifaDomesticTerrorists #seattleriots #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/RH8u56fCGP — Katie Daviscourt🇺🇸 (@KatieDaviscourt) July 19, 2020
A Walgreens store was also vandalized and looted (2nd clip below):
https://twitter.com/KittyLists/status/1285003315219017728
Another target of the mob was Starbucks.
Windows of Starbucks Reserve broken, some projectiles look like they are being thrown in, I’m not sure if people are inside #seattleprotest #seattleprotests pic.twitter.com/4TFldjJUET — Elizabeth Turnbull (@LizTurnbull5) July 19, 2020
No one appears to have been in the Starbucks store, glass on floor from windows as protesters move toward Broadway and Pine #seattleprotest #seattleprotests pic.twitter.com/6qEitOxx0z — Elizabeth Turnbull (@LizTurnbull5) July 20, 2020
It appears they vandalized more than one store. This one is closer to Cal Anderson Park.
“I don’t see shit, I don’t know shit,” chants as protester break windows of Starbucks on Broadway and Denny #seattleprotest #seattleprotests — Elizabeth Turnbull (@LizTurnbull5) July 20, 2020
Looks protesters set off a smoke bomb or something similar after smashing windows of Starbucks on Broadway and E Denny Wy #seattleprotest #seattleprotests pic.twitter.com/uY4cm42d8s — Elizabeth Turnbull (@LizTurnbull5) July 20, 2020
The targeting of Starbucks wasn’t accidental. Protesters have recently called for a boycott of the chain because it donated to the Seattle Police Foundation. This clip is from just a few days before the riot on Sunday.
March reaches the Starbucks Roastery and Reserve, one speaker tells crowds that they will hold people accountable for shopping at Starbucks, leading crowd ina chant of, “We ain’t shopping at Starbucks no more!” #seattleprotest #seattleprotests pic.twitter.com/45Maf4o05a — Elizabeth Turnbull (@LizTurnbull5) July 16, 2020
But near he end of this moving riot the group headed to the East Precinct which was the same precinct that was at the center of CHAZ/CHOP a few weeks ago. This is video from inside that precinct of rioters breaking in.
Here's video recorded from inside the East Precinct as anti-cop "peaceful" protesters (aka rioters and agitators) vandalized property during their march. pic.twitter.com/HicNvIktmq — (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) July 20, 2020
Finally, this local news report from yesterday afternoon shows police cleaning up the broken glass at the East Precinct. Someone apparently threw a firework inside and started a small fire inside but it was put out. There is currently one man facing federal charges for trying to set this same precinct on fire.


hotair--2020-07-20--MO governor: You'd better believe I'll pardon the McCloskeys if Gardner prosecutes

Will the McCloskeys spend a day in jail ?
At the moment , it ’ s not even clear they ’ ll spend a day in court .
So far , St. Louis County DA Kimberly Gardner hasn ’ t filed charges over their use of weapons to protect their property .
If she does and she gets a conviction , Missouri governor Mike Parson told a radio host that he would likely pardon them immediately — even though he doesn ’ t yet have “ all the facts ” at hand : Missouri Gov .
Mike Parson says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if prosecutors bring criminal charges in the case of a St. Louis couple who brandished firearms at a group of protesters outside their home .
Parson , a Republican , told a St. Louis radio station Friday that he thinks a pardon is “ exactly what would happen ” if Mark and Patricia McCloskey are hit with charges in the June 28 incident captured on video and seen by millions .
He later added that based on what he knows about the case , “ I don ’ t think they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” … “ A mob does not have the right to charge your property , ” he said , according to the paper .
“ They had every right to protect themselves.
” Parson linked to the interview on Twitter and added the comment , “ We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be targeted for exercising their constitutional rights.
” That ’ s the best news yet for the McCloskeys , but it ’ s not necessarily a game changer .
In fact , it ’ s not quite a solid promise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hit reverse now .
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that Parson admits that he hasn ’ t reviewed the issue in depth yet , and the video from the incident might change the narrative a bit : According to Missouri law , one of the ways to unlawfully use a weapon is to exhibit “ in the presence of one or more persons , any weapon readily capable of lethal use in an angry or threatening manner.
” Parson told reporters last week the statute didn ’ t apply because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more leeway to shoot people on their property .
But a live feed of the protest shows the first few protesters to enter their private street swerved away from the McCloskey property and into the street .
No protesters were on their property when Mark McCloskey , holding a rifle , began shouting at them .
Parson said at the press conference that he didn ’ t know “ all the details of it.
” A couple of points should be noted here .
The citation of the law is correct as far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moot if there is a valid case for lethal-force self-defense .
The Castle Doctrine does not change that , despite the P-D ’ s characterization of that law .
All the Castle Doctrine does is eliminate the requirement of retreat while on one ’ s own property ; it doesn ’ t give “ more leeway to shoot people.
” ( As I ’ ve also noted , Stand Your Ground laws do the same thing , only they also apply anywhere rather than just on your own property . )
The basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be present : a threat that a reasonable person would consider a threat of death or grave bodily harm .
If there was no threat , then the McCloskeys are in trouble .
If there was a threat , then the Castle Doctrine only applies because the threat was there in the first place .
As for no one being on the property , the live feed mentioned may not have been in position to capture that .
The McCloskeys claim that the gate on their property got damaged and knocked down , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made at some point .
And if that ’ s the case , good luck convincing 12 jurors in St. Louis County that a reasonable person wouldn ’ t have been afraid of grave harm from an angry mob forcing entry onto their property , considering all of the violence that have attended such protests during the last two months .
That ’ s why this case is a loser , especially now .
Gardner ’ s likely just riding this out to score some political points .
Parson ’ s doing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheap .
If an indictment gets filed , however , the stakes go up .
Who ’ ll be the first to fold ?

