hotair--2020-09-21--Chinese air force propaganda video included a scene from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

The Chinese Air Force has started putting out propaganda videos similar to the sort of thing North Korea has released in the past .
A two minute clip that appeared on a Chinese social media site this weekend depicts H-6 bombers attacking a U.S. air force base in Guam .
It was titled “ The god of war H-6K goes on the attack !
” Here ’ s it is : The Chinese attempt to look tough took a hit when people quickly realized several images that appear in the clip were taken directly from American films including Tranformers : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially attracted praise from many patriotic netizens , who called the attack a “ strike by the god of warriors to guard the sky of the motherland.
” But their feel-good bubble soon burst after the scenes were linked to the PLA ’ s presumable enemy in the video .
At 1:07 of the video , a huge fireball erupts from the H-6K ’ s airstrike .
It turns out to be identical to the opening scene of the 2010 Best-Picture Oscar Award winner “ The Hurt Locker.
” Another scene depicting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by an air force commander was discovered to be taken from a scene in Michael Bay ’ s “ Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen , ” released in 2009 .
Netizens also noticed that a third scene , showing a massive explosion at a military base , seems to come from the movie “ The Rock , ” also directed by Bay .
Here are some visual comparisons : The third borrowed clip is the one of the big explosion over an island .
That came from the film The Rock .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a bit and done some color grading to make it less obvious but these are clearly the same images .
The Chinese military hasn ’ t commented on the borrowed images but someone described as close to the military told the South China Morning Post that borrowing from Hollywood was standard operating procedure because the propagandists making these clips are fans .
The person , who asked not to be named , told the South China Morning Post that it was common practice for the PLA ’ s publicity department to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their productions look more spectacular .
“ Almost all of the officers in the department grew up watching Hollywood movies , so in their minds , American war films have the coolest images , ” the source said .
Putting aside the silliness of using Hollywood special effects to threaten America , the underlying point here is that China is very unhappy with the U.S. standing up to them in the South China Sea and with regard to Taiwan .
Drew Thompson , a former US defence department official with responsibility for managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the propaganda film was intended as a warning to any country that was within the PLA Air Force ’ s strike range .
“ The messages put out by the People ’ s Republic of China propaganda machine threaten anyone who opposes [ mainland ] China or the Communist Party , ” he said .
“ [ The footage ] warns that the PLA is prepared to use force to settle differences.
” The film was released as Keith Krach , US undersecretary of state for economic growth , energy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip to Taiwan .
During his visit to the island , he attended the funeral of former Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui , who died on July 30 at the age of 97 .
China has a very big chip on its shoulder and this is their best attempt at making a threat .
It ’ s not going to work but I guess this sort of thing probably goes over well with a domestic audience that is used to only getting information from state media which constantly praises Xi Jinping and the CCP @

The Chinese Air Force has started putting out propaganda videos similar to the sort of thing North Korea has released in the past. A two minute clip that appeared on a Chinese social media site this weekend depicts H-6 bombers attacking a U.S. air force base in Guam. It was titled “The god of war H-6K goes on the attack!” Here’s it is:
https://twitter.com/taiwanformosan/status/1307337253727817738
The Chinese attempt to look tough took a hit when people quickly realized several images that appear in the clip were taken directly from American films including Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
The video initially attracted praise from many patriotic netizens, who called the attack a “strike by the god of warriors to guard the sky of the motherland.” But their feel-good bubble soon burst after the scenes were linked to the PLA’s presumable enemy in the video. At 1:07 of the video, a huge fireball erupts from the H-6K’s airstrike. It turns out to be identical to the opening scene of the 2010 Best-Picture Oscar Award winner “The Hurt Locker.” Another scene depicting a missile flying towards the military base fired by an air force commander was discovered to be taken from a scene in Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” released in 2009. Netizens also noticed that a third scene, showing a massive explosion at a military base, seems to come from the movie “The Rock,” also directed by Bay.
Here are some visual comparisons:
A Chinese air force video showing a simulated bombing attack against a #US military base has backfired after sharp-eyed netizens realized that it contained footage lifted from #Hollywood blockbusters. Read more: https://t.co/VFoBRn4WHh#AppleDailyENG #China #PLA pic.twitter.com/hcMBHjiT3d — Apple Daily HK 蘋果日報 (@appledaily_hk) September 20, 2020
The third borrowed clip is the one of the big explosion over an island. That came from the film The Rock. It looks like they’ve zoomed in a bit and done some color grading to make it less obvious but these are clearly the same images.
The Chinese military hasn’t commented on the borrowed images but someone described as close to the military told the South China Morning Post that borrowing from Hollywood was standard operating procedure because the propagandists making these clips are fans.
The person, who asked not to be named, told the South China Morning Post that it was common practice for the PLA’s publicity department to “borrow” from Hollywood films to make their productions look more spectacular. “Almost all of the officers in the department grew up watching Hollywood movies, so in their minds, American war films have the coolest images,” the source said.
Putting aside the silliness of using Hollywood special effects to threaten America, the underlying point here is that China is very unhappy with the U.S. standing up to them in the South China Sea and with regard to Taiwan.
Drew Thompson, a former US defence department official with responsibility for managing US relations with mainland China and Taiwan, said the propaganda film was intended as a warning to any country that was within the PLA Air Force’s strike range. “The messages put out by the People’s Republic of China propaganda machine threaten anyone who opposes [mainland] China or the Communist Party,” he said. “[The footage] warns that the PLA is prepared to use force to settle differences.” The film was released as Keith Krach, US undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, was wrapping up his trip to Taiwan. During his visit to the island, he attended the funeral of former Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui, who died on July 30 at the age of 97.
China has a very big chip on its shoulder and this is their best attempt at making a threat. It’s not going to work but I guess this sort of thing probably goes over well with a domestic audience that is used to only getting information from state media which constantly praises Xi Jinping and the CCP.


hotair--2020-09-21--Is NYC finally cracking down on rioters?

There was yet another protest in New York City this weekend , replete with the usual scenes of disruption and unrest .
A large number of people showed up outside of an NYPD station and in Times Square to demand that ICE be abolished .
Wait a minute… I thought we were supposed to abolish the police ?
Now we ’ re back to abolishing ICE again ?
Well , I suppose as long as we ’ re abolishing something it ’ s just another day ending in a Y in the Big Apple .
But this time something was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York have been mostly standing back until the protests turned into something more officially resembling a riot when the looting and burning really got into full gear .
This time , however , as soon as the demonstrators moved to sit down in the middle of the street , the police arrived in a swarm and began hauling people off to jail .
And not just a few of them , either .
They wound up arresting nearly 100 of them before their demonstration could even get underway .
( NY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tense Abolish ICE demonstrations in Times Square and near NYPD headquarters in Manhattan Saturday , police sources said .
Videos from the scenes show police scuffling with protesters demonstrating against recent reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement performed unneeded hysterectomies on immigrant women detained at an ICE facility in Georgia .
One protester in Times Square , Isabella Leyva , wrote on Twitter that officers began making arrests as protesters stepped off the sidewalk and into the street .
Video from the scene showed police arresting several demonstrators as they sat in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly that any people sitting in the streets were illegally blocking traffic and would be removed .
They then proceeded to do so .
And when the protesters attempted to use bicycles that some of them had ridden there to block the cops , they picked up the bikes and threw them out of the streets as well .
One horrified protester filmed the police activity and seemed genuinely shocked that the NYPD would actually enforce the law and begin kicking butts .
While this is a welcome change of tactics by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is going to wind up being too little , too late .
They ’ ve been essentially standing down for most of the summer on orders coming from the Mayor ’ s office and his Police Commissioner .
That has emboldened the rioters to the point where they ’ ve been largely disregarding the cops and even openly assaulting them in the streets .
I suppose it ’ s possible that this may prove to be a wakeup call for some of the aspiring rioters , but it ’ s difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to their respective holes with some newly regained respect for law enforcement .
That genie has been out of the bottle for a while now and it won ’ t be easy to cram back in .
The big question here should be whether this was a case of the police acting on their own initiative or if there ’ s been a change in the marching orders coming down from City Hall .
There hasn ’ t been any sort of formal announcement from Bill de Blasio ’ s office about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m aware of , but I suppose he could have done it under the covers .
That would probably make sense since he ’ s spent so long singing the praises of Black Lives Matter and the free speech rights of the “ peaceful protesters.
” Admitting that we ’ ve reached the point where the NYPD needs to start cracking some heads would be a bad look for him .
But then again , de Blasio doesn ’ t have to worry about another election , because he ’ s term-limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much off the table after his disastrous trainwreck of a presidential primary bid exposed him as being largely a joke among the members of his own party .
Unless he ’ s thinking about running for Governor at some point ( which might be tough considering how he allowed Gotham to go up in flames ) , he pretty much has a free hand to act as he chooses .
If so , he should come out and declare that publicly , if only to send a message to the rioters .
Order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York and it ’ s the Mayor ’ s job to make sure that happens .

