theblaze--2020-05-25--Horowitz: The CDC confirms remarkably low coronavirus death rate. Where is the media?

Horowitz : The CDC confirms remarkably low coronavirus death rate .
Where is the media ?
Will they ever admit @ @ @ @ @ errors ?

Most people are more likely to wind up six feet under because of almost anything else under the sun other than COVID-19.
The CDC just came out with a report that should be earth-shattering to the narrative of the political class, yet it will go into the thick pile of vital data and information about the virus that is not getting out to the public. For the first time, the CDC has attempted to offer a real estimate of the overall death rate for COVID-19, and under its most likely scenario, the number is 0.26%. Officials estimate a 0.4% fatality rate among those who are symptomatic and project a 35% rate of asymptomatic cases among those infected, which drops the overall infection fatality rate (IFR) to just 0.26% — almost exactly where Stanford researchers pegged it a month ago.
Until now, we have been ridiculed for thinking the death rate was that low, as opposed to the 3.4% estimate of the World Health Organization, which helped drive the panic and the lockdowns. Now the CDC is agreeing to the lower rate in plain ink.
Plus, ultimately we might find out that the IFR is even lower because numerous studies and hard counts of confined populations have shown a much higher percentage of asymptomatic cases. Simply adjusting for a 50% asymptomatic rate would drop their fatality rate to 0.2% – exactly the rate of fatality Dr. John Ionnidis of Stanford University projected.
More importantly, as I mentioned before, the overall death rate is meaningless because the numbers are so lopsided. Given that at least half of the deaths were in nursing homes, a back-of-the-envelope estimate would show that the infection fatality rate for non-nursing home residents would only be 0.1% or 1 in 1,000. And that includes people of all ages and all health statuses outside of nursing homes. Since nearly all of the deaths are those with comorbidities.
The CDC estimates the death rate from COVID-19 for those under 50 is 1 in 5,000 for those with symptoms, which would be 1 in 6,725 overall, but again, almost all those who die have specific comorbidities or underlying conditions. Those without them are more likely to die in a car accident. And schoolchildren, whose lives, mental health, and education we are destroying, are more likely to get struck by lightning.
To put this in perspective, one Twitter commentator juxtaposed the age-separated infection fatality rates in Spain to the average yearly probability of dying of anything for the same age groups, based on data from the Social Security Administration. He used Spain because we don't have a detailed infection fatality rate estimate for each age group from any survey in the U.S. However, we know that Spain fared worse than almost every other country. This data is actually working with a top-line IFR of 1%, roughly four times what the CDC estimates for the U.S., so if anything, the corresponding numbers for the U.S. will be lower.
As you can see, even in Spain, the death rates from COVID-19 for younger people are very low and are well below the annual death rate for any age group in a given year. For children, despite their young age, they are 10-30 times more likely to die from other causes in any given year.
While obviously yearly death rates factor in myriad of causes of death and COVID-19 is just one virus, it still provides much-needed perspective to a public policy response that is completely divorced from the risk for all but the oldest and sickest people in the country.
Also, keep in mind, these numbers represent your chance of dying once you have already contracted the virus, aka the infection fatality rate. Once you couple the chance of contracting the virus in the first place together with the chance of dying from it, many younger people have a higher chance of dying from a lightning strike.
Four infectious disease doctors in Canada estimate that the individual rate of death from COVID-19 for people under 65 years of age is six per million people, or 0.0006 per cent – 1 in 166,666, which is "roughly equivalent to the risk of dying from a motor vehicle accident during the same time period." These numbers are for Canada, which did have fewer deaths per capita than the U.S.; however, if you take New York City and its surrounding counties out of the equation, the two countries are pretty much the same. Also, remember, so much of the death is associated with the suicidal political decisions of certain states and countries to place COVID-19 patients in nursing homes. An astounding 62 percent of all COVID-19 deaths were in the six states confirmed to have done this, even though they only compose 18 percent of the national population.
We destroyed our entire country and suspended democracy all for a lie, and these people perpetrated the unscientific degree of panic. Will they ever admit the grave consequences of their error?


theblaze--2020-05-25--Ann Coulter torches Trump in unhinged tweet storm: 'You complete blithering idiot'

Ann Coulter ripped into President Donald Trump over the weekend after he publicly rebuked former Attorney General Jeff Sessions on social media .
What did Trump say ?
The president has openly berated his former attorney general for recusing himself from the Russia investigation .
Trump has even gone so far as to endorse former college football coach Tommy Tuberville over Sessions in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama .
`` Alabama , do not trust Jeff Sessions .
He let our Country down , '' Trump said Friday .
In a follow up on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no courage , & ruined many lives . ''
Sessions responded by defending himself .
He reminded Trump that his recusal was required by law , and told Trump that his `` personal feelings do n't dictate who Alabama picks as their senator . ''
`` I will never apologize for following the law and serving faithfully and with honor , '' Sessions told Trump on Saturday .
What did Coulter say ?
The president 's overt and personal attacks on Sessions did not sit well with Coulter , who unleashed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the president early Sunday morning .
And it 's clear : Coulter does not like Trump .
She referred to him as : • `` The most disloyal actual retard that has ever set foot in the Oval Office '' In sum , Coulter said Trump is on a mission to lose both the White House and the Republican majority in the Senate , said Trump has failed to deliver on his immigration promises , especially on building a border wall , said Trump has failed to be `` a decent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , and said Trump 's decision to fire FBI director James Comey made him responsible for Robert Mueller 's appointment as special counsel of the Russia investigation .

Ann Coulter ripped into President Donald Trump over the weekend after he publicly rebuked former Attorney General Jeff Sessions on social media.
What did Trump say?
The president has openly berated his former attorney general for recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Trump has even gone so far as to endorse former college football coach Tommy Tuberville over Sessions in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama.
"Alabama, do not trust Jeff Sessions. He let our Country down," Trump said Friday. In a follow up on Saturday, Trump told Sessions, "You had no courage, & ruined many lives."
Sessions responded by defending himself. He reminded Trump that his recusal was required by law, and told Trump that his "personal feelings don't dictate who Alabama picks as their senator."
"I will never apologize for following the law and serving faithfully and with honor," Sessions told Trump on Saturday.
What did Coulter say?
The president's overt and personal attacks on Sessions did not sit well with Coulter, who unleashed a tweet storm of nearly a dozen messages at the president early Sunday morning.
And it's clear: Coulter does not like Trump. She referred to him as:
"A complete moron of a president"
"The most disloyal actual retard that has ever set foot in the Oval Office"
"This lout"
"You complete blithering idiot"
"This shallow and broken man"
In sum, Coulter said Trump is on a mission to lose both the White House and the Republican majority in the Senate, said Trump has failed to deliver on his immigration promises, especially on building a border wall, said Trump has failed to be "a decent, compassionate human being" during the coronavirus pandemic, and said Trump's decision to fire FBI director James Comey made him responsible for Robert Mueller's appointment as special counsel of the Russia investigation.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Video of white woman calling police on black man in Central Park goes viral and her dog gets taken a

Video of white woman calling police on black man in Central Park goes viral and her dog gets taken away @ @ @ @ @ her to put a leash on her dog

Video of a white woman calling the police on a black man for telling her to leash her dog went viral and the public outrage led to her dog being taken away.
The video was posted to Twitter by the sister of the man who was accosted by the woman in the park. He says that he told her to leash her dog according to the rules of the park through which they were walking.
The woman appeared to be angered by the suggestion and threatened to call the police, saying, "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life."
The video shows her calling the police and claiming that an African American man was threatening her life.
The man said, "thank you!" after she put a leash on the dog and ended the recording.
The video quickly went viral with more than 8 million views:
Some on social media were angered with how she treated her dog during the heated exchange, while others fumed over the threat she made to call the police and tell them her life was being threatened.
An NYPD spokeswoman said that police did respond to the altercation, but "both parties went on their way" with no arrests.
"Upon arrival, police determined two individuals had engaged in a verbal dispute," Sergeant Mary Frances O'Donnell said.
Woman on leave, dog removed
Online sleuths went to work and began to pummel Franklin Templeton over a rumor that the woman worked for the investment firm.
The company said they were investigating the matter and placed the employee in question on leave.
"We take these matters very seriously, and we do not condone racism of any kind. While we are in the process of investigating the situation, the employee involved has been put on administrative leave," the statement read.
Another organization, Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, indicated in a statement that the dog in question had been surrendered back to their care after they were bombarded with online complaints about its treatment.
"As of this evening, the owner has voluntarily surrendered the dog in question to our rescue while this matter is being addressed," their officials social media account read.
"Our mission remains the health and safety of our rescued dogs. The dog is now in our rescue's care and he is safe and in good health. We will not be responding to any further inquiries about the situation, either publicly or privately," they added in a second tweet.
Many on social media questioned why she wasn't cited or arrested for making a false report to the police, and they demanded she face legal consequences for her actions.


theblaze--2020-05-27--'Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH' — Trump says tweet fact-checks are interfering in the 2

'Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH' — Trump says tweet fact-checks are interfering in the 2020 election

'Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH ' — Trump says tweet fact-checks are interfering in the 2020 election ' I @ @ @ @ @ not allow it to happen ! '