Will the McCloskeys spend a day in jail? At the moment, it’s not even clear they’ll spend a day in court. So far, St. Louis County DA Kimberly Gardner hasn’t filed charges over their use of weapons to protect their property. If she does and she gets a conviction, Missouri governor Mike Parson told a radio host that he would likely pardon them immediately — even though he doesn’t yet have “all the facts” at hand:
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says he is prepared to exercise his pardon powers if prosecutors bring criminal charges in the case of a St. Louis couple who brandished firearms at a group of protesters outside their home. Parson, a Republican, told a St. Louis radio station Friday that he thinks a pardon is “exactly what would happen” if Mark and Patricia McCloskey are hit with charges in the June 28 incident captured on video and seen by millions. He later added that based on what he knows about the case, “I don’t think they’re going to spend any time in jail.” … “A mob does not have the right to charge your property,” he said, according to the paper. “They had every right to protect themselves.” Parson linked to the interview on Twitter and added the comment, “We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be targeted for exercising their constitutional rights.”
That’s the best news yet for the McCloskeys, but it’s not necessarily a game changer. In fact, it’s not quite a solid promise, although Parson might find it tough to hit reverse now. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that Parson admits that he hasn’t reviewed the issue in depth yet, and the video from the incident might change the narrative a bit:
According to Missouri law, one of the ways to unlawfully use a weapon is to exhibit “in the presence of one or more persons, any weapon readily capable of lethal use in an angry or threatening manner.” Parson told reporters last week the statute didn’t apply because of the Castle Doctrine, which which gives homeowners more leeway to shoot people on their property. But a live feed of the protest shows the first few protesters to enter their private street swerved away from the McCloskey property and into the street. No protesters were on their property when Mark McCloskey, holding a rifle, began shouting at them. Parson said at the press conference that he didn’t know “all the details of it.”
A couple of points should be noted here. The citation of the law is correct as far as it goes, but it becomes moot if there is a valid case for lethal-force self-defense. The Castle Doctrine does not change that, despite the P-D’s characterization of that law. All the Castle Doctrine does is eliminate the requirement of retreat while on one’s own property; it doesn’t give “more leeway to shoot people.” (As I’ve also noted, Stand Your Ground laws do the same thing, only they also apply anywhere rather than just on your own property.) The basic elements of lethal-force self-defense still have to be present: a threat that a reasonable person would consider a threat of death or grave bodily harm.
If there was no threat, then the McCloskeys are in trouble. If there was a threat, then the Castle Doctrine only applies because the threat was there in the first place. As for no one being on the property, the live feed mentioned may not have been in position to capture that. The McCloskeys claim that the gate on their property got damaged and knocked down, which if true suggests that entry was made at some point. And if that’s the case, good luck convincing 12 jurors in St. Louis County that a reasonable person wouldn’t have been afraid of grave harm from an angry mob forcing entry onto their property, considering all of the violence that have attended such protests during the last two months.
That’s why this case is a loser, especially now. Gardner’s likely just riding this out to score some political points. Parson’s doing the same, while the playing is still cheap. If an indictment gets filed, however, the stakes go up. Who’ll be the first to fold?


hotair--2020-07-20--Preliminary results: Oxford vaccine boosts antibodies -- and T-cells -- in trials