There was yet another protest in New York City this weekend, replete with the usual scenes of disruption and unrest. A large number of people showed up outside of an NYPD station and in Times Square to demand that ICE be abolished. Wait a minute… I thought we were supposed to abolish the police? Now we’re back to abolishing ICE again? Well, I suppose as long as we’re abolishing something it’s just another day ending in a Y in the Big Apple.
But this time something was different. In the past, officials in New York have been mostly standing back until the protests turned into something more officially resembling a riot when the looting and burning really got into full gear. This time, however, as soon as the demonstrators moved to sit down in the middle of the street, the police arrived in a swarm and began hauling people off to jail. And not just a few of them, either. They wound up arresting nearly 100 of them before their demonstration could even get underway. (NY Post)
Police arrested 86 protesters at tense Abolish ICE demonstrations in Times Square and near NYPD headquarters in Manhattan Saturday, police sources said. Videos from the scenes show police scuffling with protesters demonstrating against recent reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement performed unneeded hysterectomies on immigrant women detained at an ICE facility in Georgia. One protester in Times Square, Isabella Leyva, wrote on Twitter that officers began making arrests as protesters stepped off the sidewalk and into the street. Video from the scene showed police arresting several demonstrators as they sat in the street.
The police announced loudly and clearly that any people sitting in the streets were illegally blocking traffic and would be removed. They then proceeded to do so. And when the protesters attempted to use bicycles that some of them had ridden there to block the cops, they picked up the bikes and threw them out of the streets as well. One horrified protester filmed the police activity and seemed genuinely shocked that the NYPD would actually enforce the law and begin kicking butts.
The NYPD just attacked us at the Times Square abolish ICE protest for stepping off the sidewalk. Several organizers arrested for no reason. Police violence at protests is escalating in nyc, please pay attention pic.twitter.com/HcyAosYEtu — Isabelle Leyva (@isabelle_leyva) September 19, 2020
While this is a welcome change of tactics by the NYPD, I have to wonder if this is going to wind up being too little, too late. They’ve been essentially standing down for most of the summer on orders coming from the Mayor’s office and his Police Commissioner. That has emboldened the rioters to the point where they’ve been largely disregarding the cops and even openly assaulting them in the streets. I suppose it’s possible that this may prove to be a wakeup call for some of the aspiring rioters, but it’s difficult to imagine them suddenly backing off and slinking back to their respective holes with some newly regained respect for law enforcement. That genie has been out of the bottle for a while now and it won’t be easy to cram back in.
The big question here should be whether this was a case of the police acting on their own initiative or if there’s been a change in the marching orders coming down from City Hall. There hasn’t been any sort of formal announcement from Bill de Blasio’s office about cracking down on the lawlessness that I’m aware of, but I suppose he could have done it under the covers. That would probably make sense since he’s spent so long singing the praises of Black Lives Matter and the free speech rights of the “peaceful protesters.” Admitting that we’ve reached the point where the NYPD needs to start cracking some heads would be a bad look for him.
But then again, de Blasio doesn’t have to worry about another election, because he’s term-limited. And his national aspirations are pretty much off the table after his disastrous trainwreck of a presidential primary bid exposed him as being largely a joke among the members of his own party. Unless he’s thinking about running for Governor at some point (which might be tough considering how he allowed Gotham to go up in flames), he pretty much has a free hand to act as he chooses. If so, he should come out and declare that publicly, if only to send a message to the rioters. Order must be restored on the streets of New York and it’s the Mayor’s job to make sure that happens.


hotair--2020-09-21--NY Post, NBC: DoJ labels NYC, Seattle, Portland as "anarchist jurisdictions" -- to cut off federal f

NY Post, NBC: DoJ labels NYC, Seattle, Portland as "anarchist jurisdictions" -- to cut off federal funding

Three weeks ago , Donald Trump warned that cities which refused to restore order in its streets could risk losing billions in federal support for law enforcement .
Today , the first shoe will drop on that process , and it won ’ t be the last .
The Department of Justice will designate three cities as “ anarchist jurisdictions ” and start the process of cutting off funds , the New York Post reports this morning .
What ’ s interesting is who made the cut … and who didn ’ t : New York City was among three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice Department on Sunday and targeted to lose federal money for failing to control protesters and defunding cops , The Post has learned .
Portland , Ore. , and Seattle , Wash. , were the other two cities on the list , which was approved by US Attorney General William Barr .
“ When state and local leaders impede their own law-enforcement officers and agencies from doing their jobs , it endangers innocent citizens who deserve to be protected , including those who are trying to peacefully assemble and protest , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be released Monday .
“ We can not allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance , ’ ’ the AG added .
NBC News later confirmed the story after the DoJ made its announcement , while hinting that more cities would be named later : We ’ ll get back to that criteria in a moment , but the inclusion of Portland and Seattle pretty much speak for themselves .
While Seattle ’ s protests haven ’ t made national headlines , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resignation of Police Chief Carmen Best make it clear that Seattle ’ s city council is more interested in pandering than policing .
Portland , of course , has refused to prosecute looters and rioters , so much so that neighboring law-enforcement agencies now refuse to help out .
Why New York City ?
According to the Post , the decision to cut $ 1 billion from the NYPD , about 15 % of its overall budget , triggered this decision .
Crime has skyrocketed over the summer while police have been mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lack of political support .
The Post reports a 177 % increase in homicides in July , for instance , and another 50 % increase in August .
However , NYC hasn ’ t had the kind of anarchistic rioting and “ autonomous zone ” issues as Seattle or Portland .
Other cities have , however , most notably Minneapolis , which is Ground Zero for the unrest and rioting that swept the nation this year .
The city council has campaigned actively to abolish its police force , and its actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers out of the city .
It now even has a “ George Floyd Free State , ” which delayed police and EMS response to an assault and robbery last week .
John wrote about this an hour ago , but it bears repeating here in this context .
Watch the whole video to see just how long and how bad this has been : 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS obtained surveillance video that captures the owner of a small business on Chicago Avenue being assaulted in the heart of a four-block area often referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near George Floyd Square .
… The owner of Mill City Auto Body , who asked to only be identified by his first name , Dan , was knocked unconscious during an assault and robbery at his business on Aug. 5 .
“ I had a broken cheekbone , teeth missing , stitches in my head and I was knocked out , ” Dan said .
“ It took police and the ambulance a very long time to get here because they had a hard time getting inside the barricades.
” So why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list ?
Not to run afoul of the “ no snitches ” warning on the barricades , but the city clearly qualifies , at least as much as Seattle .
Police are refusing to enforce the law in the “ free state , ” perhaps for good reason , and the city and state refuse to dismantle the barricades and impose order .
Given the demands from the city council , it sounds like this has already and deliberately become an “ anarchist jurisdiction , ” and any federal funds for law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of resources.
” Not only aren ’ t prosecutors prosecuting in Minneapolis , but the police are holding off on making arrests that would lead to prosecution — even when someone is almost beaten to death .
One has to wonder whether the potential status of Minnesota as a swing state has anything to do with the DoJ ’ s designation .
New York , Oregon , and Washington are all deep-blue states where Republicans and Donald Trump don ’ t have a prayer of winning in November .
Minnesota , on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be winnable , which might be why the DoJ is sparing Minneapolis from a status change before the election .
If so , that ’ s a bad look — and worse yet , the DoJ is passing up an opportunity to highlight the anarchy that ’ s still ongoing in Minneapolis .
One last thought , too .
If the problem in these cities is reduction of policing resources , is this the right time to yank back on federal programs designed to enhance law enforcement ?
In terms of influence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raises the stakes , anyway — but a follow-through on this threat will make the problems worse , and it might allow local governments to pass the political buck for them to Washington as well .