President Donald Trump lashed out at Twitter after the popular social media platform began to fact-check his tweets for the first time ever on Tuesday.
The president warned that he would not allow Twitter to interfere with the election, which he equated with the fact-checking.
"@Twitter is now interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election," the president tweeted.
"They are saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots, which will lead to massive corruption and fraud, is incorrect, based on fact-checking by Fake News CNN and the Amazon Washington Post," he added.
....Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2020
"Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!" he warned.
The president's 2020 campaign director Brad Parscale also criticized the decision in a scathing statement released soon after the fact-checking began.
"We always knew that Silicon Valley would pull out all the stops to obstruct and interfere with President Trump getting this message through to voters. Partnering with the fake news media 'fact checkers' is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some false credibility," Parscale said.
"There are many reasons the Trump campaign pulled all our advertising from Twitter months ago, and their clear political bias is one of them," he concluded.
Here's more about the controversial fact-checking:


theblaze--2020-05-26--Jimmy Fallon issues heartfelt apology for performing in blackface: 'Thank you for holding me account

Jimmy Fallon issues heartfelt apology for performing in blackface: 'Thank you for holding me accountable'

Jimmy Fallon issues heartfelt apology for performing in blackface : 'Thank you for holding me accountable' Put it to bed @ @ @ @

Comedian and TV host Jimmy Fallon has issued an apology for performing in blackface during a "Saturday Night Live" skit that aired in 2000.
During the skit in question, Fallon portrays fellow comedian Chris Rock, who is black.
What are the details?
The 20-year-old clip of Fallon in blackface resurfaced on the internet this week after NBC ran a compilation video featuring the skit — "Regis co-host auditions" — on the "Saturday Night Live" website. Fallon was conspicuously absent from the clip.
Social media had a field day with the clip, considering NBC — "Saturday Night Live's" network — fired TV host Megyn Kelly in 2018 over a discussion about the appropriateness of blackface for Halloween.
A spokesperson for Fallon pointed TheBlaze to Fallon's lengthy apology, made late Tuesday afternoon, via email.
The apology read, "In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface. There is no excuse for this. I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable."
Fallon tweeted the apology to his 51 million Twitter followers.
At the time of this writing, Fallon's tweet has received more than 18,000 likes in the hour since it was posted, and responses to the comedian's apology have been largely positive.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Watch: MSNBC tries to shame people for not wearing masks, gets busted on air for hypocrisy

Watch : MSNBC tries to shame people for not wearing masks , gets busted on air for hypocrisy

MSNBC attempted to shame people for not wearing masks while outside in public during a segment on Tuesday, but ended up being exposed on air by a passerby who noted that some of the outlet's own crew weren't wearing face coverings, either.
What are the details?
During a live shot, host Katy Tur asked reporter Cal Perry of people walking around outside without masks, "Are they not worried about their own personal safety?"
Perry replied, "You can see here, just around, nobody is wearing them."
"Including the cameraman," a man passing by interjected, adding, "Half your crew isn't wearing them, either."
Perry then threw his hands up in the air as he was forced to admit, "Including the cameraman."
Tur then signed off, referring to what she just witnessed as, "Striking images."
Mask-Obsessed NBC Reporter Forced to Admit on Live TV Cameraman Not Wearing a Mask www.youtube.com
Footage taken from the man who called out MSNBC's hypocrisy confirms that two of the members of MSNBC camera crew with Perry were not wearing masks, while the reporter was filmed accusing people of "not caring" about personal safety or social distancing.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Trump was right: CDC now predicts coronavirus death rate 'under one percent'

Trump was right : CDC now predicts coronavirus death rate 'under one percent '

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention once predicted the coronavirus death rate would be between 4% and 5%, but the agency has come out with a new report and those predictions have been adjusted significantly.
According to the CDC's latest data, the fatality rate among Americans showing COVID-19 symptoms is 0.4 percent. And an estimated 35% who are infected by the virus will never have any symptoms. Therefore, the CDC is now estimating COVID-19 kills less than 0.3 percent of people infected.
Filling in for Glenn Beck on the radio program this week, Pat Gray and Stu Burguiere recalled when the mainstream media went into overdrive, hammering President Donald Trump for predicting the final COVID-19 death rate would be "under one percent."
Looks like the president was right all along.
Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:
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theblaze--2020-05-26--Breaking: Twitter adds a fact-check label to Trump's tweets for the first time, his campaign sends f

Breaking: Twitter adds a fact-check label to Trump's tweets for the first time, his campaign sends fiery response

Breaking : Twitter adds a fact-check label to Trump 's tweets for the first time , his campaign sends fiery @ @ @ @ @ of trying to tamper with his messaging

The popular social media platform Twitter began to add additional context to the president's tweets after a public furor over missives he sent about a murder conspiracy theory.
The fact-check was instituted on a later tweet where President Donald Trump made claims about mail-in balloting.
Image Source: Twitter screenshot
When viewed on Twitter, the tweet now displays a message that reads "Get the facts about mail-in ballots" and links to tweets countering what the president said about the issue.
Previously to that tweet, critics of the president had angrily demanded that Twitter censor his tweets about an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory claiming MSNBC host Joe Scarborough had murdered his intern over an alleged extramarital affair.
A Twitter spokesperson told Politico that it was the first time such a tag had been added to the president's tweets.
Katie Rosborough explained that the posts "contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots."
The president's team blasted the act as an attempt by Twitter to tamper with his messaging.
"We always knew that Silicon Valley would pull out all the stops to obstruct and interfere with President Trump getting this message through to voters. Partnering with the fake news media 'fact checkers' is only a smoke screen Twitter is using to try to lend their obvious political tactics some false credibility," read a statement from Brad Parscale, Trump 2020 campaign manager.
"There are many reasons the Trump campaign pulled all our advertising from Twitter months ago, and their clear political bias is one of them," the statement concluded.
Democrats have pushed mail-in ballots in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but Republicans have accused them of trying to accommodate efforts to corrupt the election system.
Here's more about Twitter fact-checking Trump:


theblaze--2020-05-26--Woman who called cops on black man gets axed from posh job at investment firm over the viral video

Woman who called cops on black man gets axed from posh job at investment firm over the viral video She @ @ @ @ @ took over

The woman who was excoriated on social media over a viral video of her behavior in Central Park has been fired by her employer, despite the apology she made.
Franklin Templeton initially announced that she had been put on administrative leave pending an investigation, but on Tuesday the firm tweeted that she had been fired.
"Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately," the tweet read.
"We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton," it added.
Outrage bubbled over on social media when the video was posted by the sister of the man who recorded the woman after he told her to put her dog on leash. The rules of the park say dogs must be on leashes.
The woman grew angered after he tried to feed her dog with dog treats he had his in his pockets and threatened to call the police and tell them an African American man was threatening her.
The video gained over 33 million views just on Twitter alone.
Online sleuths discovered her identity and forced Franklin Templeton to review the incident. She also voluntarily gave the dog back to the rescue organization that she obtained it from.
Amy Cooper told CNN she regretted calling the police.
"It was unacceptable, and words are just words, but I can't undo what I did. I sincerely and humbly apologize to everyone, especially to that man and his family," she said.
"I'm not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way," she added.
Critics said the phrasing use by Cooper to tell the police that her life was being threatened by an "African-American male" was tantamount to threatening to have him killed by police. Others say that the public outrage was disproportional to the behavior she exhibited on the video.
Here's more about the controversial case:


theblaze--2020-05-26--Editor seemingly ties VP Mike Pence to 'white supremacists' for eating near thin blue line flag. It

Editor seemingly ties VP Mike Pence to 'white supremacists' for eating near thin blue line flag. It doesn't go well.

Editor seemingly ties VP Mike Pence to 'white supremacists ' for eating near thin blue line flag .
It does @ @ @ @ @ know this : symbols take on meaning far beyond what you might wish for them @

It was a mammoth swing and a miss.
Gady Epstein, the China Affairs Editor for The Economist, seemingly attempted to tie Vice President Mike Pence to "white supremacists" over a photo of him eating lunch with Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia's first lady, Marty Kemp, in a restaurant with a thin blue line flag hanging on its wall Friday, Red State reported.
Here's what Epstein tweeted, according to journalist Andy Ngo:
Image source: Twitter
"Pence and Kemp dining in front of a flag favored by white supremacists at Charlottesville," he tweeted.
Huh?
The pro-police thin blue line flag has been a source of controversy for years — and as recently as earlier this month San Francisco's police chief banned his officers from wearing thin blue line face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. In short, detractors say the flag is part of the Blue Lives Matter movement, which is allegedly racist because it's a reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement.
But wherever the truth lies, Epstein apparently trying to tie Pence to "white supremacists" because the image showed the thin blue line flag on a wall of a restaurant — where people of multiple races were eating — got the editor "thoroughly dragged," Red State said.
So much so that he deleted his tweet and offered up a decidedly sorry-not-sorry explanation:
"Deleted a tweet about Pence and the 'thin blue line flag' because RIP my mentions," Epstein wrote. "But know this: symbols take on meaning far beyond what you might wish for them. It's important to acknowledge that."
WXIA-TV reported Pence's get together with Kemp at the Star Cafe in Atlanta — and the station seemed interested only in what social distancing was taking place:


theblaze--2020-05-26--Will lockdowns kill more people than the virus ever would?

Will lockdowns kill more people than the virus ever would ?

