If All You See…

…is a horrible fossil fueled vehicle, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is The Right Scoop, with a post on Biden tripping on the AF1 stairs again.

Read: If All You See… »

Rolling Stone: Cancel Culture Is Good For Democracy Or Something

I remember growing up in the 80’s and Rolling Stone was all about freedom, counter-culture, limited government, and sticking it to the man, as they had been since it’s inception. Somewhere along the line they became the magazine about Listening to the government, following their dictates, and hardcore leftist politics. And like any good Progressive (nice Fascist), they always have Reasons for it. Here they believe that censoring people and entities is good for “democracy”, when, in fact, democracy requires free expression, and, If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all

Why Cancel Culture Is Good For Democracy

For many years, cancel culture has been despised or misconstrued as a new phenomenon that’s caused havoc on free expression and speech. We’re supposed to now assume that we can’t say or do anything without an angry mob instantly judging us and preparing to end our careers before they start. In actual fact, we are the people who make up the so-called mob, and we have control of our own actions.

Cancel culture has leveled the playing field for those who can’t always rely on the government to protect them. Right now, bigots are protected under the First Amendment to fuel disgusting rhetoric without state-sanctioned consequence. The America that tolerated white supremacy in their policies and laws is the same country that wants to remind us how such forms of hate are still legal via free speech. Cancel culture is the poison to those in power that have benefited from unchecked free speech.

There are more than enough bigots on all sides. We see black supremacy, we see climate cult zealots, we see treating white people with disdain simply because they were born white, and so many other things. You can’t have it both ways. The same people who say that shaming and bullying is a bad thing use those

When conservatives on Fox News declare that it’s a “free country” and that cancel culture is “un-American,” they forget  speech works two ways: It allows for discourse to take place but grants all voices can be heard. In other words, straight white men and other people with power aren’t used to getting pushback for the ways they conduct themselves—and cancel culture has reset the ways society can react. Those who fear cancel culture may claim they fear suppression of speech, but it’s accountability that they want to avoid.

Should regular citizens, the now powerful, be destroyed for expressing opinions that the Progressive Fascists do not like? Because that’s what happens more often. Yes, speech does have consequences, but, these people like to destroy opponents, and engage government, schools, and businesses to do so.

Cancel culture as we consider it today feels new because of the digital platforms we have at our disposal. Previous generations were canceling—but the road to accountability was paved with many barriers, both technologically and socially. It was hard to fully cancel something when you weren’t granted the same civil rights as your opponent—even more so when you could face even more persecution and exile for doing it. Once the internet began to take off in the 1990s, society began to see a shift in how the public could consider canceling with less gatekeeping. In 1997, the Supreme Court acknowledged this major shift when it dealt with its first internet-related First Amendment case. The court wrote at the time that “any person with a phone line can become a town crier with a voice that resonates farther than it could from any soapbox.”

See, it’s easy to do with the Internet, and doesn’t require anyone to do much, just join the mob. When people were upset over the Rolling Stones song “Some Girls”, they actually had to make an effort to complain. Write letters. Call companies. Not drop a quick tweet with a hashtag. Here’s the Rolling Stones article on it, in which they don’t go after the Stones, from 1976.

Those who fear cancel culture may claim they fear suppression of speech, but it’s accountability that they want to avoid.

I’m betting if those forces came after Rolling Stone they’d sing a different tune. But, the magazine of counter culture is now all about following the predominant trends, the ones pushing for cancelling those involved in Wrongthink. It’s part of the Marxist cultural revolution. Journalists should be pushing for free speech, not advocating for it the same way that the cultural revolution in Red China did.

Cancel Culture doesn’t hold people accountable, because it rarely goes after big shots: it attempts to destroy the lives of average folks, and is often pushed by those in power. Those with a big voice.

Read: Rolling Stone: Cancel Culture Is Good For Democracy Or Something »

Your Fault: Climate Doom Coming For Tequila

Well, this is a kick in the pants. I rarely drink, but, when I do, I drink beer or tequila. You need to stop driving your fossil fueled vehicle and give all your freedom to government

Climate change is affecting agave crops, tequila

Wednesday is National Margarita Day and this year, it deserves special attention because the popular cocktail is being threatened by climate change.

The alcohol used in margaritas is generally tequila, and tequila comes from the agave plant.

Agave is drought-tolerant and can thrive in hot weather with little to no water. However, the crops are not tolerating the recent major weather whiplash from extreme drought to deadly storm deluges.