Three weeks ago, Donald Trump warned that cities which refused to restore order in its streets could risk losing billions in federal support for law enforcement. Today, the first shoe will drop on that process, and it won’t be the last. The Department of Justice will designate three cities as “anarchist jurisdictions” and start the process of cutting off funds, the New York Post reports this morning.
What’s interesting is who made the cut … and who didn’t:
New York City was among three cities labeled “anarchist jurisdictions” by the Justice Department on Sunday and targeted to lose federal money for failing to control protesters and defunding cops, The Post has learned. Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash., were the other two cities on the list, which was approved by US Attorney General William Barr. “When state and local leaders impede their own law-enforcement officers and agencies from doing their jobs, it endangers innocent citizens who deserve to be protected, including those who are trying to peacefully assemble and protest,” Barr said in a statement set to be released Monday. “We cannot allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance,’’ the AG added.
NBC News later confirmed the story after the DoJ made its announcement, while hinting that more cities would be named later:
On Monday, the Justice Department labeled New York City, Portland and Seattle such areas, though the department said it was still working to identify other jurisdictions that meet criteria outlined in Trump’s memo. … As part of its rationale for labeling the cities as such, the Justice Department cited city councils voting to cut police funding, the refusal to prosecute protesters for charges like disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly, the rejection of federal intervention, and law enforcement officials suffering injuries during violent outbursts.
We’ll get back to that criteria in a moment, but the inclusion of Portland and Seattle pretty much speak for themselves. While Seattle’s protests haven’t made national headlines, their cuts to police funding and the high-profile resignation of Police Chief Carmen Best make it clear that Seattle’s city council is more interested in pandering than policing. Portland, of course, has refused to prosecute looters and rioters, so much so that neighboring law-enforcement agencies now refuse to help out.
Why New York City? According to the Post, the decision to cut $1 billion from the NYPD, about 15% of its overall budget, triggered this decision. Crime has skyrocketed over the summer while police have been mainly retreating, both from fewer resources and a lack of political support. The Post reports a 177% increase in homicides in July, for instance, and another 50% increase in August.
However, NYC hasn’t had the kind of anarchistic rioting and “autonomous zone” issues as Seattle or Portland. Other cities have, however, most notably Minneapolis, which is Ground Zero for the unrest and rioting that swept the nation this year. The city council has campaigned actively to abolish its police force, and its actions have driven more than a hundred police officers out of the city. It now even has a “George Floyd Free State,” which delayed police and EMS response to an assault and robbery last week. John wrote about this an hour ago, but it bears repeating here in this context. Watch the whole video to see just how long and how bad this has been:
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS obtained surveillance video that captures the owner of a small business on Chicago Avenue being assaulted in the heart of a four-block area often referred to as an “autonomous zone” near George Floyd Square. … The owner of Mill City Auto Body, who asked to only be identified by his first name, Dan, was knocked unconscious during an assault and robbery at his business on Aug. 5. “I had a broken cheekbone, teeth missing, stitches in my head and I was knocked out,” Dan said. “It took police and the ambulance a very long time to get here because they had a hard time getting inside the barricades.”
So why isn’t Minneapolis included on this list? Not to run afoul of the “no snitches” warning on the barricades, but the city clearly qualifies, at least as much as Seattle. Police are refusing to enforce the law in the “free state,” perhaps for good reason, and the city and state refuse to dismantle the barricades and impose order. Given the demands from the city council, it sounds like this has already and deliberately become an “anarchist jurisdiction,” and any federal funds for law enforcement here would also be a “waste of resources.” Not only aren’t prosecutors prosecuting in Minneapolis, but the police are holding off on making arrests that would lead to prosecution — even when someone is almost beaten to death.
One has to wonder whether the potential status of Minnesota as a swing state has anything to do with the DoJ’s designation. New York, Oregon, and Washington are all deep-blue states where Republicans and Donald Trump don’t have a prayer of winning in November. Minnesota, on the other hand, looks like it could be winnable, which might be why the DoJ is sparing Minneapolis from a status change before the election. If so, that’s a bad look — and worse yet, the DoJ is passing up an opportunity to highlight the anarchy that’s still ongoing in Minneapolis.
One last thought, too. If the problem in these cities is reduction of policing resources, is this the right time to yank back on federal programs designed to enhance law enforcement? In terms of influence and consequences it makes sense — it certainly raises the stakes, anyway — but a follow-through on this threat will make the problems worse, and it might allow local governments to pass the political buck for them to Washington as well.


hotair--2020-09-21--D.C. announces grants to help restaurants "winterize" outdoor dining spaces from COVID by ... turnin

D.C. announces grants to help restaurants "winterize" outdoor dining spaces from COVID by ... turning them into indoor dining spaces?

I can ’ t shake the suspicion that there ’ s a flaw in this approach .
“ I really feel like I ’ m on glue , ” tweeted Karol Markowicz , considering the logic of the plan .
Is there any way to heat an outdoor space in the thick of winter to a comfortable temperature *without* enclosing it ?
Dining has moved outside because ventilation helps protect people from inhaling viral particles .
Enclosing an outdoor space defeats that purpose entirely .
You might as well have people eat inside the restaurant itself and do what little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dining indoors in D.C. with the windows wide open when it ’ s five degrees outside is probably marginally more pleasant than eating outdoors in the open air .
Emphasis on “ marginally.
” Reading Bowser ’ s tweet , my mind turned to those sideline heaters they use in the NFL when it ’ s icy cold on game day .
But those are dangerous , and probably far too powerful for a cramped environment like 100 feet of sidewalk space .
I don ’ t think they ’ re designed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of them for a few seconds to get warm instantly ; you don ’ t park yourself in front of one and enjoy a leisurely meal of chicken piccata .
Maybe smaller space heaters could get the job done at night in a balmy state like Florida , where the winter temperature might dip to 60 degrees .
Heaters in close quarters conceivably might bring it up to 70 .
But in D.C. the idea is farcical .
Bowser ’ s intentions are good , but why not spend the money instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just give the money to restaurants as a “ here you go , hope this helps you somehow survive the next six months ” act of generosity .
Coincidentally , within the past few days the CDC finally updated its official guidance on COVID to say that aerosols — small droplets , not large ones as in a sneeze — are believed to be “ the main way the virus spreads.
” Most Americans have been operating on that assumption for months , I think , but the determination has interesting implications for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants .
“ There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others , and travel distances beyond 6 feet ( for example , during choir practice , in restaurants , or in fitness classes ) , ” the agency stated .
“ In general , indoor environments without good ventilation increase this risk.
” … The World Health Organization recognized the threat of aerosols in July , after hundreds of scientists urged the international body to address airborne spread .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally followed ; Jimenez said high-ranking CDC officials were still arguing publicly against airborne transmission as a major vector as recently as late August… “ We have been saying ‘ wear a mask ’ and ‘ 6 feet apart ’ for months , ” tweeted Abraar Karan , a physician at Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital in Boston and Harvard Medical School .
“ Cloth masks are not designed to block aerosols .
And 6 feet apart may be insufficient , esp indoors w/ poor ventilation.
” That follows a CDC study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who tested positive for COVID engaged in many of the same activities in the two weeks prior to being diagnosed as people who tested negative did .
With one important exception : Dining out .
Those who tested positive were roughly twice as likely than those who weren ’ t infected to have done that .
But wait , back up .
Masks are … not effective against “ the main way ” the virus is thought to spread ?
Or they ’ re not highly effective ?
Big difference between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen infections decline after instituting mask mandates , I assume it ’ s the latter .
The fact that aerosols are a key mode of transmission for the virus may also help explain this fascinating little study from China , which found that people who wear glasses were curiously underrepresented in a sample of COVID patients they analyzed .
That doesn ’ t necessarily mean that glasses are blocking the virus from entering the eyes .
It could be that people who can afford glasses can also afford less congested living spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of transmission .
Or it could be as simple as people who wear glasses being less likely to rub their eyes or touch their face .
But the aerosol theory of transmission would fit with a theory of glasses as a physical barrier to the virus entering the body .
You ’ re unlikely to get large droplets exhaled by another person in your eyes ( unless they cough or sneeze in your face ) but tiny droplets that hang in the air for hours are a risk .
Glasses might reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use Bowser ’ s grants to buy goggles for all customers .
Here ’ s Fauci warning a few days ago that restaurants and , especially , bars are big trouble potentially in feeding a winter second wave .
Update : Annnnd no sooner did I finish writing this post than the new guidance on aerosols has disappeared from the CDC website .
Was that a result of White House pressure to play down the risk from the virus or did the CDC sincerely screw up ?
Either way , what a sh*tshow @