Any progress on a vaccine is important but this one ’ s especially important for two reasons .
One : Oxford ’ s leading the pack ( in the western world ) in the race to be the first to develop an effective vaccine .
It ’ s already in phase three of trials ; the leading U.S. competitor , Moderna ’ s mRNA vaccine , is entering phase three now .
If Oxford were to stumble , the wait for a vaccine would get longer .
According to today ’ s preliminary results in the The Lancet , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are increasingly focused on the fact that T-cells , not just antibodies , may be key in putting out the fire when someone ’ s infected with coronavirus .
T-cells target and destroy cells in the body that are infected .
“ Evaluating an immune response without accounting for T cells is like inventorying a national air force but leaving out the bomber jets , ” writes Derek Thompson this morning in the Atlantic .
In fact , some evidence points to the possibility that T-cells provide more robust and more durable immunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French study having uncovered cases of people recovering from the disease without any antibodies at all .
Needless to say , a vaccine that boosts antibodies and T-cells is a choice vaccine .
The Oxford vaccine boosts both , per the early data published today from phase one/two trials .
“ We ’ re getting both sides of the immune system stimulated and that is fairly unusual for vaccines , ” said the director of the Oxford project to NBC .
Their product works by teaching the body to recognize the “ spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cells and to neutralize it more efficiently .
Then , if/when you ’ re infected with the virus itself , antibodies and T-cells are ready to pounce and squash it before it has time to replicate .
Reading medical studies as a layman is a bit like interpreting hieroglyphics but I think I have the gist of what this panel from the study means : Those are measures of antibodies in people who participated in the trial .
The first group received a meningitis vaccine ( MenACWY ) as a control , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As you can see , antibodies were much higher in the latter group than the former and were higher still after the booster shot a month later .
Note also that antibody levels didn ’ t decline much after reaching peak levels at around day 35 following the booster .
A key question right now for vaccine-makers and the public is how long immunity to the virus lasts once you ’ ve conquered it .
Hair-raising studies have appeared lately suggesting that antibodies might disappear from one ’ s system within a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be reinfected over and over and calling into question whether a vaccine is worth the trouble .
Thompson ’ s Atlantic piece tries to provide some reassurance on that : Measles antibodies also decline sharply and rapidly after you get that vaccine — and yet you remain protected for many years afterward .
Plus , humans develop a certain amount of “ immune memory ” after being infected the first time that may help them beat the disease more easily if they ’ re reinfected later .
So protection from a COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not very long term .
The T-cell data from the study appears to be shakier .
This analysis is above my pay grade but it seems that circumstantial evidence suggests the Oxford vaccine does a better job boosting T-cells than the meningitis control vaccine does : Oxford isn ’ t the only vaccine-maker to show a “ dual immunity ” response from its product : “ In a paper also released Monday , [ German firm ] BioNTech and Pfizer said their vaccine also induced T-cell responses.
” As far as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s made it through phase one trials thus far has induced mild side effects in recipients , although nothing serious .
Oxford ’ s vaccine is no exception , generating “ fever , headaches , muscle aches , and injection site reactions , in about 60 % of patients.
” There ’ s one other advantage Oxford might have over , say , Moderna : Efficiency .
As I say , they ’ re in phase three trials now .
That ’ s the acid test , when they inject people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the population to see if anyone gets infected .
It ’ s one thing to produce antibodies and T-cells , it ’ s another to actually prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2 .
If all goes well , some doses of the vaccine could be available in limited situations by September .
Oxford and its partner , AstraZeneca , are still aiming to make the vaccine widely available by the end of 2020 although that remains an absolute best-case scenario .
What do we do until then ?
We cross our fingers and hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease less deadly in severe cases than it is now .
Like … this : The working theory is that coronavirus suppresses interferon , allowing it to replicate robustly in the body .
Synairgen ’ s product boosts the depleted supply of interferon in the lungs , which enhances the immune response .
It ’ s like sending reinforcements to the front lines after the first wave of troops suffers heavy losses .
Supposedly there were “ very significant ” reductions in breathlessness among patients who received the protein , with hospital stays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six .
Scientists want to see more data , needless to say .
It ’ d be fitting in a way if another country beat us to the punch on developing a vaccine .
America ’ s response to the virus has been an omnishambles , to borrow a British term ; our daily case count yesterday was nearly 100 times — no typo — that of the UK ’ s .
( Although the UK ’ s deaths per capita remain higher than ours even now . )
If Moderna or some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first , let ’ s hope Oxford is .
That would deny China a bit of prestige after they foisted this curse on the world and would reduce the leverage they have to squeeze other countries on their foreign policy prerogatives in return for vaccine access .