What is the economic cost of lockdowns? What if the cost is more than just dollars? On Tuesday's episode of the "Steve Deace Show," Steve broke down the dangerous reality of locking down the nation, especially when it is considered that the numbers associated with the coronavirus are looking more like a bad flu season than a pandemic worthy of a shutdown.
"This is about saving lives," Steve asserted. Watch the video below for the full story:
Use code DEACE to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.
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theblaze--2020-05-26--Salon refuses to serve Tyson Foods employees over local plant's COVID-19 outbreak

SmartCuts salon in Wilkesboro , North Carolina , says it will not serve Tyson Foods employees following news of a massive COVID-19 outbreak in one of the neighboring Tyson facilities .
Last week , Tyson Foods announced that hundreds of its employees at a North Carolina plant tested positive for coronavirus .
The announcement pointed out that the high number accounted for at least 25 % of its workforce .
The majority of cases were reportedly asymptomatic .
What are the details ?
The store shared a memo with its clients via a storefront sign on Tuesday , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SmartCuts will offer employees impacted by the policy discounts once restrictions are lifted .
In April , Tyson Foods Chairman John Tyson announced that the `` food supply chain '' is breaking due to COVID-19 .
In a widely published editorial , Tyson wrote , `` As pork , beef and chicken plants are being forced to close , even for short periods of time , millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain . ''
`` As a result , there will be limited supply of our products available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen our facilities that are currently closed , '' he added .
`` In addition to meat shortages , this is a serious food waste issue , '' Tyson noted .
`` The food supply chain is breaking . ''

SmartCuts salon in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, says it will not serve Tyson Foods employees following news of a massive COVID-19 outbreak in one of the neighboring Tyson facilities.
Last week, Tyson Foods announced that hundreds of its employees at a North Carolina plant tested positive for coronavirus. The announcement pointed out that the high number accounted for at least 25% of its workforce. The majority of cases were reportedly asymptomatic.
What are the details?
The store shared a memo with its clients via a storefront sign on Tuesday, and it went viral.
According to Newsweek, SmartCuts will offer employees impacted by the policy discounts once restrictions are lifted.
A portion of the letter reads:
To our clients who currently work at Tyson — we appreciate and care for you very much and hope the current Covid 19 outbreak you are dealing with subsides quickly! However, given the close contact experienced during our services, we will be unable to serve Tyson employees until approximately June 8, once the recent Covid 19 outbreak has been controlled and enough time has passed.
Anything else?
In April, Tyson Foods Chairman John Tyson announced that the "food supply chain" is breaking due to COVID-19.
In a widely published editorial, Tyson wrote, "As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain."
"As a result, there will be limited supply of our products available in grocery stores until we are able to reopen our facilities that are currently closed," he added.
"In addition to meat shortages, this is a serious food waste issue," Tyson noted. "The food supply chain is breaking."


theblaze--2020-05-26--Michigan governor says her husband was joking when he tried to get special treatment from boat dock

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer admitted Tuesday that her husband attempted to persuade a company to prioritize putting their family's boat in the water ahead of the Memorial Day weekend by touting his status as "First Gentleman," but dismissed his efforts as nothing more than "a failed attempt at humor."
What are the details?
The owner of a company called NorthShore Dock LLC posted on Facebook last week that Marc Mallory, Whitmer's husband, called the business asking that his boat be put in the water by the busy Memorial Day weekend. After being told that would not be possible due to the company being behind, Mallory reportedly pressed, "I am the husband to the governor, will this make a difference?"
Whitmer's office initially refused to comment on the incident saying they would not respond to "every rumor that is spread online."
But the governor confirmed Tuesday that the rumor was true.
Addressing the incident during a news conference, Whitmer said, "My husband made a failed attempt at humor, last week, when checking in with a small business that helps with our boat and dock up north. Knowing it wouldn't make a difference, he jokingly asked if being married to me might move him up in the queue."
She continued, "Obviously, with the motorized boating prohibition in our early days of COVID-19, he thought it might get a laugh. It didn't."
The governor added, "To be honest, I wasn't laughing either when it was relayed to me. Because I knew how it would be perceived. He regrets it. I wish it wouldn't have happened. And that's really all we have to say about it."
Whitmer went on to admit that Mallory had visited their vacation home where the boat is located, saying, "My husband did go to our place in Antrim County and raked some leaves. We did not all pile in the car to go enjoy our second home, although that would have been permitted."
Whitmer addresses reports of husband's call to dock www.youtube.com
Whitmer — who has gained national name recognition for imposing one of the strictest stay-at-home orders in the nation during the coronavirus — just warned Michiganders last week against traveling to northern regions of the state for the holiday weekend.
Fox News reported that the governor lifted some restrictions in the northern part of her state, but told citizens, "If you don't live in these regions....think long and hard before you take a trip into them."


theblaze--2020-05-26--GOP leaders in Georgia, Florida, and Texas offer to host Republican National Convention after Democr

GOP leaders in Georgia, Florida, and Texas offer to host Republican National Convention after Democratic NC governor wavers

GOP leaders in Georgia , Florida , and Texas offer to host Republican National Convention after Democratic NC governor wavers

GOP leaders from Georgia, Florida, and Texas have offered their states to host the 2020 Republican National Convention following President Trump's threats Monday to pull the event from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Trump tweeted his displeasure Monday with North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, suggesting that the swing state leader is still in a "shutdown mood" and apparently not guaranteeing that by August, the state will allow full occupancy in the Spectrum Center arena due to health concerns.
Should Cooper not allow full occupancy, the president argued that the Republican Party would be "reluctantly forced to find ... another convention site."
What are the details?
Just one day after the tweet, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp sent an open plea to the president to consider the Peach State as an alternative, the Associated Press reported.
"With world-class facilities, restaurants, hotels, and workforce, Georgia would be honored to safely host the Republican National Convention," wrote Kemp, who was recently criticized by many — including the president — for opting to reopen the state ahead of the White House's recommended schedule.
Shortly after Kemp's offer, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) told reporters that he "would love" to have the Republican or even the Democratic convention in the Sunshine State, as either would bring in millions of dollars.
"The door is open, we want to have the conversation, whether RNC, DNC, whatever, because I think it will be good for the people of Florida," DeSantis said at a news conference in Miami.
Republican Party members in Texas also expressed openness to hosting the event in their state.
"Texas would welcome President Trump and the RNC Convention," Texas Republican Party Chairman James Dickey told the Austin American-Statesman on Monday.
Anything else?
The Republican National Convention is scheduled to take place in Charlotte Aug. 24-27, but due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, Cooper has not guaranteed that the arena will be allowed to operate at full capacity.
In a statement, an aide for the governor said: "State health officials are working with the R.N.C. and will review its plans as they make decisions about how to hold the convention in Charlotte. North Carolina is relying on data and science to protect our state's public health and safety."
Then at a news conference Tuesday, Cooper jabbed back at Trump saying that pandemic responses cannot be "political."
Vice President Mike Pence mentioned in a "Fox & Friends" interview that Georgia, Florida, and Texas were options to host the convention should it be pulled from North Carolina.
Georgia, Florida, and Texas have all made headlines for reopening more rapidly than many other states across the country, and have been able to avoid any coronavirus catastrophes.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Lead singer of major Christian band no longer believes in God: 'I have been terrified to be honest a

Lead singer of major Christian band no longer believes in God: 'I have been terrified to be honest about this publicly'

Lead singer of major Christian band no longer believes in God : ' I have been terrified to be honest @ @ @ @

Hawk Nelson lead singer Jon Steingard says he no longer believes in God.
What are the details?
Steingard offered a lengthy Instagram post last week telling his fans and followers that his present lack of faith has been in the works for several years — and that making such a confession is unnerving for him: "I have been terrified to be honest about this publicly for quite some time."
"After growing up in a Christian home, being a pastor's kid, playing and singing in a Christian band, and having the word 'Christian' in front of most of the things in my life — I am now finding that I no longer believe in God," the singer of the veteran band wrote.
Steingard also said that in conversations with trusted friends about his doubts, he's been shocked to learn that almost every close friend his age who grew up in the church shared his doubts — but in reading his post, his doubts are not uncommon.
Among his questions: Why is there evil in the world and a hell if God is all powerful and all loving? Also, "Why does he say not to kill, but then instruct Israel to turn around and kill men women and children to take the promised land?" And, "Why does Jesus have to die for our sins (more killing again)?"
Soon, Steingard said, he began to doubt the reliability of the Bible and then came to the conclusion that it is"human, flawed and imperfect" and can't be trusted.
In the end, he wrote that he's open to God existing and would "prefer it if he was" — but that he suspects that if God exists, he's much different than he grew up believing. Steingard added that he's been getting a lot of support from friends and family.
"I hope this is not the end of the conversation, but the beginning," he also wrote. "I hope this is encouraging to people who might feel the same but are as afraid to speak as I am. I want to be open. I want to be transparent with you all — and also open to having my heart changed in the future. I am not looking for a debate at all — just a chance to share my story in the hopes some good can come from it. I love you all."
How did fellow musicians react?
The day after Steingard's post, fellow Hawk Nelson member Daniel Biro posted on the band's Instagram page some words of encouragement: "Forever grateful for these brothers of mine. We've been through some highs and lows together and we share a very special bond that can't be broken. There are many seasons to a band, as Hawk Nelson has experienced. But one thing that isn't seasonal is our support for one another on or off the road touring. God has a unique path for each of us and it's important that we stay honest with one another. Looking forward to seeing how each of us continue to G R O W."
Other well-known Christian artists followed suit with messages to Steingard, according to the Christian Post:
"Love you bro. Always will." — Jeremy Camp
"To echo so many others here, I have nothing but love in my heart for your old friend." — Matt Hammitt, former lead singer of Sanctus Real
"Man I love that you shared this. You know I'm always around to talk about our belief in God or lack thereof. Love you and always will." — Mike Donehey, Tenth Avenue North
"Love you Jon. I miss being around your joyful presence. The next time I'm in San Diego I'm hunting you down and hugging you and bro-ing out. I'm here for you and love you." — Jeff Owen, Tenth Avenue North
"We love you and hope you will continue seeking. Life can hit us hard sometimes. Just know we are always available for you bro!" — Seventh Day Slumber
A Canadian group, Hawk Nelson formed in 2002, started out as pop-punk, then later gravitated toward pop-rock, and released eight albums along the way. Their latest, "Miracles," includes the song "Parachute":
Hawk Nelson - Parachute (Official Music Video) youtu.be
Anything else?
Steingard's announcement that he no longer believes in God comes less than a year after "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" author Joshua Harris said he was leaving his Christian faith and that he and his wife of 21 years are divorcing.
FaithWire added that in February YouTube celebrities Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal — who "grew up in Christian homes and spent years working for a parachurch ministry before pursuing entertainment careers" — "came out" as agnostics and said their views on the LGBTQ movement aren't in line with Christianity.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Norway's top public health official says lockdowns may have been unnecessary to control COVID-19