I can’t shake the suspicion that there’s a flaw in this approach.
#RAMMYS20: We just announced an investment of $4 million to help small businesses winterize outdoor dining areas and maintain outdoor dining operations in the District through the Streatery Winter Ready Grant Program. Learn more: https://t.co/rcMblZao1m pic.twitter.com/gR7R4BzhtL — Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) September 20, 2020
“I really feel like I’m on glue,” tweeted Karol Markowicz, considering the logic of the plan.
Is there any way to heat an outdoor space in the thick of winter to a comfortable temperature *without* enclosing it? Dining has moved outside because ventilation helps protect people from inhaling viral particles. Enclosing an outdoor space defeats that purpose entirely. You might as well have people eat inside the restaurant itself and do what little you can to increase ventilation there. Dining indoors in D.C. with the windows wide open when it’s five degrees outside is probably marginally more pleasant than eating outdoors in the open air. Emphasis on “marginally.”
Reading Bowser’s tweet, my mind turned to those sideline heaters they use in the NFL when it’s icy cold on game day. But those are dangerous, and probably far too powerful for a cramped environment like 100 feet of sidewalk space. I don’t think they’re designed for sustained exposure either. You stand in front of them for a few seconds to get warm instantly; you don’t park yourself in front of one and enjoy a leisurely meal of chicken piccata.
Maybe smaller space heaters could get the job done at night in a balmy state like Florida, where the winter temperature might dip to 60 degrees. Heaters in close quarters conceivably might bring it up to 70. But in D.C. the idea is farcical. Bowser’s intentions are good, but why not spend the money instead on encouraging take-out dining somehow? Or just give the money to restaurants as a “here you go, hope this helps you somehow survive the next six months” act of generosity.
Coincidentally, within the past few days the CDC finally updated its official guidance on COVID to say that aerosols — small droplets, not large ones as in a sneeze — are believed to be “the main way the virus spreads.” Most Americans have been operating on that assumption for months, I think, but the determination has interesting implications for the winter. And not just for restaurants.
“There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others, and travel distances beyond 6 feet (for example, during choir practice, in restaurants, or in fitness classes),” the agency stated. “In general, indoor environments without good ventilation increase this risk.”… The World Health Organization recognized the threat of aerosols in July, after hundreds of scientists urged the international body to address airborne spread. It’s not clear why the CDC finally followed; Jimenez said high-ranking CDC officials were still arguing publicly against airborne transmission as a major vector as recently as late August… “We have been saying ‘wear a mask’ and ‘6 feet apart’ for months,” tweeted Abraar Karan, a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and Harvard Medical School. “Cloth masks are not designed to block aerosols. And 6 feet apart may be insufficient, esp indoors w/ poor ventilation.”
That follows a CDC study released a few weeks ago that found people who tested positive for COVID engaged in many of the same activities in the two weeks prior to being diagnosed as people who tested negative did. With one important exception: Dining out. Those who tested positive were roughly twice as likely than those who weren’t infected to have done that.
But wait, back up. Masks are … not effective against “the main way” the virus is thought to spread? Or they’re not highly effective? Big difference between the two. Given that states like Texas have seen infections decline after instituting mask mandates, I assume it’s the latter.
The fact that aerosols are a key mode of transmission for the virus may also help explain this fascinating little study from China, which found that people who wear glasses were curiously underrepresented in a sample of COVID patients they analyzed. That doesn’t necessarily mean that glasses are blocking the virus from entering the eyes. It could be that people who can afford glasses can also afford less congested living spaces for themselves, which means a lower risk of transmission. Or it could be as simple as people who wear glasses being less likely to rub their eyes or touch their face. But the aerosol theory of transmission would fit with a theory of glasses as a physical barrier to the virus entering the body. You’re unlikely to get large droplets exhaled by another person in your eyes (unless they cough or sneeze in your face) but tiny droplets that hang in the air for hours are a risk. Glasses might reduce that risk.
Maybe D.C. restaurants should use Bowser’s grants to buy goggles for all customers.
Here’s Fauci warning a few days ago that restaurants and, especially, bars are big trouble potentially in feeding a winter second wave.
Update: Annnnd no sooner did I finish writing this post than the new guidance on aerosols has disappeared from the CDC website. Was that a result of White House pressure to play down the risk from the virus or did the CDC sincerely screw up? Either way, what a sh*tshow.


hotair--2020-09-21--Minneapolis has a George Floyd autonomous zone where police struggle to respond to calls for help

There ’ s a sign set up in the street in Minneapolis that reads “ You are now entering the free state of George Floyd.
” Four square blocks were blocked off from traffic by the city to protect those visiting the George Floyd memorial but over time this has apparently been turned into an autonomous zone similar to the CHAZ/CHOP that existed in Seattle over the summer .
And just like at CHAZ/CHOP there have been serious problems .
Last month the owner of an auto body shop was seriously injured in a robbery attempt but police and EMS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 15 minutes because of the barricades and the people guarding them .
The owner of Mill City Auto Body , who asked to only be identified by his first name , Dan , was knocked unconscious during an assault and robbery at his business on Aug. 5 .
“ I had a broken cheekbone , teeth missing , stitches in my head and I was knocked out , ” Dan said .
“ It took police and the ambulance a very long time to get here because they had a hard time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it took 14 minutes to reach the victim with an EMS crew .
An internal Minneapolis Police Department report obtained by KSTP said , “ The crowd from the George Floyd Memorial began moving toward us and people were hollering that they were going to kick our asses and that we would have to kill them.
” A spokesman for a “ citizens group ” attempting to maintain order inside the zone without police claims the police are lying about what happened and that no one made threats or impeded their entry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll see in the clip below , there is cell phone video showing Dan getting help from EMS , but it ’ s not clear what happened before those moments .
Even after Dan was released from the hospital the threat wasn ’ t over .
The same man who assaulted him returned to his business with a gun .
When Dan called police they told him to drive to meet them outside the zone where they would meet him .
Two weeks later the same man returned to Dan ’ s shop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bat .
By this point , police had identified the suspect and were planning to arrest him , but it didn ’ t happen .
When the cops arrived they were stopped at the barricade and unable to enter the zone to make the arrest .
A police report of the incident states , “ We were immediately met with hostility and a refusal of any type of assistance from them and a clear refusal to allow us to enter and do our job.
” It goes on to say , “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and several officers are needed because the group has been known to surround officers and not let them leave and instigate altercations and even attempt to grab officer ’ s guns… ” Once again , the citizens group claims all of this is a lie but even the NY Times reported back in July that the area around the Floyd memorial had become a no-go zone for police at night .
This report was published about a week before the assault that put Dan in the hospital : Two months after the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area of South Minneapolis where he gasped his last breaths remains a sacred space , a no-go zone for officers .
There is a neatly trimmed garden , anchored by a sculpture of a raised fist .
There are colorful murals and the words “ I can ’ t breathe ” painted across the pavement , as well as the names of dozens of other Black people killed by the police .
At night , though , the space is increasingly a battleground , with shootings and drug overdoses .
The area has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what other cities have seen in the wake of protests… The city claims this area is not an autonomous zone and that it will reopen to traffic this winter , but mass retirements and cuts by the city council have already reduced the police force by about a third .
And as Jazz pointed out over the weekend , the police chief says there is really no plan to improve the situation in the next year .
So for the forseeable future , residents will be left living in a war zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was eager to disband the police entirely is complaining to the police chief about a lack of officers on the street .
In short , this is all going exactly as anyone with half a brain could have predicted it would .
These autonomous zones have been extremely dangerous everywhere they have popped up .
Five people were shot ( two killed ) at the one in Seattle .
A similar autonomous zone with checkpoints manned by armed citizens in Atlanta led to three separate shootings one of which caused the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car with her mom .
These efforts should be shut down immediately , but in Minneapolis the lack of resources and the hostility of the crowd inside the zone makes that a challenge .

There’s a sign set up in the street in Minneapolis that reads “You are now entering the free state of George Floyd.” Four square blocks were blocked off from traffic by the city to protect those visiting the George Floyd memorial but over time this has apparently been turned into an autonomous zone similar to the CHAZ/CHOP that existed in Seattle over the summer.
9.11.2020 / Minneapolis, MN
The Free State of George Floyd is a autonomous zone run by the locals, hosting George Floyd’s memorial, community gardens, medic stations neighbours, memorial cemetery, hygienic stations, and vibrant local art. organisations. pic.twitter.com/ESY282AHaL — total abolition⚡ (@artbolition) September 13, 2020
And just like at CHAZ/CHOP there have been serious problems. Last month the owner of an auto body shop was seriously injured in a robbery attempt but police and EMS were unable to get to him for nearly 15 minutes because of the barricades and the people guarding them.
The owner of Mill City Auto Body, who asked to only be identified by his first name, Dan, was knocked unconscious during an assault and robbery at his business on Aug. 5. “I had a broken cheekbone, teeth missing, stitches in my head and I was knocked out,” Dan said. “It took police and the ambulance a very long time to get here because they had a hard time getting inside the barricades.” Minneapolis police said it took 14 minutes to reach the victim with an EMS crew. An internal Minneapolis Police Department report obtained by KSTP said, “The crowd from the George Floyd Memorial began moving toward us and people were hollering that they were going to kick our asses and that we would have to kill them.”
A spokesman for a “citizens group” attempting to maintain order inside the zone without police claims the police are lying about what happened and that no one made threats or impeded their entry to the area. As you’ll see in the clip below, there is cell phone video showing Dan getting help from EMS, but it’s not clear what happened before those moments.
Even after Dan was released from the hospital the threat wasn’t over. The same man who assaulted him returned to his business with a gun. When Dan called police they told him to drive to meet them outside the zone where they would meet him.
Two weeks later the same man returned to Dan’s shop again, this time with a baseball bat. By this point, police had identified the suspect and were planning to arrest him, but it didn’t happen. When the cops arrived they were stopped at the barricade and unable to enter the zone to make the arrest. A police report of the incident states, “We were immediately met with hostility and a refusal of any type of assistance from them and a clear refusal to allow us to enter and do our job.” It goes on to say, “This is not a safe area for officers and several officers are needed because the group has been known to surround officers and not let them leave and instigate altercations and even attempt to grab officer’s guns…”
Once again, the citizens group claims all of this is a lie but even the NY Times reported back in July that the area around the Floyd memorial had become a no-go zone for police at night. This report was published about a week before the assault that put Dan in the hospital:
Two months after the police killing of George Floyd, the four-block area of South Minneapolis where he gasped his last breaths remains a sacred space, a no-go zone for officers. There is a neatly trimmed garden, anchored by a sculpture of a raised fist. There are colorful murals and the words “I can’t breathe” painted across the pavement, as well as the names of dozens of other Black people killed by the police. At night, though, the space is increasingly a battleground, with shootings and drug overdoses. The area has had an uptick in gun violence similar to what other cities have seen in the wake of protests…
The city claims this area is not an autonomous zone and that it will reopen to traffic this winter, but mass retirements and cuts by the city council have already reduced the police force by about a third. And as Jazz pointed out over the weekend, the police chief says there is really no plan to improve the situation in the next year. So for the forseeable future, residents will be left living in a war zone. Meanwhile, the same city council that was eager to disband the police entirely is complaining to the police chief about a lack of officers on the street. In short, this is all going exactly as anyone with half a brain could have predicted it would.
These autonomous zones have been extremely dangerous everywhere they have popped up. Five people were shot (two killed) at the one in Seattle. A similar autonomous zone with checkpoints manned by armed citizens in Atlanta led to three separate shootings one of which caused the death of an 8-year-old girl riding in a car with her mom. These efforts should be shut down immediately, but in Minneapolis the lack of resources and the hostility of the crowd inside the zone makes that a challenge.
Here’s the report from KSTP:


hotair--2020-09-21--Down the memory hole: Black Lives Matter deletes "what we believe" page

A “ glitch , ” or a tacit recognition of the radical nature of the BLM agenda ?
Earlier today , Matt Walsh noticed something missing from the official Black Lives Matter website — their statement of principles and core demands : Others noticed earlier changes , too , which at first appeared to be more of an edit : With little fanfare , Black Lives Matter removed a section of text that had been under a section called “ What We Believe ” that sought to engender the destruction , or perhaps reimagining , of the nuclear family structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism , misogyny , and environments in which men are centered .
“ We practice empathy .
We engage comrades with the intent to learn about and connect with their contexts .
We make our spaces family-friendly and enable parents to fully participate with their children .
We dismantle the patriarchal practice that requires mothers to work ‘ double shifts ’ so that they can mother in private even as they participate in public justice work .
“ We disrupt the Western-prescribed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other as extended families and ‘ villages ’ that collectively care for one another , especially our children , to the degree that mothers , parents , and children are comfortable.
” That was what the Post Millennial saw yesterday , anyway .
By this morning , the whole page was gone , and with it any mention of BLM ’ s actual agenda .
Not that it ’ s gone forever .
The original page was still up as late as Thursday evening , according to the Wayback Machine , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s next pass on the URL , early on Friday morning , turns up the 404 .
Nevertheless , all of the versions of their “ what we believe ” page are still accessible through Wayback , if one knows to look for it there .
( I ’ ve archived it here too . )
Why delete it , especially without an immediate replacement ?
So far BLM hasn ’ t explained their move , but it likely has to do with its polling of late .
It hardly seems a coincidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or so after Pew published a poll showing that support for Black Lives Matter had dropped twelve points since June , and that the decline took place primarily with whites and Hispanics who had first supported the slogan without knowing much about the agenda .
Critics spent the summer pounding on the BLM agenda , and especially on its Marxist roots — as proclaimed by the group ’ s own founders : Just ask BLM leaders Alicia Garza , Patrisse Cullors and Opal TometiIn a revealing 2015 interview , Cullors said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizers .
We are trained Marxists.
” That same year , Tometi was hobnobbing with Venezuela ’ s Marxist dictator Nicolás Maduro , of whose regime she wrote : “ In these last 17 years , we have witnessed the Bolivarian Revolution champion participatory democracy and construct a fair , transparent election system recognized as among the best in the world.
” … A partner organization , the Movement for Black Lives , or M4BL , calls for abolishing all police and all prisons .
It also calls for a “ progressive restructuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and federal levels to ensure a radical and sustainable redistribution of wealth.
” Another M4BL demand is “ the retroactive decriminalization , immediate release and record expungement of all drug-related offenses and prostitution and reparations for the devastating impact of the ‘ war on drugs ’ and criminalization of prostitution.
” While BLM operated mainly on the fringe , few paid attention to their agenda or aims .
Now that they have seized the nation ’ s attention , more and more people are realizing what ’ s behind the slogan — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memory-holing it won ’ t help either , and that kind of move betrays a desperation to push a genie back into a bottle .
It ’ s far too late for that , but not too late to see the intellectual dishonesty of BLM ’ s radical activists .

A “glitch,” or a tacit recognition of the radical nature of the BLM agenda? Earlier today, Matt Walsh noticed something missing from the official Black Lives Matter website — their statement of principles and core demands:
BLM's "what we believe" page, calling for the destruction of the nuclear family among many other radical left wing agenda items, has been deleted pic.twitter.com/qCZxUFMZH4 — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 21, 2020
Others noticed earlier changes, too, which at first appeared to be more of an edit:
With little fanfare, Black Lives Matter removed a section of text that had been under a section called “What We Believe” that sought to engender the destruction, or perhaps reimagining, of the nuclear family structure. The section read: “We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered. “We practice empathy. We engage comrades with the intent to learn about and connect with their contexts. We make our spaces family-friendly and enable parents to fully participate with their children. We dismantle the patriarchal practice that requires mothers to work ‘double shifts’ so that they can mother in private even as they participate in public justice work. “We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.”
That was what the Post Millennial saw yesterday, anyway. By this morning, the whole page was gone, and with it any mention of BLM’s actual agenda.
Not that it’s gone forever. The original page was still up as late as Thursday evening, according to the Wayback Machine, along with the nuclear-family disruption text. Wayback’s next pass on the URL, early on Friday morning, turns up the 404. Nevertheless, all of the versions of their “what we believe” page are still accessible through Wayback, if one knows to look for it there. (I’ve archived it here too.)
Why delete it, especially without an immediate replacement? So far BLM hasn’t explained their move, but it likely has to do with its polling of late. It hardly seems a coincidence that this deletion came just a day or so after Pew published a poll showing that support for Black Lives Matter had dropped twelve points since June, and that the decline took place primarily with whites and Hispanics who had first supported the slogan without knowing much about the agenda. Critics spent the summer pounding on the BLM agenda, and especially on its Marxist roots — as proclaimed by the group’s own founders:
Just ask BLM leaders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal TometiIn a revealing 2015 interview, Cullors said, “Myself and Alicia in particular are trained organizers. We are trained Marxists.” That same year, Tometi was hobnobbing with Venezuela’s Marxist dictator Nicolás Maduro, of whose regime she wrote: “In these last 17 years, we have witnessed the Bolivarian Revolution champion participatory democracy and construct a fair, transparent election system recognized as among the best in the world.” … A partner organization, the Movement for Black Lives, or M4BL, calls for abolishing all police and all prisons. It also calls for a “progressive restructuring of tax codes at the local, state and federal levels to ensure a radical and sustainable redistribution of wealth.” Another M4BL demand is “the retroactive decriminalization, immediate release and record expungement of all drug-related offenses and prostitution and reparations for the devastating impact of the ‘war on drugs’ and criminalization of prostitution.”
While BLM operated mainly on the fringe, few paid attention to their agenda or aims. Now that they have seized the nation’s attention, more and more people are realizing what’s behind the slogan — and don’t like it. Memory-holing it won’t help either, and that kind of move betrays a desperation to push a genie back into a bottle. It’s far too late for that, but not too late to see the intellectual dishonesty of BLM’s radical activists.


hotair--2020-09-21--"Good morning, Sunday morning": Pelosi's weird interview moment