Climate change is also putting a strain on the agave plant’s vital pollinator: the bat.

Warming temperatures have become a growing concern for the Mexican long-nosed bat, a key species for authentic tequila.

It’s always some sort of prognostication of doom with these people. There’s almost never any good news in a warming world in which Mankind has move forward faster than ever in our history.

Read: Your Fault: Climate Doom Coming For Tequila »

Hooray! NY Times Finally Covers Scientific Study That Masks Do Not Work

But, see, there’s a little issue

The opinion piece in question is by “”””Conservative”””” Brett Stephens (if you save the article to Pocket you can read it without worrying about the paywall)

The most rigorous and comprehensive analysis of scientific studies conducted on the efficacy of masks for reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses — including Covid-19 — was published late last month. Its conclusions, said Tom Jefferson, the Oxford epidemiologist who is its lead author, were unambiguous.

“There is just no evidence that they” — masks — “make any difference,” he told the journalist Maryanne Demasi. “Full stop.”

But, wait, hold on. What about N-95 masks, as opposed to lower-quality surgical or cloth masks?

“Makes no difference — none of it,” said Jefferson.

What about the studies that initially persuaded policymakers to impose mask mandates?

“They were convinced by nonrandomized studies, flawed observational studies.”

We all knew they really made no difference early on in COVIDtime, and when all the mask mandates were being imposed. If they were so good, why was it that all the Elites and politicians were taking them off indoors to speak to people? Why did Biden take his off when he stood up at the podium to speak to the press? Same with Jen Psaki. And Democratic Party governors implementing mask mandates? And Elites at places like the Super Bowl? The examples just keep coming and coming

There’s a final lesson. The last justification for masks is that, even if they proved to be ineffective, they seemed like a relatively low-cost, intuitively effective way of doing something against the virus in the early days of the pandemic. But “do something” is not science, and it shouldn’t have been public policy. And the people who had the courage to say as much deserved to be listened to, not treated with contempt. They may not ever get the apology they deserve, but vindication ought to be enough.

No, it’s not enough. It’s definitely not enough. People need to pay a price for their COVID insanity. I understand the things in the first month or two, because the entire world was freaking out, particularly after the meltdown in Italy. But, we really started to know more quickly, yet, the Powers That Be still pushed their COVID tyranny. One Missouri Republican wants Jackson County to refund mask fines to businesses.

And some really want a reckoning, as Steve Deace points out on his radio show (I read an article on this via Real Clear Politics in the last week or 2, having trouble finding it again.) He and Daniel Horowitz have a book out entitled Rise of the Fourth Reich: Confronting COVID Fascism with a New Nuremberg Trial, So This Never Happens Again. It won’t happen, because too many really liked all the authority given to government, and the media, which should be exposing this stuff, are in bed with the Fascists. Seriously, how many in the Credentialed Media are giving real coverage to the mask study?

Read: Hooray! NY Times Finally Covers Scientific Study That Masks Do Not Work »

Cool: Republican Introduces “Let’s Start With You Act” In Illinois

I’ve been saying this since at least the Obama admin, that Republicans should be introducing legislation that requires the Warmists in government to practice what they preach

Illinois Republican introduces ‘Let’s Start With You Act’ mocking left’s green energy hypocrisy

An Illinois Republican state senator has introduced a bill mocking a law signed by Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker that removes local control over wind and solar power facility zoning — while leaving it intact in Democrat-dominated Chicago.

State Sen. Chapin Rose told Just the News that he introduced the “If This Is Such A Good Idea, Let’s Start With You Act” not as legislation intended to pass but as “political sarcasm designed to shine light on the hypocrisy of the left.”

The chances of it passing the Democratic Party run state of Illinois is zero, however, it should not be positioned so much as political sarcasm as “all the elected Republicans should be pushing for this to be passed”, get it on the news.

The parody legislation proposed turning Chicago tourist mecca Millenium Park into a solar energy facility, with the exception of the park’s iconic Cloud Gate sculpture, on which the city “must mount one wind energy turbine.” The bill would also require every Cook County forest preserve to have multiple wind energy facilities.

Rose introduced the legislation after Pritzker signed a bill last month stripping county governments of authority over renewable energy zoning. Before he was reelected in November, Pritzker had said local governments should be in control of zoning decisions.

“They’ve exempted Chicago from this law,” Rose said. “They’re going to throw these up [and] take away the rights of local communities to … make their own decisions.”