They probably wo n't have a lockdown if a second wave occurs Norway 's top public health official says lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ control COVID-19 Young pupils gather at the courtyard of their Vikåsen school in Trondheim , @ @ @ @ @ reopened on April 27 , 2020 .
( GORM KALLESTAD/NTB Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images )

The director of Norway's Institute of Public Health said the country might have been able to achieve the same level of COVID-19 mitigation without aggressive lockdown policies, according to The Local.
Norway joined many other countries in implementing strict stay-at-home rules in mid-March, even though the rate of coronavirus transmission was already relatively low.
"It does not mean that we do not stand by the advice we gave then, given the knowledge base we had at the time," said Camilla Stoltenberg, director general of the Institute of Public Health. "Our assessment now, and I find that there is a broad consensus in connection with the reopening, was that one could achieve perhaps the same effect and avoid some of the unfortunate impacts by not closing, but by keeping open with infection control measures."
Stoltenberg's own agency didn't recommend closing down schools in mid-March, saying that measure was not needed at the time, although it could have become necessary down the road.
If there is a second wave of COVID-19, as some public health experts predict, Norway will likely take less severe measures to slow the spread of the virus and protect the population, unless the second wave is significantly worse than the first one. Instead, more emphasis will be put on getting residents to follow the proper precautions. From The Local:
She recommended that if the country is hit by a second wave of coronavirus infections after the summer, it should avoid such heavy handed measures, unless levels of infection are much higher than experienced in March and April.
"I think it will take a lot. And there is a strong willingness on the part of all parties to find instruments that are more gentle and more flexible," she said. "What is needed is a commitment from the entire population to follow the infection prevention advice."


theblaze--2020-05-26--Here are the 10 states where the share of COVID-19 deaths coming from nursing homes are the highest

Here are the 10 states where the share of COVID-19 deaths coming from nursing homes are the highest Who will @ @ @ @

We've all heard about the disproportionate share of COVID-19 deaths happening in America's nursing homes.
A recently reported study from the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity showed that while only 0.6% of Americans live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, that population makes up more than 42% of the nation's COVID-19 deaths.
The topic has been used to bludgeon some elected leadership — especially New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. One of the biggest attacks on Cuomo has been his role in some 5,000 deaths in his state's nursing homes following his March 25 executive order forcing nursing homes to accept coronavirus-positive people.
But did you know New York's reported nursing home deaths as a share of the state's COVID-19 deaths are the lowest in the nation? The Empire State has seen 13.8% of its COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. (However, some analysts have pointed out that New York's reporting might not be accurate.) The second-lowest rate so far is Nevada's 23.9%, according to a newly updated FREOPP report.
In fact, because New York is such an outlier considering its high share of overall coronavirus cases and deaths as well as its data reporting methods, if the state's data is removed from the calculations, the nursing home share of COVID-19 deaths nationwide jumps to 52%.
What's happening in the states?
So, which states are seeing the highest share of COVID-19 deaths in their long-term care facilities?
FREOPP looked at state-by-state data, and found that, among states that break out deaths by residential categories, about 60% of them have seen more than half of their COVID-19 fatalities come from nursing homes.
Only two states — the aforementioned New York and Nevada — have seen less than a third of their COVID-19 deaths come from nursing homes.
Below are the states where nursing home deaths are the greatest share of COVID-19 deaths.
No word yet on how the leadership in these states will be held accountable.
Top 10 states where the share of COVID-19 deaths coming from nursing homes are the highest
No. 1: MINNESOTA — 81.4% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 2: RHODE ISLAND — 77% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 3: OHIO — 70% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 4: NEW HAMPSHIRE — 69.8% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 5: PENNSYLVANIA — 69.2% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 6: DELAWARE — 64.2% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 7: NORTH CAROLINA — 63.3% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 8: VIRGINIA — 62.8% of all COVID-19 deaths
No. 9: MASSACHUSETTS — 61.9% of all COVID-19 deaths


theblaze--2020-05-26--Horowitz: New study: Lockdowns destroy nearly twice as many years of life as the coronavirus

Horowitz : New study : Lockdowns destroy nearly twice as many years of life as the coronavirus 'These financial losses @ @ @ @ @ purely economic '

Will the New York Times begin publishing the names of those who died from the man-made lockdowns alongside those who died from the God-made plague of the coronavirus? Will it publish a state-by-state and country-by-country dashboard and demographic breakdown of those who lose their lives thanks to these unprecedented political decisions?
Four professors with backgrounds ranging from medicine to economics attempted to quantify the number of lives lost from the devastation of the lockdown itself – something our government failed to simulate when it embarked on this novel policy. Using health and labor data as well as various actuarial tables, they projected 65,000 lives lost per month of lockdown in the U.S. – greater than the loss from the virus. That number was calculated by dividing the estimated $1.1 trillion lost from economic productivity per month of lockdown by $17 million because the best estimates predict one life lost from suicide, alcohol or drug abuse, or stress-induced illnesses per $17 million lost.
"These financial losses have been falsely portrayed as purely economic," wrote the four professors in The Hill on Monday. "To the contrary … we calculate that these policies will cause devastating non-economic consequences that will total millions of accumulated years of life lost in the United States, far beyond what the virus itself has caused."
The four authors were Scott Atlas of Stanford University's Hoover Institution, John Birge of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Ralph Keeney of Duke University, and Alexander Lipton of the Jerusalem Business School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The point the authors make, that lockdowns are destroying so many more cumulative years of life, is very poignant to the situation we find ourselves in. For every 1,000 lives lost to the virus, the corresponding 1,000 lives lost to the lockdown will destroy exponentially more "life years," because the median age of those who die from the virus is 80, while the median age for deaths caused by the lockdown – those who die due to suicide, substance abuse, despair, and poverty – is much lower.
This point was accentuated by one commentator who compared the cumulative years of life lost to the virus from Feb. 1 through May 13 to the years of life lost to fatalities from the flu and pneumonia over the same time.
As you can see, there were actually more life years lost due to flu and pneumonia, even though this was a mild flu season in most places and the time frame of reference here doesn't include December and January, which include a large share of the annual flu deaths.
We have already seen that doctors in Northern California are reporting more than a year's worth of suicides in just four weeks. Knox County, Tennessee, experienced nine suicides in just one 48-hour period in March. On the other hand, there have only been five COVID-19 deaths in Knox County over nine weeks! One can only imagine the number of suicides that will pile up if these draconian measures are continued indefinitely until there is a vaccine, as so many liberal politicians are advocating.
Also, the death toll of the economic consequences of the shutdown is just one piece of the pie. As the authors note, stroke patient evaluations are down 40%, nearly half of cancer patients have missed treatments, two-thirds to three-fourths of routine cancer screenings have been delayed, nearly 85% fewer living-donor transplants have occurred, and more than half of childhood vaccinations are not being performed. They estimate that the total years of lost life per month of shutdown from these missed treatments and diagnosis are 500,000! In total, they estimate that the lockdown, over its entire duration, has caused the loss of 1.5 million life years, as compared to 800,000 life years from the virus itself.
It is truly shocking that nobody in our government has even attempted to model the number of lives lost due to lockdown. The falsity behind the original virus models became apparent a few days into the lockdown. Any sane government would have weighed the collateral damage at that point and repudiated any severe lockdown absent clear evidence that it was necessary. European countries and the Israelis have realized this was a big mistake, but our politicians continue to double down on it.
Yoram Lass, former director-general of Israel's Ministry of Health, said in an interview with online media outlet Spiked that nothing about this virus can "justify this destruction of people's lives."
"It is the first epidemic in history which is accompanied by another epidemic – the virus of the social networks," said the Israeli scientist. "These new media have brainwashed entire populations. What you get is fear and anxiety, and an inability to look at real data. And therefore you have all the ingredients for monstrous hysteria.
One would think that, with Israel's low death rates, Israeli scientists would want to play up the success of the lockdown. But they realize what so many of us do, which is that the lockdowns were completely unnecessary and caused much more collateral damage. A prominent epidemiologist at Hebrew University concluded that once it was clear Israel's health care system was not going to be overrun, there was no justification for the lockdown and that the damage it did to the country, which now faces 25% unemployment, outweighed any other consideration.
"We are not trying to minimize the number of people infected – the price of the lockdown is too catastrophic," said professor David Gershon, one of the Hebrew University researchers involved in their study. "The price of more than one million people unemployed is so crazy that to say we want to minimize the number of infected people is ridiculous."
The sooner our government realizes that, the fewer lives we will continue to bleed.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Four Minneapolis cops fired following death of black detainee. Feds investigating possible civil rig

Four Minneapolis cops fired following death of black detainee. Feds investigating possible civil rights violation.