Via the Daily Mail .
“ This is so uncomfortable to watch… And confusing , ” tweeted Meghan McCain after watching this clip .
“ It ’ s like something is malfunctioning.
” It ’ s not just the “ good morning ” non sequitur .
It ’ s the awkward pause after she says it .
Did she have a senior moment here ?
Remember , Pelosi ’ s actually a few years older than Grandpa Joe .
The wrinkle in the “ senior moment ” theory is that she ’ s coherent both before and after the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t expect an elderly person having a moment of confusion to recover within two seconds and then go right back to making a scripted political argument without missing a beat .
Also , if Pelosi were prone to senior moments behind the scenes , you ’ d think Democrats would be careful about letting her spend time in front of the cameras .
That ’ s Republicans ’ theory of why Biden is so often missing from the campaign trail , after all : His handlers are trying to hide his alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But that theory breaks down with Pelosi .
She gives a press conference every week .
And she ’ s become one of the most reliable guests on the Sunday political talk shows over the past few months as coronavirus stimulus negotiations with Republicans have ground to a halt .
It ’ s not an exaggeration to say that she ’ s momentarily the most visible messenger for her party in the entire country , Biden included .
Would Dems really risk running her out there week after week to be lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if she were having periodic “ malfunctions ” ?
And wouldn ’ t we expect some of her answers to the substantive questions she ’ s asked to be confusing or even incoherent ?
Pelosi is awfully disciplined in her talking points for someone whose mind is supposedly slipping .
My read on the clip is that she might have been attempting sarcasm and it just came off weird .
Stephanopoulos asks her of the coming SCOTUS vacancy , “ To be clear , you ’ re not taking any arrows out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling anything out ?
” Pelosi ’ s “ good morning ” reply might have been her way of politely calling him an idiot , like saying “ Hello ?
” when someone asks you a stupid question .
Of course they ’ re not ruling anything out in trying to keep the seat open .
This will be the most cutthroat partisan war since , well , since the last Supreme Court vacancy .
As for the pause , good acting relies on good timing and it may be that as Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s an example from a few days ago in which she remains cogent throughout but her brief attempt to manufacture emotion is so awkward and transparent that you ’ re left cringing : People on Twitter speculated that maybe some other network with which she had an interview lined up accidentally cut into her earpiece during the Stephanopoulos segment , but I don ’ t think she would have recovered as seamlessly if that had happened .
There would have been some crosstalk about it ( “ George , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Bottom line : If her mind is starting to slide while she ’ s behind closed doors , we should expect her public appearances to become scarcer or , if not , for more moments like this to recur .
We ’ ll have an idea by New Year ’ s .

Via the Daily Mail. “This is so uncomfortable to watch… And confusing,” tweeted Meghan McCain after watching this clip. “It’s like something is malfunctioning.”
It’s not just the “good morning” non sequitur. It’s the awkward pause after she says it.
Did she have a senior moment here? Remember, Pelosi’s actually a few years older than Grandpa Joe.
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1307882757230604289
The wrinkle in the “senior moment” theory is that she’s coherent both before and after the “good morning” bit. I wouldn’t expect an elderly person having a moment of confusion to recover within two seconds and then go right back to making a scripted political argument without missing a beat. Also, if Pelosi were prone to senior moments behind the scenes, you’d think Democrats would be careful about letting her spend time in front of the cameras. That’s Republicans’ theory of why Biden is so often missing from the campaign trail, after all: His handlers are trying to hide his alleged senility by keeping him away from reporters.
But that theory breaks down with Pelosi. She gives a press conference every week. And she’s become one of the most reliable guests on the Sunday political talk shows over the past few months as coronavirus stimulus negotiations with Republicans have ground to a halt. It’s not an exaggeration to say that she’s momentarily the most visible messenger for her party in the entire country, Biden included. Would Dems really risk running her out there week after week to be lead spokesman for their side on the stimulus if she were having periodic “malfunctions”?
And wouldn’t we expect some of her answers to the substantive questions she’s asked to be confusing or even incoherent? Pelosi is awfully disciplined in her talking points for someone whose mind is supposedly slipping.
My read on the clip is that she might have been attempting sarcasm and it just came off weird. Stephanopoulos asks her of the coming SCOTUS vacancy, “To be clear, you’re not taking any arrows out of your quiver, you’re not ruling anything out?” Pelosi’s “good morning” reply might have been her way of politely calling him an idiot, like saying “Hello?” when someone asks you a stupid question. Of course they’re not ruling anything out in trying to keep the seat open. This will be the most cutthroat partisan war since, well, since the last Supreme Court vacancy.
As for the pause, good acting relies on good timing and it may be that as Pelosi ages her acting skills are getting worse. Here’s an example from a few days ago in which she remains cogent throughout but her brief attempt to manufacture emotion is so awkward and transparent that you’re left cringing:
Pelosi with an incredible emotional pivot here pic.twitter.com/iCYCxBG5lS — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 16, 2020
People on Twitter speculated that maybe some other network with which she had an interview lined up accidentally cut into her earpiece during the Stephanopoulos segment, but I don’t think she would have recovered as seamlessly if that had happened. There would have been some crosstalk about it (“George, are you still there?” etc.) Bottom line: If her mind is starting to slide while she’s behind closed doors, we should expect her public appearances to become scarcer or, if not, for more moments like this to recur. We’ll have an idea by New Year’s.


hotair--2020-09-21--Jezebel to Democrats: "Now would be a great time to go low"

In a rare critique of Michelle Obama , the feminist left online publication Jezebel is advising readers to “ go low ” during this time .
It ’ s a reference to Michelle ’ s style of gaslighting voters .
Her quote , “ When they go low , we go high ” was a slam against Republicans and a pious attempt to claim Democrats rise above the fray .
Now that everyone is cranked up to 11 over the sudden Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Jezebel is encouraging Congressional Democrats to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ocasio-Cortez did on Friday .
Her Instagram call to arms is how Democrats must respond now .
“ The time has come for them to slough off former First Lady Michelle Obama ’ s politically useless directive to “ go high ” when Republicans “ go low.
” Too many lives are at stake.
” Ouch .
Politically useless directive .
I agree , of course .
This is a battle that will get uglier than Brett Kavanaugh ’ s SCOTUS nomination , hard to believe but it will , and it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My take , though , is the opposite of the women at Jezebel .
I want President Trump to move quickly and get the process going to pave the way for a conservative woman to be put on the Supreme Court .
The two liberal women need a conservative counterbalance .
Fortunately , President Trump said on Fox and Friends this morning that he will likely announce his nominee on Friday or Saturday , after Ginsburg ’ s services and burial .
He is showing respect by waiting .
AOC slammed the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final wish – that the next president name her replacement – as though RBG had a say in the process .
She doesn ’ t , of course , this task falls on the U.S. Senate , and fortunately for Republicans , Mitch McConnell is up for the job .
It ’ s hard to think of any other Senator more able and skilled than McConnell for this moment .
He and Trump will usher in a solidly conservative Supreme Court for the first time in my lifetime .
It will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing – when haven ’ t Democrats gone low ?
Especially right now , with the Supreme Court in the balance , the vitriol is strong and non-stop .
From the left coast entertainment world elites to the east coast , to hear liberals speak you would think the world is coming to an end .
Well , it kind of is for them but that ’ s how it goes .
Trump and McConnell have a constitutional duty to fill the seat .
Unlike Merrick Garland ’ s nomination , this one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The White House and the Senate are controlled by Republicans , unlike when Garland was nominated .
Then it was a Democrat White House and a Republican Senate .
In his statement Friday , McConnell made it clear he sees the situation in 2020 as different from the one the Senate faced in 2016 .
“ In the last midterm election before Justice Scalia ’ s death in 2016 , Americans elected a Republican Senate majority because we pledged to check and balance the last days of a lame-duck president ’ s second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ Since the 1880s , no Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president ’ s Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year .
“ By contrast , Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda , particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary , ” he continued .
“ Once again , we will keep our promise.
” Make no mistake about it , Democrats would do the same .
As a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse if they are able to take back the White House and the Senate .
They are very clear that they intend to abolish the filibuster in the Senate and pack the Supreme Court .
Going low , protesters showed up over the weekend to Senator McConnell ’ s Louisville home .
Late Friday McConnell issued a statement that he will move forward with Ginsburg ’ s replacement and he will bring the nomination to a vote .
So , on Saturday more than one hundred protesters showed up at his home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .
The protest lasted about three hours .
One arrest was made .
Louisville Metro Police officers arrested one protester as she attempted to remove her car from the CVS parking lot .
An officer on the scene said the department had planned to tow the woman ’ s vehicle because she was not patronizing the business .
And after the woman went inside the story to purchase “ a six-pack of beer ” so that her car would not be towed , the officer arrested her on charges of disorderly conduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a video from Courier Journal reporter Hayes Gardner .
Following the arrest , several protesters entered the CVS , where they chanted in the store .
One kicked a glass door , damaging it .
Officers entered the store and asked everyone who was not shopping to leave .
Shortly after , members of LMPD ’ s special response team arrived to clear the scene .
Those people at CVS must be some of the peaceful protesters we keep hearing about , right ?
About two hours into the protest Louisville police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell ’ s house of vehicles .
Protesters also invoked the name of Breonna Taylor .
This is what can be expected going forward .
The protests and riots that we have seen during the Summer of Love will continue through the election and likely after that .
The message is clear that the uprising of the Marxist BLM movement has encouraged the political left to take to the streets for the fundamental change they have long hoped for and the violence that ensues is the by-product .
The Democrats went low a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be prepared to ride it out and do the right thing .