Any progress on a vaccine is important but this one’s especially important for two reasons. One: Oxford’s leading the pack (in the western world) in the race to be the first to develop an effective vaccine. It’s already in phase three of trials; the leading U.S. competitor, Moderna’s mRNA vaccine, is entering phase three now. If Oxford were to stumble, the wait for a vaccine would get longer. According to today’s preliminary results in the The Lancet, they have not stumbled.
Two: Scientists are increasingly focused on the fact that T-cells, not just antibodies, may be key in putting out the fire when someone’s infected with coronavirus. T-cells target and destroy cells in the body that are infected. “Evaluating an immune response without accounting for T cells is like inventorying a national air force but leaving out the bomber jets,” writes Derek Thompson this morning in the Atlantic. In fact, some evidence points to the possibility that T-cells provide more robust and more durable immunity to COVID-19 than antibodies, with one French study having uncovered cases of people recovering from the disease without any antibodies at all. Needless to say, a vaccine that boosts antibodies and T-cells is a choice vaccine.
The Oxford vaccine boosts both, per the early data published today from phase one/two trials. “We’re getting both sides of the immune system stimulated and that is fairly unusual for vaccines,” said the director of the Oxford project to NBC. Their product works by teaching the body to recognize the “spike protein” that SARS-CoV-2 uses to bind to cells and to neutralize it more efficiently. Then, if/when you’re infected with the virus itself, antibodies and T-cells are ready to pounce and squash it before it has time to replicate.
Reading medical studies as a layman is a bit like interpreting hieroglyphics but I think I have the gist of what this panel from the study means:
Those are measures of antibodies in people who participated in the trial. The first group received a meningitis vaccine (MenACWY) as a control, the second received the Oxford vaccine. As you can see, antibodies were much higher in the latter group than the former and were higher still after the booster shot a month later.
Note also that antibody levels didn’t decline much after reaching peak levels at around day 35 following the booster. A key question right now for vaccine-makers and the public is how long immunity to the virus lasts once you’ve conquered it. Hair-raising studies have appeared lately suggesting that antibodies might disappear from one’s system within a few months, making it possible for people to be reinfected over and over and calling into question whether a vaccine is worth the trouble. Thompson’s Atlantic piece tries to provide some reassurance on that: Measles antibodies also decline sharply and rapidly after you get that vaccine — and yet you remain protected for many years afterward. Plus, humans develop a certain amount of “immune memory” after being infected the first time that may help them beat the disease more easily if they’re reinfected later. So protection from a COVID vaccine might be valuable even if it’s not very long term.
The T-cell data from the study appears to be shakier. This analysis is above my pay grade but it seems that circumstantial evidence suggests the Oxford vaccine does a better job boosting T-cells than the meningitis control vaccine does:
https://twitter.com/AndyBiotech/status/1285213364633960449
Oxford isn’t the only vaccine-maker to show a “dual immunity” response from its product: “In a paper also released Monday, [German firm] BioNTech and Pfizer said their vaccine also induced T-cell responses.” As far as I’m aware, every vaccine that’s made it through phase one trials thus far has induced mild side effects in recipients, although nothing serious. Oxford’s vaccine is no exception, generating “fever, headaches, muscle aches, and injection site reactions, in about 60% of patients.”
There’s one other advantage Oxford might have over, say, Moderna: Efficiency.
The Oxford shot elicited neutralizing antibodies after a single dose, Hill said. That may be an important advantage in quickly raising immunity. “I don’t read that clearly in the Moderna data,” he said. “I think they need two doses to see plausibly protective neutralizing antibodies.”
As I say, they’re in phase three trials now. That’s the acid test, when they inject people with the vaccine and send them out into the population to see if anyone gets infected. It’s one thing to produce antibodies and T-cells, it’s another to actually prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2. If all goes well, some doses of the vaccine could be available in limited situations by September. Oxford and its partner, AstraZeneca, are still aiming to make the vaccine widely available by the end of 2020 although that remains an absolute best-case scenario.
What do we do until then? We cross our fingers and hope for effective stopgap treatments that make the disease less deadly in severe cases than it is now. Like … this:
The treatment from [British]-based biotech Synairgen uses a protein called interferon beta which the body produces when it gets a viral infection. The protein is inhaled directly into the lungs of patients with coronavirus, using a nebuliser, in the hope that it will stimulate an immune response. The initial findings suggest the treatment cut the odds of a Covid-19 patient in hospital developing severe disease – such as requiring ventilation – by 79%. Patients were two to three times more likely to recover to the point where everyday activities were not compromised by their illness, Synairgen claims.
The working theory is that coronavirus suppresses interferon, allowing it to replicate robustly in the body. Synairgen’s product boosts the depleted supply of interferon in the lungs, which enhances the immune response. It’s like sending reinforcements to the front lines after the first wave of troops suffers heavy losses. Supposedly there were “very significant” reductions in breathlessness among patients who received the protein, with hospital stays cut on average from nine days to six. Scientists want to see more data, needless to say.
It’d be fitting in a way if another country beat us to the punch on developing a vaccine. America’s response to the virus has been an omnishambles, to borrow a British term; our daily case count yesterday was nearly 100 times — no typo — that of the UK’s. (Although the UK’s deaths per capita remain higher than ours even now.) If Moderna or some other American outfit can’t be first, let’s hope Oxford is. That would deny China a bit of prestige after they foisted this curse on the world and would reduce the leverage they have to squeeze other countries on their foreign policy prerogatives in return for vaccine access.