Four Minneapolis cops fired following death of black detainee .
Feds investigating possible civil rights violation .

Federal authorities are investigating at least one Minneapolis Police Department officer on a possible civil rights violation after a video featuring a man's gruesome detainment went viral.
Officers responded to a scene for a "forgery in progress" on Monday. After engaging with the suspect, an officer ended up pinning the man to the ground with his knee. WCCO-TV reported that the man — later identified as 40-year-old George Floyd — allegedly attempted to use "forged documents" to pay for food at a nearby market.
The man, who appeared to be in medical distress on the viral video, later died.
Four officers, including the officer cited on a possible civil rights violation, were involved in the incident.
What are the details?
In a Tuesday news conference, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, "I believe what I saw, and what I saw was wrong at every level."
A clearly emotional Frey added, "Being black in America should not be a death sentence. For five minutes, we watched a white officer press his knee into a black man's neck. Five minutes. When you hear someone calling for help, you're supposed to help. This officer failed in the most basic, human sense. What happened on Chicago and 38th last night is awful. It was traumatic. It serves as a reminder of how far we have to go."
He added, "Whatever the investigation reveals, it does not change the simple truth, [the man] should still be with us this morning."
Frey also addressed the matter on Twitter, writing, "Four responding MPD officers involved in the death of George Floyd have been terminated. This is the right call."
What else?
Benjamin Crump, an attorney representing the late man's family, says that the decedent suffered at the hands of inhuman officers.
“We all watched the horrific death of George Floyd on video as witnesses begged the police officer to take him into the police car and get off his neck," Crump said in a statement. “This abusive, excessive and inhumane use of force cost the life of a man who was being detained by the police for questioning about a non-violent charge."
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said that the "most veteran prosecutors" are helping with the investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"We promise a thorough, expedited review consistent with our on-going commitment to justice," Freeman's statement read. "Every person is entitled to fairness; no person stands above the law."
Minneapolis Mayor emotional after man dies while being restrained by officer www.youtube.com
Anything else?
WCCO reported that protesters had begun to gather outside of Minneapolis' 3rd Precinct on Lake Street Tuesday afternoon.
The station reported that another protest is planned for Tuesday evening at the scene of the incident.
A makeshift memorial appeared on Tuesday following breaking news of Floyd's death.
The evening's protest has been organized by the Minneapolis NAACP, Communities Against Police Brutality, and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, along with other local grassroots organizations.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Joe Biden's 'you ain't black' comment made Democratic Rep. Clyburn 'cringe,' but that's all. The sam

Joe Biden's 'you ain't black' comment made Democratic Rep. Clyburn 'cringe,' but that's all. The same grace was not afforded to 'racist' Trump.

Joe Biden 's 'you ai n't black ' comment made Democratic Rep. Clyburn 'cringe , ' but that 's all @ @ @ @ @ not afforded to 'racist ' Trump . '
I cringed , no question about that @

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said he "cringed" after hearing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden argue to black voters that they "ain't black" if they don't vote for him come November.
During an interview on ABC's "The View," the South Carolina congressman who is credited with reviving Biden's campaign said "we sometimes say things we do not really mean, they come out a little bit wrong, and that's what happened here. I think all of us know Joe Biden."
"I cringed, no question about that," Clyburn said of the former vice president after co-host Whoopi Goldberg asked him about the gaffe.
"In this instance, Joe did not do as well as I had hoped in responding, but I will say this: I go about my business every day comparing Joe Biden to the alternative — not the Almighty," Clyburn added.
What's the background?
Biden made the controversial remarks during an interview with black radio host Charlamagne tha God on "The Breakfast Club" radio show last week, in which Biden was discussing his political track record and future objectives for the black community.
At the close of the interview, Biden, hoping to make clear that he is the only candidate who deserves the black vote, said, "I'll tell you what: If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black."
The presumptive Democratic nominee was forced to apologize later that afternoon during a conference call with the National Black Chamber of Commerce, saying that he shouldn't have been "a wise guy" and "so cavalier."
"I know the comments have come off like I was taking the African American vote for granted. But nothing could be further from the truth," Biden said on the call.
"I shouldn't have been such a wise guy ... I shouldn't have been so cavalier," Biden said.
Anything else?
Clyburn, who gave Biden a key endorsement ahead of his state's primary contest earlier this year, overall seemed to give Biden grace in his response, even suggesting that Charlamagne tha God purposefully aims "to push the buttons" of his interview subjects.
That same grace has not been afforded to President Donald Trump, whom Clyburn claimed is a "racist" who has hired white supremacists into his administration in an interview with "Axios on HBO" that aired in March.
During the short interview, Clyburn also compared the Trump to a Nazi official and warned that America "could very well go the way of Germany in the 1930s."


theblaze--2020-05-26--Candace Owens: Here's why I NEVER apologize to the left

Candace Owens : Here 's why I NEVER apologize to the left 'Give them just a little bit of rope @ @ @ @ @ with it '

In this episode of "The Rubin Report," BLEXIT founder Candace Owens joined BlazeTV host Dave Rubin to share a few of her encounters with so-called "social justice" mobs and cancel culture, and to talk about how these experiences have affected her personal life.
Candace explained why she almost never apologizes to the "disingenuous" outrage from the left.
"I pretty much never apologize in my public life. What you realize very quickly is that when they want to take you down, they will interpret everything to be wrong," she said. "The second you give them just a little bit of rope, they will hang you with it. The second they figure out where you're vulnerable ... they're going to get you ... and you're going to have to play that game forever. So I don't play it with them."
Candace suggested establishing the "terms of the apology" before even considering an apology.
"Are they actually seeking an apology or are they seeking to humiliate you? And the answer is always that they are seeking to humiliate you, when it comes to the left," she said. "If you're not a racist, if you're not a sexist, don't apologize for being one."
Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:
Want more from Dave Rubin?
Looking for smart and honest conversations about current events, political news and the culture war? On "The Rubin Report," comedian Dave Rubin engages the ideas of some of society's most interesting thought leaders, authors, and politicians. Subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multiplatform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-05-26--MASS MONDAY: Should Christians obey lockdowns?

Look , we all know the Bible commands Christians to follow the laws of the land .
But , the Bible does not say all laws of the land will be in sync with God 's law .
The Constitution protects the God-given rights of moral people , and any law in violation of a recognized God-given right is a steaming pile of horse poop .
The government lacks the authority to take away a right they did not grant .
Only when a person is found guilty of a high crime can they fall from the grace of God-given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be cruel or unusual .
Observed today , the coronavirus pandemic improperly green-lighted the state and local authorities to prohibit churches from congregating .
A two-time First Amendment violation : The right to worship and to peacefully assemble .
During the Founding era , when an individual fell ill during the smallpox pandemic , only those with symptoms and co-inhabitants were quarantined .
Smallpox has an estimated 30 % mortality rate .
COVID-19 , on the other hand , an estimated 0.28 % rate .
Yet , we currently see state and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from congregating .
Americans are beyond embarrassing right now .
This is a gross abuse of everything America stands for .
Everything .
Truth bomb : When the American people decide to stare the COVID-19 lie directly in the eye , no amount of inflated death and hospitalization rates will yield their forgiveness .
So , should Christians obey the COVID-19 lockdown ?
Steven Crowder explains ... Use code LWC to save $ 10 on one year of BlazeTV .
Want more from Steven Crowder ?
To enjoy more of Steven 's uncensored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand .

Look, we all know the Bible commands Christians to follow the laws of the land. But, the Bible does not say all laws of the land will be in sync with God's law.
The Constitution protects the God-given rights of moral people, and any law in violation of a recognized God-given right is a steaming pile of horse poop.
The government lacks the authority to take away a right they did not grant. Only when a person is found guilty of a high crime can they fall from the grace of God-given rights. Even then, punishment may not be cruel or unusual.
Observed today, the coronavirus pandemic improperly green-lighted the state and local authorities to prohibit churches from congregating. A two-time First Amendment violation: The right to worship and to peacefully assemble.
During the Founding era, when an individual fell ill during the smallpox pandemic, only those with symptoms and co-inhabitants were quarantined. Smallpox has an estimated 30% mortality rate. COVID-19, on the other hand, an estimated 0.28% rate. Yet, we currently see state and local governments enforcing executive orders prohibiting churches from congregating. Americans are beyond embarrassing right now. This is a gross abuse of everything America stands for. Everything.
Truth bomb: When the American people decide to stare the COVID-19 lie directly in the eye, no amount of inflated death and hospitalization rates will yield their forgiveness.
So, should Christians obey the COVID-19 lockdown? Steven Crowder explains...
Use code LWC to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.
Want more from Steven Crowder?
To enjoy more of Steven's uncensored late-night comedy that's actually funny, join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Man reportedly throws flaming American flag onto police vehicle amid Memorial Day commemoration, spi

Man reportedly throws flaming American flag onto police vehicle amid Memorial Day commemoration, spits at officer

Authorities arrested a Boston man after he reportedly threw a flaming American flag onto the roof of a police vehicle , according to WBZ-TV .
The suspect also reportedly spit at an officer who arrived on the scene .
What are the details ?
Authorities arrested Daniel Lucey , 40 , in the area of Boston Common amid Memorial Day commemorations on Monday evening .
The outlet reported that `` several people nearby '' approached an officer to report Lucey , who was burning the American flag on the roof of a prisoner transport wagon parked inside the famed park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he reportedly told them he was burning the flag in protest .
Lucey also reportedly had several other flags in his possession , including flag similar to those that had been placed in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument earlier that same day .
During his interaction with responding officers , Lucey reportedly spit on at least one of them .
In a statement , authorities said , `` Officers noted that the suspect was in possession of several other flags which appeared to be similar to the ones which are planted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monument over Memorial Day weekend to commemorate the Massachusetts service members who have given their lives in defense of the United States of America . ''
Authorities arrested Lucey and charged him with disorderly conduct , assault and battery on a police officer , malicious destruction of property , and malicious destruction of historical monuments .
According to WCVB-TV , a group of volunteers placed at least 1,000 flags on Boston Common in honor of Memorial Day .

Authorities arrested a Boston man after he reportedly threw a flaming American flag onto the roof of a police vehicle, according to WBZ-TV.
The suspect also reportedly spit at an officer who arrived on the scene.
What are the details?
Authorities arrested Daniel Lucey, 40, in the area of Boston Common amid Memorial Day commemorations on Monday evening.
The outlet reported that "several people nearby" approached an officer to report Lucey, who was burning the American flag on the roof of a prisoner transport wagon parked inside the famed park.
When authorities approached the suspect, he reportedly told them he was burning the flag in protest. Lucey also reportedly had several other flags in his possession, including flag similar to those that had been placed in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument earlier that same day.
During his interaction with responding officers, Lucey reportedly spit on at least one of them.
In a statement, authorities said, "Officers noted that the suspect was in possession of several other flags which appeared to be similar to the ones which are planted in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument over Memorial Day weekend to commemorate the Massachusetts service members who have given their lives in defense of the United States of America."
Authorities arrested Lucey and charged him with disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer, malicious destruction of property, and malicious destruction of historical monuments.
According to WCVB-TV, a group of volunteers placed at least 1,000 flags on Boston Common in honor of Memorial Day.


theblaze--2020-05-26--YouTube gets caught auto-censoring criticism of Chinese Communist Party, claims it was accidental

YouTube gets caught auto-censoring criticism of Chinese Communist Party , claims it was accidental An extremely specific accident , if @

After users highlighted YouTube's automatic censorship of certain phrases critical of the Chinese Communist Party, the tech company admitted the issue was real but said it was an accident, according to the Verge.
What's the issue? YouTube's automatic comment moderation filters were deleting some Chinese phrases that are derogatory toward the CCP, regardless of the context in which they were used. From the Verge:
Comments left under videos or in live streams that contain the words "共匪" ("communist bandit") or "五毛" ("50-cent party") are automatically deleted in around 15 seconds, though their English language translations and Romanized Pinyin equivalents are not.
The term "共匪" is an insult that dates back to China's Nationalist government, while "五毛," (or "wu mao") is a derogatory slang term for internet users paid to direct online discussion away from criticism of the CCP. The name comes from claims that such commenters are paid 50 Chinese cents per post.
The deletions were most recently highlighted by Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus, but the Verge found that the problem has existed and been brought to YouTube's attention dating back at least to October 2019 through comments on the site's official help page.
"YouTube has deleted every comment I ever made about the Wumao (五毛), an internet propaganda division of the Chinese Communist Party," Luckey wrote on Twitter on Monday. "Who at Google decided to censor American comments on American videos hosted in America by an American platform that is already banned in China?"
What does YouTube say about it? Without explaining how or why this became a rule in the moderation system, YouTube simply called it an error and said it was looking into it further.
"This appears to be an error in our enforcement systems and we are investigating," a YouTube spokesperson told the Verge in a statement.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Horowitz: European politicians blaming each other for insane lockdown idea while US politicians doub

Horowitz: European politicians blaming each other for insane lockdown idea while US politicians double down

Horowitz : European politicians blaming each other for insane lockdown idea while US politicians double down Only a handful of @ @ @ @ @ lesson from the disastrous lockdowns

As American politicians double down on locking down our lives, not only are European countries moving away from lockdowns, but some of their political leaders are engaging in a blame game over who thought of such a maniacal idea to begin with.
The Danish Jyllands-Posten newspaper reported on Friday that contrary to the assertion of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that it was the "authorities" and "the government's recommendation that we shut down all unnecessary activity," it appears that the National Board of Health never advised a lockdown. The controversy in Danish media stems from her use of the Danish word "myndighederne," which means "authorities," during the March 11 press conference announcing the lockdown.
But the Jyllands-Posten charges that no such authority gave consent to or recommended these measures. "As late as the day before the March 11 press conference, the board drew up a list of 'possible actions' against covid-19."
"There were no shutdowns and forced interventions here. In addition, on February 28, Søren Brostrøm [director of National Board of Health] signed a recommendation which, according to jurists, meant that general encroachments on Danes' freedom were excluded — e.g. forced treatment and barring of areas. Only in certain 'specific situations' did Brostrøm give green light for intervention. Kjeld Møller Pedersen, professor of health policy at SDU, states that 'the government has abused health-care advice.'" (Translated from Danish by Google translate.)
It's fascinating to watch politicians and the mainstream media in Europe trade barbs about who was responsible for the lockdown, as if it were the plague itself, while American politicians and media figures continue to embrace it. This comes on the heels of a blockbuster BBC report lacing into U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson for ordering the lockdown and ignoring science. There is now anticipation of major reprisal against him for going along with the lockdown.
The European media is now going after those who induced the panic as well. Yesterday, BILD, the widest circulated newspaper in Europe, ran a headline: "Drosten study on infectious children grossly wrong." On April 29, German virologist Christian Drosten published a paper claiming, contrary to nearly every other study, that children can transmit COVID-19 just as much as adults. In turns out that, instead, his own data show that children carry an 86% lower mean viral load than adults. Imagine media in the U.S. going back to all of the assertions made by the purveyors of panic in recent weeks and debunking them.
Denmark has seen nothing but declines in its infection rates after opening schools and malls several weeks ago. Given that Denmark has enjoyed the lowest death rate per capita of any continental European country among the Western countries, one would expect it to champion the lockdown strategy rather than repudiate it. However, as the Danes dig through the colossal damage done by the lockdown and realize that the models and premises undergirding the lockdown to begin with were wrong, they are rightly asking questions and pointing fingers.
Belgium had the opposite experience from Denmark's and suffered the most deaths per capita of any country in Europe. One would think Belgium's leadership would be traumatized by the virus and strongly push the lockdown narrative as well, just like the politicians in New York. Instead, Interior Minister Pieter De Crem said on Sunday that Belgium's hospitals were never in danger of being overrun as in Italy and Spain and implied that the lockdown was unnecessary.
"If there was a second wave, then I think we will find ourselves in a different situation, namely with testing and tracing. But I think we can rule out that we will have to go back to the tough measures," De Crem said.
The head of Norway's Institute of Public Health also believes the lockdown was unnecessary.
Beaches are set to open even in Italy, while Spain, which has the second-highest COVID-19 deaths per capita rate in Europe, plans to open its soccer league on June 8. Meanwhile, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is still keeping the beaches closed with no science to back up his assertion that there is any danger in the open air and sunlight. Meanwhile, though France, which is not a country known for valuing religious liberty, is opening up all religious services, numerous states and cities in the U.S. are still banning church services.
Sadly, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, only a handful of states have learned their lesson from the disastrous lockdowns and the flat-earth science undergirding them. According to an analysis by the University of Maryland, states that reopened their economies two weeks ago or earlier have seen, on average, day-to-day declines in new cases of -0.4%. Contrast that to states that have not yet opened their economies or that opened them much later, where daily cases are nearly unchanged. Georgia and Florida have especially enjoyed successful results despite predictions of rampant death and disease.
On Friday, Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, expressed her surprise that lockdown cities like Chicago, D.C., and Los Angeles were not experiencing the same steady decline as some other areas, including the freer states and cities. Maybe she ought to ask the Europeans to solve her riddle with science and freedom. They seem to value truth and liberty a lot more than American government officials. Who would have thunk it?!


theblaze--2020-05-26--Canadian news network apologizes for airing 'non-consensual' kiss from 'stranger' — and many are cal

Canadian news network apologizes for airing 'non-consensual' kiss from 'stranger' — and many are calling long smooch sexual assault

Canadian news network apologizes for airing 'non-consensual ' kiss from 'stranger ' — and many are calling long smooch sexual @ @ @ @ @ called the man who kissed her `` so hot , '' blew a kiss at @ @ @ @ @ to `` text me ''