In a rare critique of Michelle Obama, the feminist left online publication Jezebel is advising readers to “go low” during this time. It’s a reference to Michelle’s style of gaslighting voters. Her quote, “When they go low, we go high” was a slam against Republicans and a pious attempt to claim Democrats rise above the fray.
Now that everyone is cranked up to 11 over the sudden Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jezebel is encouraging Congressional Democrats to “go for the jugular” as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did on Friday. Her Instagram call to arms is how Democrats must respond now. “The time has come for them to slough off former First Lady Michelle Obama’s politically useless directive to “go high” when Republicans “go low.” Too many lives are at stake.” Ouch. Politically useless directive. I agree, of course. This is a battle that will get uglier than Brett Kavanaugh’s SCOTUS nomination, hard to believe but it will, and it is all the left’s doing. My take, though, is the opposite of the women at Jezebel. I want President Trump to move quickly and get the process going to pave the way for a conservative woman to be put on the Supreme Court. The two liberal women need a conservative counterbalance.
Fortunately, President Trump said on Fox and Friends this morning that he will likely announce his nominee on Friday or Saturday, after Ginsburg’s services and burial. He is showing respect by waiting. AOC slammed the president for not honoring RBG’s alleged final wish – that the next president name her replacement – as though RBG had a say in the process. She doesn’t, of course, this task falls on the U.S. Senate, and fortunately for Republicans, Mitch McConnell is up for the job. It’s hard to think of any other Senator more able and skilled than McConnell for this moment. He and Trump will usher in a solidly conservative Supreme Court for the first time in my lifetime. It will be a 6-3 court.
Here’s the thing – when haven’t Democrats gone low? Especially right now, with the Supreme Court in the balance, the vitriol is strong and non-stop. From the left coast entertainment world elites to the east coast, to hear liberals speak you would think the world is coming to an end. Well, it kind of is for them but that’s how it goes. Trump and McConnell have a constitutional duty to fill the seat. Unlike Merrick Garland’s nomination, this one must proceed in a timely fashion. The White House and the Senate are controlled by Republicans, unlike when Garland was nominated. Then it was a Democrat White House and a Republican Senate.
In his statement Friday, McConnell made it clear he sees the situation in 2020 as different from the one the Senate faced in 2016. “In the last midterm election before Justice Scalia’s death in 2016, Americans elected a Republican Senate majority because we pledged to check and balance the last days of a lame-duck president’s second term. We kept our promise,” he said. “Since the 1880s, no Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president’s Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year. “By contrast, Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary,” he continued. “Once again, we will keep our promise.”
Make no mistake about it, Democrats would do the same. As a matter of fact, they intend to do worse if they are able to take back the White House and the Senate. They are very clear that they intend to abolish the filibuster in the Senate and pack the Supreme Court.
Going low, protesters showed up over the weekend to Senator McConnell’s Louisville home. Late Friday McConnell issued a statement that he will move forward with Ginsburg’s replacement and he will bring the nomination to a vote. So, on Saturday more than one hundred protesters showed up at his home in Louisville. Some protesters conflate 2016 with 2020.
Protesters lined the streets the next day in front of the senator’s home in the Belknap neighborhood shortly after noon, chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, Mitch McConnell has got to go” and “vote him out” as several passing drivers honked and waved support. “I’m disgusted that Senator McConnell would treat this opportunity in a complete different manner than he treated the opportunity when there was a vacancy when Obama was nine or 10 months away from the election,” Johnsrude said. “I’m not surprised, but I am disgusted. I think that’s appalling.”
This woman, Laura Johnsrude, has a sign quoting Mitch McConnell from 2016. She said she is “disgusted” but is “not surprised” by his statement. pic.twitter.com/Aiuab2RIkh — Hayes Gardner (@HayesGardner) September 19, 2020
The protest lasted about three hours. One arrest was made.
Louisville Metro Police officers arrested one protester as she attempted to remove her car from the CVS parking lot. An officer on the scene said the department had planned to tow the woman’s vehicle because she was not patronizing the business. And after the woman went inside the story to purchase “a six-pack of beer” so that her car would not be towed, the officer arrested her on charges of disorderly conduct and an improper parking violation, according to a video from Courier Journal reporter Hayes Gardner. Following the arrest, several protesters entered the CVS, where they chanted in the store. One kicked a glass door, damaging it. Officers entered the store and asked everyone who was not shopping to leave. Shortly after, members of LMPD’s special response team arrived to clear the scene.
One woman has been arrested at the CVS one block from McConnell’s house. She parked at the CVS, but was not a customer, and police told her they would tow her car. She tried to buy something and then move her car, but police didn’t allow that. Here’s an officer: pic.twitter.com/LfDHy6gIeE — Hayes Gardner (@HayesGardner) September 19, 2020
Those people at CVS must be some of the peaceful protesters we keep hearing about, right?
About two hours into the protest Louisville police had cleared the road in front of McConnell’s house of vehicles. Protesters also invoked the name of Breonna Taylor.
Following tense moments between protesters and police, officers agreed to remove their vehicles from blocking traffic on Dundee Road, though several remained to speak with activists and make sure the group kept the roadway clear. A small number of protesters continued to hold signs and chant along the sidewalk, invoking both Breonna Taylor’s name and calling on voters to “Ditch Mitch.”
This is the scene outside Sen. McConnell’s house, where a protest began over McConnell’s statement regarding the Supreme Court justice seat. Police came to clear the road, and protesters have been arguing with an officer for about 20 minutes over blocking the road. pic.twitter.com/6n0rgEVKxo — Hayes Gardner (@HayesGardner) September 19, 2020
This is what can be expected going forward. The protests and riots that we have seen during the Summer of Love will continue through the election and likely after that. The message is clear that the uprising of the Marxist BLM movement has encouraged the political left to take to the streets for the fundamental change they have long hoped for and the violence that ensues is the by-product. The Democrats went low a long time ago. Conservative politicians have to be prepared to ride it out and do the right thing.


hotair--2020-09-21--Mail-in ballot toilet display declared a crime

At at least one residence in Mason , Michigan , the 2020 elections are really going down the crapper… literally .
The unidentified homeowner put up a comical display in their front yard featuring a toilet and a large sign reading “ Place Mail In Ballots Here.
” ( You can see the full-size Associated Press photo of the display here . )
Depending on your personal opinion of mail-in voting , you may or may not find the display amusing .
But is it a crime ?
That ’ s the opinion of one local Democrat who works as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police to do something about it .
A Michigan resident ’ s apparent joke showing disdain for voting by mail is no laughing matter for one election official .
The resident put a toilet on their lawn with a sign that says , “ Place mail in ballots here.
” Barb Byrum , the Democratic clerk of Ingham County , filed a complaint with police over the display , saying it could mislead people who aren ’ t familiar with the voting system .
“ It is a felony to take illegal possession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Friday .
So what law might this guy have broken ?
Granted , the homeowner hasn ’ t been identified yet , but I ’ m going to assume it was a man .
I mean , come on .
This is just such a quintessentially “ guy thing ” to do .
The County Clerk is talking about stealing ballots , which is obviously a federal offense .
But laws must also be enforced with some common sense being left in play .
In order for anyone to mistake this for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to be willing to walk up onto someone ’ s private property and literally place their completed ballot in a toilet .
Just how stupid does the Clerk think the voters in her county are , anyway ?
Ms. Byrum went on to point out that “ many people who are voting by mail for the first time this election.
” That ’ s certainly true , but don ’ t you think that pretty much all of them are at least familiar with how the mail service works if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if so , they ’ re equally likely to be aware that the process generally doesn ’ t involve bathroom fixtures .
And if they aren ’ t by this point , do you really want them voting to begin with ?
More to the point , the County Clerk seems to be making the homeowner ’ s argument for them .
If she ’ s this concerned that first-time mail-in voters will be so confused over how to participate in this fashion that they might literally put their ballots in a toilet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , isn ’ t that really an argument against going to an entirely mail-in voting system ?
In the end , the real question here is whether this display was an actual attempt at voter fraud or an “ artistic ” ( for lack of a better term ) display of someone ’ s right to free speech and commentary on the relative merits of mail-in voting .
I ’ m hard-pressed to imagine a judge that would actually hear such a case , to say nothing of finding against the homeowner on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obviously a joke , but one intended to comment on a controversial decision regarding how the vote will be handled .
On a related note , a court decision on Friday declared that Michiganders sending in absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 can have their vote counted if it ’ s received within 14 days after the election .
And all of the mail-in votes will need to have their signatures inspected and validated before they are counted .
Considering how close some analysts think the vote may be in Michigan , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ( and potentially the entire presidential election ) until well into November or possibly later .
This is all looking like it ’ s just going to work out wonderfully , isn ’ t it ?