hotair--2020-07-20--Adios, Trader Jose. You've been canceled

The latest corporate victim of cancel culture is Trader Joe ’ s .
This time the complaint centers around racist packaging .
Trader Joe ’ s products don ’ t have photo images that are offending the grocery chain ’ s more delicate customers but the wording on the labels of ethnic food products is being canceled .
Trader Joe ’ s prides itself on providing a relaxed , fun kind of shopping experience .
The labels on many of its products are designed to be quirky .
One of the ways the company promoted ethnic food products was by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generic name of a different culture , like Trader Jose or Trader Ming .
It ’ s a marketing gimmick .
This is 2020 , though , and the cancel culture mobs run our lives .
The grocery chain is changing its packaging on international cuisine .
A California high school student started an online petition calling for the change .
With only 1,400 names on the petition , the company is making news for caving to the demands of a few .
Let ’ s be honest , 1,400 names on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people these days , especially for one that criticizes a national grocery store chain .
Trader Joe ’ s , however , says the company was already in the process of changing its labels for ethnic food products , long before the petition was created .
As a matter of fact , the company claims the change was happening “ long before ” the petition made the news .
“ We have been in the process of updating older labels and replacing any variations with the name Trader Joe ’ s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until we complete this important work , ” Friend-Daniel said .
“ At this time , I don ’ t have an exact date but we expect to have the work completed very soon .
Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed , but there ’ s a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process.
” Trader Joe ’ s packages its Chinese , Mexican , Italian and Middle Eastern foods under the brands “ Trader Ming ’ s , ” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ Arabian Joe.
” The national public relations person for Trader Joe ’ s says the change has been ongoing for several years .
If so , it seems like a long time for label changes , right ?
“ With this in mind , we made the decision several years ago to use only the Trader Joe ’ s name on our products moving forward , ” Kenya Friend-Daniel , Trader Joe ’ s national director of public relations , told USA TODAY in a statement Saturday .
“ Since then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of updating older labels and replacing any variations with the name Trader Joe ’ s , and we will continue do so until we complete this important work.
” An exact date for when the products ’ packaging would be changed wasn ’ t known but was expected very soon , Friend-Daniel said in the statement , adding some products have already been changed .
The student who created the petition isn ’ t satisfied with the corporate response .
This is my shocked face .
That is what always happens .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancel culture mob , no matter how small that mob may be , it is never enough .
Appeasement never satisfies them .
The discontented voices jump on the weakness of appeasement and demand more .
That is what is happening in this case , too .
The student claims that the wording on labels “ belies a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes.
” The student brings the drama .
In one part of the company ’ s statement , Bedell ’ s words – “ a welcoming , rewarding customer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an explanation is offered .
The labeling is part of the corporation ’ s whimsical approach to marketing .
“ Exoticism ” seems like an overreach .
Trader Joe ’ s is one of America ’ s most popular grocery store chains .
The high school student thinks this is an urgent matter .
To her , just emptying out the store shelves and not offering products with those labels on them is a reasonable demand .
My eyes can not roll any farther back .
Perhaps in San Francisco , where she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but not to most areas of the country .
If this is the biggest problem in her life , she has a pretty darn good life .
All these years that Trader Joe ’ s has been operating , only now it is unacceptable ?
The reason Trader Joe ’ s is a popular grocery store chain is that its stores are clean , the employees are friendly and helpful , and the stores do , in fact , offer a pleasant shopping experience .
At least that has been my experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in not even particularly noticing the “ exoticism ” in the labeling and I definitely never thought the store is trying to use inappropriate cultural stereotyping .
Grocery shopping can be tedious , most of us are happy that some retailers are interested in putting a little fun into it .

The latest corporate victim of cancel culture is Trader Joe’s. This time the complaint centers around racist packaging. Trader Joe’s products don’t have photo images that are offending the grocery chain’s more delicate customers but the wording on the labels of ethnic food products is being canceled.
Trader Joe’s prides itself on providing a relaxed, fun kind of shopping experience. The labels on many of its products are designed to be quirky. One of the ways the company promoted ethnic food products was by turning the Trader Joe name into a generic name of a different culture, like Trader Jose or Trader Ming. It’s a marketing gimmick. This is 2020, though, and the cancel culture mobs run our lives. The grocery chain is changing its packaging on international cuisine.
A California high school student started an online petition calling for the change. With only 1,400 names on the petition, the company is making news for caving to the demands of a few. Let’s be honest, 1,400 names on an online petition is a really small number of people these days, especially for one that criticizes a national grocery store chain. Trader Joe’s, however, says the company was already in the process of changing its labels for ethnic food products, long before the petition was created. As a matter of fact, the company claims the change was happening “long before” the petition made the news.
“We have been in the process of updating older labels and replacing any variations with the name Trader Joe’s, and we will continue to do so until we complete this important work,” Friend-Daniel said. “At this time, I don’t have an exact date but we expect to have the work completed very soon. Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there’s a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process.” Trader Joe’s packages its Chinese, Mexican, Italian and Middle Eastern foods under the brands “Trader Ming’s,” “Trader Jose” “Trader Giotto” and “Arabian Joe.”
The national public relations person for Trader Joe’s says the change has been ongoing for several years. If so, it seems like a long time for label changes, right?
“With this in mind, we made the decision several years ago to use only the Trader Joe’s name on our products moving forward,” Kenya Friend-Daniel, Trader Joe’s national director of public relations, told USA TODAY in a statement Saturday. “Since then, we have been in the process of updating older labels and replacing any variations with the name Trader Joe’s, and we will continue do so until we complete this important work.” An exact date for when the products’ packaging would be changed wasn’t known but was expected very soon, Friend-Daniel said in the statement, adding some products have already been changed.
The student who created the petition isn’t satisfied with the corporate response. This is my shocked face. That is what always happens. When a company or individuals cave to the cancel culture mob, no matter how small that mob may be, it is never enough. Appeasement never satisfies them. The discontented voices jump on the weakness of appeasement and demand more. That is what is happening in this case, too. The student claims that the wording on labels “belies a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes.” The student brings the drama.
After Trader Joe’s statement that the labeling would be changed, Bedell wrote that the company should “commit to a date in which the packaging changes will be completed. If a date cannot be established, we ask that Trader Joe’s immediately remove all products that the company recognizes have not been inclusive and have not cultivated a welcoming, rewarding customer experience.”
In one part of the company’s statement, Bedell’s words – “a welcoming, rewarding customer experience” – are actually used as an explanation is offered. The labeling is part of the corporation’s whimsical approach to marketing. “Exoticism” seems like an overreach.
“While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect — one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,” Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokesperson for Trader Joe’s, said in a statement.
Trader Joe’s is one of America’s most popular grocery store chains. The high school student thinks this is an urgent matter. To her, just emptying out the store shelves and not offering products with those labels on them is a reasonable demand. My eyes can not roll any farther back. Perhaps in San Francisco, where she lives, this is a normal reaction, but not to most areas of the country. If this is the biggest problem in her life, she has a pretty darn good life. All these years that Trader Joe’s has been operating, only now it is unacceptable?
Ms. Bedell, a rising high school senior and human rights activist, said “the branding remains on shelves and unaddressed” at her local Trader Joe’s in the San Francisco Bay Area. “There’s an abundance of products in their stores, and I think it’s still important — the petition remains important — because Trader Joe’s lacks the urgency needed in the current climate to remedy the issue,” she said.
The reason Trader Joe’s is a popular grocery store chain is that its stores are clean, the employees are friendly and helpful, and the stores do, in fact, offer a pleasant shopping experience. At least that has been my experience. I doubt that I am alone in not even particularly noticing the “exoticism” in the labeling and I definitely never thought the store is trying to use inappropriate cultural stereotyping. Grocery shopping can be tedious, most of us are happy that some retailers are interested in putting a little fun into it.