You knew this was bound to happen.
People have been social distancing amid the coronavirus for over two months — then the weather gets a tad warmer, and then what's left of an otherwise frigid spring sets natural attraction in motion.
In this case it was a woman getting more than a little peck on the cheek from a "stranger" in a park, and it was all caught on a Canadian TV news camera.
What are the details?
CTV News was interviewing a woman on camera in a Toronto park about social distancing in a segment that aired last week. After she stated, "I feel as if masks are not 100% important …" a man stepped into the shot, told the news team "sorry to interrupt," and proceeded to lay a big smacker right on her lips.
Amid the unexpected kiss — which lasted a surprising six seconds — the narrator called it "spontaneous" and said it was delivered by "someone she doesn't know."
But after the man walked away, the laughing woman told the news team she indeed met him earlier "for a second with my dog" and called the kiss "insane."
When asked if she was all right, the woman gushed to the camera, "Yeah, he's so hot." The narrator then said the woman was "OK with the kiss," after which the camera captured her blowing a kiss at the man and telling him to "text me."
Who is that unmasked man?
The man who delivered the kiss, 25-year-old Jack Ring, told the Toronto Sun Friday he's been getting a lot of comments that his actions were sexual assault. However, he told the paper he met the woman he kissed — Gillian McKeown — earlier the same day at Trinity Bellwoods Park, and the pair spent some time together.
"She sat down with us for the whole day, and she was telling me she likes me," Ring told the Sun. "I went to the shop, and when I was away she had to leave, so she left her number with a friend for me and told me she wanted to get together, so I came back, and they told me what she said. I seen her being interviewed, so I went in for the kiss."
He added to the paper that "people are assuming it's just a random girl I don't know, which is weird."
But was he concerned about contracting COVID-19 from someone he doesn't know?
Ring told the CTV reporter, "I think the kiss was worth it."
McKeown declined comment Friday except to say "it was not sexual assault," the Sun reported.
TV station apologizes
The video segment was tweeted by a CTV reporter and then deleted Friday after commenters raised concerns about consent, the paper said.
And then CTV Toronto News anchor Nathan Downer issued an apology that same day for the aired kiss, saying a "stranger came up to the woman and kissed her directly on the lips" and the "video demonstrated non-consensual behavior" which is "simply unacceptable and offensive."
How are people reacting?
A cursory look at Twitter comments reveal a mixed reaction to the kiss. More than a few didn't care for the smooch, and some even called it "assault":
"He didn't ask first, he just rammed his tongue in her mouth. Whether or not she was OK with it after the fact, it was assault."
"Sent it to my kids: in case you're unsure if this is romantic, it's assault. Excellent teaching tool."
"I was feeling uncomfortable for her when he started the kiss. She seemed OK with it, but dude took a huge risk [by] not simply asking, 'You look beautiful, may I kiss you?'"
One commenter also asked, "Why is a black man apologizing for the idiocies of the white people who actually committed this atrocity?"
But other commenters said the male-female moment was no big deal:


theblaze--2020-05-26--Top Obama economic adviser paints nightmare scenario for Democrats ahead of election

'We are about to see the best economic data we 've seen in the history of this country '

A top economic adviser in the Obama administration, who is now a Harvard professor, has bad news for Democrats hoping to oust President Donald Trump from the White House this November.
In discussions with politicians and policy makers on both sides of the aisle, Jason Furman has been explaining how the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, may present Democrats with a nightmare scenario this fall.
Because the economic downturn happened so quickly, as a result of state leaders forcing businesses to temporarily shut down, the recovery could happen quickly, too, according to Furman.
"We are about to see the best economic data we've seen in the history of this country," Furman told leaders last month, Politico reported.
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
During a Zoom presentation last month attended by former Cabinet secretaries and Federal Reserve officials, Furman "laid out a detailed case for why the months preceding the November election could offer Trump the chance to brag — truthfully — about the most explosive monthly employment numbers and GDP growth ever," according to Politico.
Furman explained the recovery "can be very very fast, because people go back to their original job, they get called back from furlough, you put the lights back on in your business. Given how many people were furloughed and how many businesses were closed you can get a big jump out of that. It will look like a V."
"The Trump argument will be he's producing the fastest job growth and fastest economic growth in history. If he has any ability to do nuance he would say, 'We are not there yet, re-elect me to finish the job,'" Furman said.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
In fact, Furman said economic reports between now and November will likely be a boon for the president's campaign.
"You could easily have one to two million jobs created a month in [jobs] reports before November," he said. "And then toward the end of October, we will get GDP growth for the third quarter, at an annualized rate, and it could be double-digit positive economic growth. So these will be the best jobs and growth numbers ever."
As far as optics go, that's a significant win for Trump — and it has Democrats worried.
"Trump beats Biden on the economy even right now!" one Democratic operative told Politico. "This is going to be extremely difficult no matter what. It's existential that we figure it out. In any of these economic scenarios Democrats are going to have to win the argument that our public health and economy are much worse off because of Donald Trump's failure of leadership.
Kenneth Baer, a Democratic strategist who also worked in the Obama administration, claimed the economic situation will still be bleak come November — but it will be much better than it is now.
"In absolute terms, the economy will look historically terrible come November," Baer told Politico. "But relative to the depths of April, it will be on an upswing — 12 percent unemployment, for example, is better than 20, but historically terrible."
Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Still, Furman warned that all may not be promising for Trump. For example, a second wave of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns would stall economic recovery. Plus, not every business that was forced to close will financially make it to the other side of the lockdowns, meaning the economy will only be partially recovered by Election Day.
In the end, Furman said he believes the economy will be the 2020 election's central issue.
"Even today when we are at over 20 million unemployed Trump gets high marks on the economy, so I can't imagine what it looks like when things go in the other direction. I don't think this is a challenge for the Biden campaign. This is the challenge for the Biden campaign. If they can't figure this out they should all just go home," he told Politico.


theblaze--2020-05-26--New data shows 42% of all COVID-19 deaths have been in nursing homes. When NY is excluded, the rate

New data shows 42% of all COVID-19 deaths have been in nursing homes. When NY is excluded, the rate jumps to 52%.

New data shows 42 % of all COVID-19 deaths have been in nursing homes .
When NY is excluded , @ @ @ @ @ % .

One of the long-running debates over the ongoing coronavirus lockdowns has been the disproportionate number of COVID-19 deaths in America's nursing homes and how those deaths have skewed the data used to set public policy.
It seems that everyone understands that residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are the most vulnerable among us. But now we have research that shows just how vulnerable they have been.
New data from the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity has revealed that an estimated 42.4% of all COVID-19 deaths have been in nursing homes and assisted living facilities (or residential care homes).
To show how disproportionate those deaths are compared to the rest of the country, the report points out that 2.1 million people live in those types of facilities and represent only 0.6% of the total U.S. population.
Yes, 0.6% of the population accounts for 42.4% of all COVID deaths in the U.S. From FREOPP:
Among states reporting nursing home fatalities, death from COVID-19 has struck 0.64% of U.S. residents of nursing homes and residential care facilities. We estimate that 5.1 million Americans over 65 live in nursing homes and residential care facilities; by extrapolating 0.64% across the entire U.S. nursing and residential care home population, we estimate that nursing homes account for 42.4% of COVID-19 fatalities.
The rates are even more disproportionate if you remove New York state's data, which is an outlier because of the state's high share of overall coronavirus cases and deaths as well as its data reporting methods.
When New York's COVID-19 deaths are removed from the equation, nursing homes account for 51.8% of all COVID-19 deaths. More from FREOPP:
This estimate excludes New York State, which is an outlier in terms of its reported share of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. A number of policymakers in New York have alleged that nursing home facilities in that state have been underreporting their COVID-19 fatality figures, possibly because New York State counts as hospital deaths those of nursing home residents who die in a hospital. It could also be that the high number of non-long-term care deaths in New York explain the lower percentage (i.e., a much larger denominator).
What about the rest of the world?
The report noted that the United States' experience with nursing home COVID-19 deaths is not unique.
A study from the International Long Term Care Policy Network looked at deaths in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, FREOPP said.
According to the international study, 40.8% of reported COVID-19 deaths occurred in nursing homes.
Public policy recommendation
The FREOPP report says that the data shows there are "substantial flaws" in the public policy management of the coronavirus. More attention needs to be paid to COVID-19 infections in nursing homes and among the elderly.
According to the report, "those older than 65 are 26 times as likely to die of COVID-19 than those aged 25 to 54."
The people at FREOPP recommended that state and local governments reorient policy responses "away from younger and healthier people, and toward the elderly, and especially elderly individuals living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities."
This story has been updated with new data from FREOPP.


theblaze--2020-05-26--President Xi Jinping says China is strengthening its military and preparedness as tensions with US e

President Xi Jinping says China is strengthening its military and preparedness as tensions with US escalate

Chinese state media is reporting that President Xi Jinping is calling on his country to strengthen its armed forces and military preparedness amid the coronavirus pandemic, as tensions between the United States and China continue to escalate during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the state media report, Xi stated that the Chinese military's role in battling COVID-19 proves that they "have once again proven themselves to be heroic forces that can be fully trusted by the Party and the people."
More significantly, Xi reportedly "ordered the military to think about worst-case scenarios, scale up training and battle preparedness, promptly and effectively deal with all sorts of complex situations and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests."
Jinping's remarks come as China is facing international scrutiny for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak and its actions in curtailing freedom in Hong Kong.
China faces increased calls for an independent multinational inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, and also into whether the Chinese government played a role in covering up the existence of the virus in the early stages of the outbreak, or allowed it to spread throughout the global community.
The Chinese government claims to welcome such an inquiry, but with the United States threatening "severe" action (including sanctions or worse) in retaliation for China's actions in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak, Xi's remarks can easily be interpreted as saber rattling directed toward Washington, D.C.
Additionally, China faces increasing domestic unrest at home, as its anti-democratic crackdown on Hong Kong threatens to cause another wave of violent protests to erupt in the key city. Also, President Donald Trump has threatened sanctions against China for its actions against Hong Kong.
Multiple outlets have reported that China plans to engage in large-scale military exercises in the South China Sea later this summer, which could further escalate tensions with the United States as such exercises are seen as threats toward the independence of Taiwan, which China still claims as a rogue province.


theblaze--2020-05-26--NBC fired Megyn Kelly for blackface commentary. A recently resurfaced clip shows NBC's Jimmy Fallon

NBC fired Megyn Kelly for blackface commentary. A recently resurfaced clip shows NBC's Jimmy Fallon in — you guessed it — blackface.