At at least one residence in Mason, Michigan, the 2020 elections are really going down the crapper… literally. The unidentified homeowner put up a comical display in their front yard featuring a toilet and a large sign reading “Place Mail In Ballots Here.” (You can see the full-size Associated Press photo of the display here.) Depending on your personal opinion of mail-in voting, you may or may not find the display amusing. But is it a crime? That’s the opinion of one local Democrat who works as the County Clerk and she wants the police to do something about it.
A Michigan resident’s apparent joke showing disdain for voting by mail is no laughing matter for one election official. The resident put a toilet on their lawn with a sign that says, “Place mail in ballots here.” Barb Byrum, the Democratic clerk of Ingham County, filed a complaint with police over the display, saying it could mislead people who aren’t familiar with the voting system. “It is a felony to take illegal possession of an absentee ballot,” Byrum said Friday.
So what law might this guy have broken? Granted, the homeowner hasn’t been identified yet, but I’m going to assume it was a man. I mean, come on. This is just such a quintessentially “guy thing” to do.
The County Clerk is talking about stealing ballots, which is obviously a federal offense. But laws must also be enforced with some common sense being left in play. In order for anyone to mistake this for an actual ballot collection station, they would have to be willing to walk up onto someone’s private property and literally place their completed ballot in a toilet. Just how stupid does the Clerk think the voters in her county are, anyway?
Ms. Byrum went on to point out that “many people who are voting by mail for the first time this election.” That’s certainly true, but don’t you think that pretty much all of them are at least familiar with how the mail service works if they are old enough to vote? And if so, they’re equally likely to be aware that the process generally doesn’t involve bathroom fixtures. And if they aren’t by this point, do you really want them voting to begin with?
More to the point, the County Clerk seems to be making the homeowner’s argument for them. If she’s this concerned that first-time mail-in voters will be so confused over how to participate in this fashion that they might literally put their ballots in a toilet bowl on some guy’s lawn, isn’t that really an argument against going to an entirely mail-in voting system?
In the end, the real question here is whether this display was an actual attempt at voter fraud or an “artistic” (for lack of a better term) display of someone’s right to free speech and commentary on the relative merits of mail-in voting. I’m hard-pressed to imagine a judge that would actually hear such a case, to say nothing of finding against the homeowner on a serious felony charge. This was obviously a joke, but one intended to comment on a controversial decision regarding how the vote will be handled.
On a related note, a court decision on Friday declared that Michiganders sending in absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 can have their vote counted if it’s received within 14 days after the election. And all of the mail-in votes will need to have their signatures inspected and validated before they are counted. Considering how close some analysts think the vote may be in Michigan, we may not know the results from that state (and potentially the entire presidential election) until well into November or possibly later. This is all looking like it’s just going to work out wonderfully, isn’t it?


hotair--2020-09-21--New Zealand partially lifts lockdown... again

Since we took a look this weekend at the seeming success of Sweden ’ s herd immunity strategy in combatting the pandemic , this may be an apt time to look at what ’ s going on in a nation that employed the complete opposite strategy .
New Zealand ’ s Prime Minister , Jacinda Ardern , locked down her nation like a maximum-security prison before the novel coronavirus could establish much of a toehold on their islands .
And she kept them locked down until there were no more cases to be found .
She also closed the borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country to go into a mandatory , supervised quarantine for two weeks .
But as we learned recently , somebody slipped up somewhere and a new batch of cases emerged in Auckland .
So the lockdown was put back in place .
Now , for the second time , the coast appears to be clear and the restrictions are being partially lifted everywhere except in that city .
( Associated Press ) All remaining virus restrictions will be lifted across much of New Zealand from late Monday with the exception of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to have some restrictions for at least another 16 days .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement Monday after meeting with top lawmakers .
The nation of 5 million re-imposed some restrictions last month after an Auckland outbreak which now appears to be under control .
Under the plan , maximum gathering sizes in Auckland will be increased from 10 to 100 on Wednesday and then caps removed two weeks after that .
“ Auckland needs more time , ” Ardern told reporters in the city .
“ Whilst we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track , there is still a need in Auckland for that cautious approach.
” Health authorities reported no new cases on Monday .
The number of active cases is 62 , with 33 from community spread and 29 among quarantined returning travelers .
The outbreak took place at a meatpacking plant , but they ’ ve apparently isolated everyone who was infected or came in contact with the infected individuals .
So now Ardern is once again lifting the oppressive restrictions everywhere except in Auckland .
That sounds great , but you need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest city in New Zealand .
The entire country only has five million citizens and almost 1.7 million of them live there .
That ’ s more than 30 percent of their total population that ’ s still going to be locked down for another two weeks or more .
While I don ’ t want to keep beating a dead horse here , how many times can Ardern keep doing this before her country ’ s economy is too battered to make a comeback ?
New Zealand has essentially zero herd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Sweden where the majority of the country seems to have already fought off the virus and lived to tell the tale .
This virus isn ’ t going away , even if a proven vaccine becomes available by the end of the year .
It ’ s going to be out there in perpetuity , and there ’ s always going to be somebody who slips through the cracks and shows up on New Zealand ’ s shores .
She can ’ t turn her country into a hermit kingdom forever .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ examples of how to deal with the pandemic , the more inclined I am to think that there was a hybrid solution staring us in the face this entire time .
I realize that many of you have been saying this for ages now , but with all the weirdness associated with this disease in terms of transmission rates .
lethality and all the rest , I think we needed to see some real-world examples play out before we could be 100 % positive .
Allow for isolation , masks and social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immune systems or underlying respiratory problems .
Screen every living soul that wants to walk into a nursing home or any similar medical facility .
Pass a relief bill providing financial assistance and other support to those who fall into the at-risk category .
But for the rest of the country ?
Turn them loose and turn the damn economy back on .
Just keep the hospitals well stocked and on their toes , ready for the comparatively rare cases where a younger , healthier person gets hit with a particularly severe case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or would that really make a lot of sense ?
If so , we could have already pulled out of this nosedive months ago if we ’ d adopted an approach like that .
And I say this as one of the people in the at-risk category who would still be stuck in lockdown anyway .
I ’ d be fine with it , personally .

Since we took a look this weekend at the seeming success of Sweden’s herd immunity strategy in combatting the pandemic, this may be an apt time to look at what’s going on in a nation that employed the complete opposite strategy. New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, locked down her nation like a maximum-security prison before the novel coronavirus could establish much of a toehold on their islands. And she kept them locked down until there were no more cases to be found. She also closed the borders almost entirely, forcing anyone arriving in the country to go into a mandatory, supervised quarantine for two weeks.
But as we learned recently, somebody slipped up somewhere and a new batch of cases emerged in Auckland. So the lockdown was put back in place. Now, for the second time, the coast appears to be clear and the restrictions are being partially lifted everywhere except in that city. (Associated Press)
All remaining virus restrictions will be lifted across much of New Zealand from late Monday with the exception of the largest city, Auckland, which will continue to have some restrictions for at least another 16 days. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement Monday after meeting with top lawmakers. The nation of 5 million re-imposed some restrictions last month after an Auckland outbreak which now appears to be under control. Under the plan, maximum gathering sizes in Auckland will be increased from 10 to 100 on Wednesday and then caps removed two weeks after that. “Auckland needs more time,” Ardern told reporters in the city. “Whilst we have reasonable confidence we are on the right track, there is still a need in Auckland for that cautious approach.” Health authorities reported no new cases on Monday. The number of active cases is 62, with 33 from community spread and 29 among quarantined returning travelers.
The outbreak took place at a meatpacking plant, but they’ve apparently isolated everyone who was infected or came in contact with the infected individuals. So now Ardern is once again lifting the oppressive restrictions everywhere except in Auckland. That sounds great, but you need to consider the fact that Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand. The entire country only has five million citizens and almost 1.7 million of them live there. That’s more than 30 percent of their total population that’s still going to be locked down for another two weeks or more.
While I don’t want to keep beating a dead horse here, how many times can Ardern keep doing this before her country’s economy is too battered to make a comeback? New Zealand has essentially zero herd immunity, as opposed to a place like Sweden where the majority of the country seems to have already fought off the virus and lived to tell the tale. This virus isn’t going away, even if a proven vaccine becomes available by the end of the year. It’s going to be out there in perpetuity, and there’s always going to be somebody who slips through the cracks and shows up on New Zealand’s shores. She can’t turn her country into a hermit kingdom forever.
The more we see of these dueling examples of how to deal with the pandemic, the more inclined I am to think that there was a hybrid solution staring us in the face this entire time. I realize that many of you have been saying this for ages now, but with all the weirdness associated with this disease in terms of transmission rates. lethality and all the rest, I think we needed to see some real-world examples play out before we could be 100% positive. Allow for isolation, masks and social distancing for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems or underlying respiratory problems. Screen every living soul that wants to walk into a nursing home or any similar medical facility. Pass a relief bill providing financial assistance and other support to those who fall into the at-risk category.
But for the rest of the country? Turn them loose and turn the damn economy back on. Just keep the hospitals well stocked and on their toes, ready for the comparatively rare cases where a younger, healthier person gets hit with a particularly severe case. Am I missing something here, or would that really make a lot of sense? If so, we could have already pulled out of this nosedive months ago if we’d adopted an approach like that. And I say this as one of the people in the at-risk category who would still be stuck in lockdown anyway. I’d be fine with it, personally.