hotair--2020-07-20--The stalemate over extending unemployment benefits could be solved with a single sentence

As CNN reported over the weekend , this is the last week for the enhanced federal unemployment benefits approved during the first round of pandemic relief .
Demonstrating yet again that there ’ s nothing the swamp critters in Washington , DC can ’ t politicize , the debate over renewing these benefits has broken down into what ’ s looking like a partisan stalemate .
The Democrats in the House have passed a $ 3 trillion relief bill that would renew the enhanced benefits in full .
The Senate GOP is close to approving a far more modest $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t extend the benefits .
( By the way , when did a trillion dollars become “ modest ?
” Asking for a friend . )
Either way , the finger-pointing has already begun .
The end is near for the $ 600 federal lifeline for millions of unemployed Americans — even though the economy is still far from recovered from the coronavirus pandemic and new layoffs are being announced regularly .
The coronavirus relief program technically doesn ’ t expire until July 31 , but this coming week will be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because payments are only provided for weeks ending on either Saturday or Sunday .
Jobless Americans will still get state unemployment benefits , but the sunset of the Congress ’ $ 600 enhancement — part of the $ 2 trillion economic aid package passed in March — will leave more than 25 million people thousands of dollars poorer each month .
And it will expose more of the real pain of mass unemployment , just as many states are reimposing shutdowns .
As usual , Democrats are already coming out and accusing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry while taking care of their fat-cat friends in big business… whatever that means .
The GOP counters by saying that the $ 600 per week enhancement provides a disincentive to return to work .
But no matter which side of the debate you find yourself on , the politics of this situation seem fairly obvious and it doesn ’ t bode well for the GOP ’ s side of things .
While it would be nice to get the Democrats to acknowledge it , the point being made by Cocaine Mitch and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s own estimate , the enhanced unemployment benefits add up to more than what two-thirds of newly unemployed workers made on the job .
It doesn ’ t take a rocket surgeon to realize that a certain percentage of people will choose to remain on unemployment rather than returning to work for less money .
But cutting off the enhanced benefits entirely only works to the Democrats ’ advantage on a number of fronts .
If tens of millions of people suddenly go from bringing in roughly $ 1,000 per week to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ability to keep up with their bills ) is going to crater .
The economy will take an even larger hit and public sentiment will turn further against whoever is perceived to be turning the screws on the unemployed .
Additionally , if the economy tanks even further and the hoped-for recovery is in doubt , that only helps Joe Biden ’ s chances in November .
No , those aren ’ t the noblest reasons to enact such an expensive policy , but that ’ s the political reality we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the cost goes , I ’ m never a fan of setting yet another couple of trillion dollars on fire , but it ’ s not as if the GOP was doing a damn thing to control spending even before the pandemic blew into town .
( Insert my regular reminder that we don ’ t have a viable political party in this country that gives one flying fig about the debt and the deficit .
Whichever party is out of power likes to complain about it , but they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can swallow the bitter spending pill , there ’ s still an easy solution on the table .
The Senate GOP can renew the unemployment benefits as part of their next relief bill , but include the phrase “ up to a maximum of 85 % of the employee ’ s previous wages.
” If you don ’ t like 85 % you can substitute 80 or 90 .
Take your pick .
That keeps all of the people who are unemployed through no fault of their own in a position where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terrible shape , but it removes the disincentive to return to work .
It also lowers the total cost a bit for whatever that ’ s worth these days .
At that point , the GOP can dare the Democrats to shoot the bill down over such a thin alteration to the benefits for completely justifiable reasons .
And if Nancy Pelosi and her crew are dumb enough to pick up that gauntlet , McConnell just flips the script and blames the Democrats for everyone not getting their enhanced unemployment benefits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be all that hard , and the Republicans need to be a bit practical here .