NBC fired Megyn Kelly for blackface commentary .
A recently resurfaced clip shows NBC 's Jimmy Fallon in — you @ @ @ @ @ Double standards as far as the eye can see

The network that fired media maven Megyn Kelly has recently promoted a segment on its website, featuring one of the network's popular comedy sketches from its hit show, "Saturday Night Live."
"Regis co-host auditions," a sketch that originally ran on the long-running comedy sketch show, featured Fallon portraying fellow comedian Chris Rock. He was conspicuously absent from the video.
Now comedian and TV host Jimmy Fallon — as well as NBC — is under fire after social media went into overdrive in response to the clip.
What are the details?
Fallon appeared on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in 2000 in full blackface, dressing up as fellow comedian Chris Rock for a segment.
Fallon was conspicuously absent from the clearly edited clip, which remains nested in NBC's "Saturday Night Live" website at the time of this writing.
The original clip sees Fallon complaining that there are "not a lot of black folks" on famed show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," and said it was likely because "black folks don't want to answer questions."
Anything else?
Video of Fallon in this particular skit also resurfaced in 2018 amid Kelly's firing.
Kelly was let go after making controversial remarks about blackface and Halloween during a broadcast of "Megyn Kelly Today."
In her remarks, Kelly said that dressing up in blackface was permissible when she was a child, and mused as to whether it was all right for white people to dress up for Halloween in blackface if they are playing a character.
Despite being in the spotlight for Kelly's firing as well as the resurfaced clip, NBC never publicly commented on the decidedly controversial "SNL" segment.
Neither NBC nor Fallon have publicly addressed the resurfaced video at the time of this writing.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Chinese 'bat woman' who works at infamous Wuhan lab warns coronavirus is 'just the tip of the iceber

Chinese 'bat woman' who works at infamous Wuhan lab warns coronavirus is 'just the tip of the iceberg'

Chinese 'bat woman ' who works at infamous Wuhan lab warns coronavirus is 'just the tip of the iceberg' Denies @ @ @ @ @ lab

Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, who is known as the "bat woman," warned Monday that the coronavirus pandemic is "just the tip of the iceberg."
Although it remains unclear where COVID-19 originated — though the U.S. government is investigating whether it came from the Wuhan laboratory where Shi works — Shi told Chinese state television that countless novel viruses pose a threat to humans.
That threat, Shi said, is why scientists must research viruses.
"If we want to prevent human beings from suffering from the next infectious-disease outbreak, we must go in advance to learn of these unknown viruses carried by wild animals in nature and give early warnings," she told CGTN.
"If we don't study them, there will possibly be another outbreak," Shi added.
Shi has worked at the infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology since 2004. She serves as the laboratory's deputy director.
And although Shi works with SARS-like coronaviruses, specifically those carried by bats, Shi has vehemently denied that her workplace is responsible for the current pandemic.
Shi has stated in numerous interviews that none of the live viruses in her lab genetically matches COVID-19.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Horrifying video shows mom allegedly pushing autistic son into canal. After a witness rescued him, p

Horrifying video shows mom allegedly pushing autistic son into canal. After a witness rescued him, police say she drove him to another body of water to drown him.

Horrifying video shows mom allegedly pushing autistic son into canal .
After a witness rescued him , police say she @ @ @ @ @ of water to drown him .

Shocking surveillance video reportedly shows a mother pushing her autistic son into a Miami canal, in what police are saying was her first attempt to murder him.
Patricia Ripley, 45, faces charges of first-degree murder and first-degree premeditated attempted murder following the death of her 9-year-old son, Alejandro Ripley, whose body was found floating in a canal on Friday morning.
The video, obtained by Univision, reportedly shows Ripley leisurely walking with the child near West Kendall canal, looking around and caressing his head before forcefully shoving him into the water and running off.
Roughly 20 seconds later, she returns onto the screen with a bystander who apparently saw Alejandro drowning and came to rescue him.
Exclusiva: El video que muestra cómo una madre, acusada de asesinato, lanzó a su hijo a un canal youtu.be
According to the Miami Herald, police believe that the video shows Ripley's first, but thwarted, attempted murder, which took place Thursday evening. Sadly, an hour later, Ripley allegedly led Alejandro into another canal to drown him, but this time no one was around to save him.
Ripley had reportedly become overwhelmed in caring for her son, who suffered from severe autism and was unable to speak. She admitted to investigators that she had thought about killing him for quite some time, WBFS-TV reported.
Ripley had previously called police reporting a kidnapping Thursday, saying two unknown black males had crashed into her car and abducted Alejandro. But following interrogation and the release of the video, Ripley admitted that she had made up the kidnapping story, according to an arrest report seen by the Miami Herald.
Before the video was released, Ripley's family expressed support for the married mother of two.
"We love Alejandro and we don't agree about whatever they said about my wife," Ripley's husband, Aldo, told reporters through tears following a court hearing Saturday. "It's not real."
Attorneys plan to use the video footage, which was taken from a nearby apartment complex, as key evidence in the upcoming trial.


theblaze--2020-05-26--Major UK COVID-19 vaccine trial in jeopardy because the virus is 'disappearing'

Major UK COVID-19 vaccine trial in jeopardy because the virus is 'disappearing' 'It 's a race against the virus disappearing @

A major COVID-19 vaccine trial in the United Kingdom is at risk of not producing usable results because researchers may not be able to find enough subjects that test positive for the virus, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
A vaccine produced at Oxford University, which is set for mass production through the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, is set to be tested soon on 10,000 volunteers. However, professor Adrian Hill, the head of the lab that created the vaccine, is worried they might not have enough positive tests to get a result. From the Morning Herald:
"It is a race, yes. But it's not a race against the other guys. It's a race against the virus disappearing, and against time," he said. "At the moment, there's a 50 per cent chance that we get no result at all."
Hill said that of 10,000 people recruited to test the vaccine in the coming weeks — some of whom will be given a placebo — he expected fewer than 50 people to catch the virus. If fewer than 20 test positive, then the results might be useless, he warned.
"We're in the bizarre position of wanting COVID to stay, at least for a little while. But cases are declining."
The U.S. has agreed to purchase 400 million doses of the vaccine, and the U.K. plans to purchase 100 million doses, with 30 million of them potentially available to the public by September.
There are more than 200 coronavirus vaccines in development worldwide.
The number of daily new infections and deaths in both the U.S. and U.K. has decreased in May compared to the peak days in April even as testing increases, leading many locations to ease lockdown restrictions some and allow more businesses to open with precautions. Still, some states in the U.S. are waiting until there is a widely available vaccine before fully removing restrictions.
(H/T Townhall)


theblaze--2020-05-27--Watch: 12-year-old boy maintains his composure while being stalked by giant bear

Watch : 12-year-old boy maintains his composure while being stalked by giant bear The video has received international attention for @ @

A 12-year-old Italian boy, Alessandro Franzoi, is making international headlines after his encounter with a bear over the weekend was captured on video.
While the nail-biting footage has put viewers on edge, Alessandro was able to keep his cool and calmly walked away from the predator — just has he had been taught to react in such an instance.
What are the details?
The Telegraph reported that Alessandro began exploring while out on a picnic with his family in the mountains above the village of Sporminore in northern Italy when the bear stepped out. The boy was able to maintain his composure and walk to safety, but watching the encounter has caused anxiety the world over.
Boy in Italy stays calm as brown bear emerges from bush just metres away from him www.youtube.com
The New York Post reported that in an interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa, Alessandro explained that during his country's coronavirus lockdown, he had studied bears and felt prepared for such a situation.
The 12-year-old also received some coaching from his mother's boyfriend, who was watching as the bear emerged.
"Keep coming, Ale, don't turn your back on him," the man says to the boy. "He's just minding his own business."
When asked how it felt to come face-to-face with the bear, Alessandro told La Stampa, "It was the best day of my life. I really hoped something like that would happen. When I saw the bear pop up from the bushes, I was really excited. I knew I must not surprise the bear and that I just had to move away from it."
He explained, "I didn't look it in the eyes. I didn't want the bear to see me as a threat."