As CNN reported over the weekend, this is the last week for the enhanced federal unemployment benefits approved during the first round of pandemic relief. Demonstrating yet again that there’s nothing the swamp critters in Washington, DC can’t politicize, the debate over renewing these benefits has broken down into what’s looking like a partisan stalemate. The Democrats in the House have passed a $3 trillion relief bill that would renew the enhanced benefits in full. The Senate GOP is close to approving a far more modest $1 trillion dollar package that probably won’t extend the benefits. (By the way, when did a trillion dollars become “modest?” Asking for a friend.) Either way, the finger-pointing has already begun.
The end is near for the $600 federal lifeline for millions of unemployed Americans — even though the economy is still far from recovered from the coronavirus pandemic and new layoffs are being announced regularly. The coronavirus relief program technically doesn’t expire until July 31, but this coming week will be the last for which benefits are paid — because payments are only provided for weeks ending on either Saturday or Sunday. Jobless Americans will still get state unemployment benefits, but the sunset of the Congress’ $600 enhancement — part of the $2 trillion economic aid package passed in March — will leave more than 25 million people thousands of dollars poorer each month. And it will expose more of the real pain of mass unemployment, just as many states are reimposing shutdowns.
As usual, Democrats are already coming out and accusing their Republican colleagues of hanging workers out to dry while taking care of their fat-cat friends in big business… whatever that means. The GOP counters by saying that the $600 per week enhancement provides a disincentive to return to work. But no matter which side of the debate you find yourself on, the politics of this situation seem fairly obvious and it doesn’t bode well for the GOP’s side of things.
While it would be nice to get the Democrats to acknowledge it, the point being made by Cocaine Mitch and company is obviously correct. By CNN’s own estimate, the enhanced unemployment benefits add up to more than what two-thirds of newly unemployed workers made on the job. It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to realize that a certain percentage of people will choose to remain on unemployment rather than returning to work for less money.
But cutting off the enhanced benefits entirely only works to the Democrats’ advantage on a number of fronts. If tens of millions of people suddenly go from bringing in roughly $1,000 per week to $400, their spending power (and ability to keep up with their bills) is going to crater. The economy will take an even larger hit and public sentiment will turn further against whoever is perceived to be turning the screws on the unemployed. Additionally, if the economy tanks even further and the hoped-for recovery is in doubt, that only helps Joe Biden’s chances in November.
No, those aren’t the noblest reasons to enact such an expensive policy, but that’s the political reality we’re dealing with. And as far as the cost goes, I’m never a fan of setting yet another couple of trillion dollars on fire, but it’s not as if the GOP was doing a damn thing to control spending even before the pandemic blew into town. (Insert my regular reminder that we don’t have a viable political party in this country that gives one flying fig about the debt and the deficit. Whichever party is out of power likes to complain about it, but they’re all hypocrites.)
So if we can swallow the bitter spending pill, there’s still an easy solution on the table. The Senate GOP can renew the unemployment benefits as part of their next relief bill, but include the phrase “up to a maximum of 85% of the employee’s previous wages.” If you don’t like 85% you can substitute 80 or 90. Take your pick. That keeps all of the people who are unemployed through no fault of their own in a position where they’re still not going to be in terrible shape, but it removes the disincentive to return to work. It also lowers the total cost a bit for whatever that’s worth these days.
At that point, the GOP can dare the Democrats to shoot the bill down over such a thin alteration to the benefits for completely justifiable reasons. And if Nancy Pelosi and her crew are dumb enough to pick up that gauntlet, McConnell just flips the script and blames the Democrats for everyone not getting their enhanced unemployment benefits. This really doesn’t have to be all that hard, and the Republicans need to be a bit practical here.


hotair--2020-07-20--Baby Lives Matter mural lasts less than ten hours

The growing trend of using the nation ’ s streets as a platform for politically-themed murals remained in the news over the weekend .
As you may recall , supporters of the NYPD are currently attempting to get permission to paint a Blue Lives Matter display on a street near Police Square in Manhattan , much to the chagrin of many protesters from the other side of the debate .
But that ’ s not the only “ alternate ” street mural making headlines .
Out in Salt Lake City , an artist by the name of Tayler Hansen broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work on a mural of his own in front of the local Planned Parenthood office late Friday night .
Tayler had a message about “ lives mattering ” as well , but it wasn ’ t of the Black or Blue variety .
Instead , he painted “ Baby Lives Matter ” in the same giant letters we ’ ve grown used to seeing in cities around the nation .
( Live Action ) A pro-life artist painted “ Baby Lives Matter ” on the street in front of Planned Parenthood in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tayler Hansen told KUTV that he painted the mural at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning , July 18th , because he wanted to raise awareness for life inside the womb .
“ With recent events unfolding , everybody knows about the Black Lives Matter murals unfolding around the nation , ” he explained .
“ I thought I would bring awareness to one of the biggest human rights crises that nobody wants to talk about.
” Hansen said he used paint that would wash away easily and last no more than 10 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mural was removed .
Hansen wrote on Twitter on July 18 , “ The mural has already been desecrated and erased to an extent .
THIS IS NOT OVER !
” As noted in the excerpt above , Hansen was polite enough to use water-soluble paint that could be easily cleaned up when the display was concluded .
He designed the work so it would last a maximum of roughly ten days , barring excessive rain .
But that wasn ’ t good enough for somebody .
Not long after people were awake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was largely washed away .
The short lifespan of the display leaves us with a very simple question .
Who erased it the following morning ?
Was it done at the behest of the police or some Salt Lake City elected official ?
If so , they should have put out a statement explaining their decision .
But since none has been forthcoming , we might assume that it was either done by counter-protesters of some flavor or the workers at the Planned Parenthood center themselves .
If that ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do .
I seem to recall a story from only a couple of weeks ago where we learned that two people were being charged with a hate crime for “ defacing ” a Black Lives Matter mural in Martinez , California .
In that case , they painted over a portion of the mural .
In Salt Lake City someone has basically wiped it out entirely .
Now that it ’ s been established by elected officials around the country that painting murals on city streets is not only allowable but apparently some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be impinged upon , what sort of justice is available for Mr. Hansen ?
You don ’ t have to agree with his sentiment about how the lives of babies matter , but you also most certainly can ’ t silence his voice on a hotly contested issue of public debate .
And yet someone has done just that .
Where are the armies of protesters rushing to Tayler Hansen ’ s defense ?
Perhaps I ’ m once again simply showing how jaded I ’ ve become after six decades on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t hold my breath .
Clearly , some messages “ matter ” more than others .

The growing trend of using the nation’s streets as a platform for politically-themed murals remained in the news over the weekend. As you may recall, supporters of the NYPD are currently attempting to get permission to paint a Blue Lives Matter display on a street near Police Square in Manhattan, much to the chagrin of many protesters from the other side of the debate. But that’s not the only “alternate” street mural making headlines. Out in Salt Lake City, an artist by the name of Tayler Hansen broke out his brushes and pigments and got to work on a mural of his own in front of the local Planned Parenthood office late Friday night. Tayler had a message about “lives mattering” as well, but it wasn’t of the Black or Blue variety. Instead, he painted “Baby Lives Matter” in the same giant letters we’ve grown used to seeing in cities around the nation. (Live Action)
A pro-life artist painted “Baby Lives Matter” on the street in front of Planned Parenthood in Salt Lake City, Utah. Artist Tayler Hansen told KUTV that he painted the mural at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, July 18th, because he wanted to raise awareness for life inside the womb. “With recent events unfolding, everybody knows about the Black Lives Matter murals unfolding around the nation,” he explained. “I thought I would bring awareness to one of the biggest human rights crises that nobody wants to talk about.” Hansen said he used paint that would wash away easily and last no more than 10 days. As of Saturday morning, the mural was removed. Hansen wrote on Twitter on July 18, “The mural has already been desecrated and erased to an extent. THIS IS NOT OVER!”
‘Baby Lives Matter’ painted on the street front of a Planned Parenthood in Salt Lake City overnight. Once leftists opened up public roads for political speech it was only a matter of time before a conservative response. The pro-life artist was @TaylerUSA Expect more of this: pic.twitter.com/IcoVpVY9C3 — Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 18, 2020
As noted in the excerpt above, Hansen was polite enough to use water-soluble paint that could be easily cleaned up when the display was concluded. He designed the work so it would last a maximum of roughly ten days, barring excessive rain. But that wasn’t good enough for somebody. Not long after people were awake and able to see the mural, it was largely washed away.
The short lifespan of the display leaves us with a very simple question. Who erased it the following morning? Was it done at the behest of the police or some Salt Lake City elected official? If so, they should have put out a statement explaining their decision. But since none has been forthcoming, we might assume that it was either done by counter-protesters of some flavor or the workers at the Planned Parenthood center themselves.
If that’s the case, someone has some explaining to do. I seem to recall a story from only a couple of weeks ago where we learned that two people were being charged with a hate crime for “defacing” a Black Lives Matter mural in Martinez, California. In that case, they painted over a portion of the mural. In Salt Lake City someone has basically wiped it out entirely.
Now that it’s been established by elected officials around the country that painting murals on city streets is not only allowable but apparently some sort of civil right that can’t be impinged upon, what sort of justice is available for Mr. Hansen? You don’t have to agree with his sentiment about how the lives of babies matter, but you also most certainly can’t silence his voice on a hotly contested issue of public debate. And yet someone has done just that. Where are the armies of protesters rushing to Tayler Hansen’s defense?
Perhaps I’m once again simply showing how jaded I’ve become after six decades on the planet, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Clearly, some messages “matter” more than others.