It should require that the governors’ mansion be run solely on solar and wind, and that the governor can only use non-fossil fueled modes of transportation. And all who voted for that bill Pritzker just signed should be required to do the same.

Read: Cool: Republican Introduces “Let’s Start With You Act” In Illinois »

If All You See…

…are horrible carbon pollution Bad Weather clouds, you might just be a Warmist

The Blog of the day is Evil Blogger Lady, with a post wondering what James O’Keefe’s new project will be.

Read: If All You See… »

Interesting: Biden To Institute Policy Requiring Asylum Seekers To Apply Outside U.S.

While there are reports of Biden considering not running in 2024, this looks like a policy where Biden can say “hey, look, I reduced the inflow of illegals” after creating the conditions where border crossings skyrocketed

Biden to replace Trump migration policy with Trump-esque asylum policy

illegal alien DemocratAs the White House gears up for the end of one Trump-era border policy this spring, it has its sights set on resurrecting a version of another much-maligned immigration program put in place under the previous administration.

The Departments of Homeland Security and Justice on Tuesday announced a proposed rule that will bar some migrants from applying for asylum in the U.S. if they cross the border illegally or fail to first apply for safe harbor in another country. The rule was previewed by President Joe Biden in January. Following a 30-day public comment period, it will be implemented upon the May 11 end of the Covid public health emergency, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters.

May 11 is also the end date of the Title 42 public health order currently being used to bar entry to most migrants at the southern border. The rule announced on Tuesday would stay in place for two years following its effective date.

Oh, two years, eh? And then would be cancelled if Joe wins re-election

The new proposal — which immigrant advocates refer to as the “transit ban” or the “asylum ban” — is the White House’s most restrictive border control measure to date and essentially will serve as its policy solution to the long-awaited end of Title 42. Within minutes of its posting, the Biden administration faced a flood of backlash from immigrant advocates and Democrats who accused officials of perpetuating the Trumpian approach to border politics that Biden pledged on the campaign trail to end. Threats of lawsuits also began to percolate.

Would these be the same “immigration advocates” who caterwaul when the illegals are sent to their own cities and neighborhoods and want them shipped elsewhere?

All in all, it would be a good rule. Asylum seekers should be required to apply in other countries first. Anyone caught trying to enter the country should be deported immediately. Of course, a lot of this is simply for show, with lots of carveouts

(Texas Tribune) An asylum-seeker would be able to overcome the rule’s rebuttable presumption of ineligibility by showing they were denied safe refuge in Mexico or another nation they traveled through before reaching U.S. territory, officials said.

You can bet those in charge will treat the illegals with kid gloves and easily approve the rebuttal. The White House fact sheet talks about expedited removals, but, come on, those same people working for Biden will not allow this to happen. It also talks about

Tripling Refugee Resettlement from the Western Hemisphere. The Biden-Harris Administration intends to welcome up to 20,000 refugees from Latin American and Caribbean countries during Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, putting the United States on pace to more than triple refugee admissions from the Western Hemisphere this Fiscal Year alone. This delivers on the President’s commitment under the Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection to scale up refugee admissions from the Western Hemisphere.

Why implement the restrictions while also tripling resettlements? The restrictions will mostly be smoke and mirrors, a way for the administration and their credentialed media sycophants to crow.

Read: Interesting: Biden To Institute Policy Requiring Asylum Seekers To Apply Outside U.S. »

‘Climate Change’ Is Causing A Great Displacement In Florida Or Something

A few people were freaked out by tropical systems which never hit the Florida Keys before CO2 went above 350ppm

Florida’s Great Displacement has already begun

The state’s climate exodus has already begun

As many residents will be proud to tell you, the thousand-odd islands that make up the Florida Keys are one of a kind: there is no other place in the world that boasts the same combination of geological, ecological, and sociological characteristics. The islands have a special, addictive quality about it, an air of freedom that leads people to turn their backs on mainland life.

The Keys are also the first flock of canaries in the coal mine of climate change. Over the past few years, the residents of these islands have been forced to confront a phenomenon that will affect millions of Americans before the end of the century. Their present calamity offers a glimpse of our national future.

Nature is changing. Today’s hurricanes tend to be stronger, wetter, and less predictable than those of the last century. They hold more moisture, speed up more quickly, and stay together longer. It’s difficult to tell for certain what role climate change plays in any individual storm, but in the case of Hurricane Irma — which slammed the Keys in September 2017 — there is little doubt that the warmth of the Caribbean Sea made the storm more powerful, allowing the vortex to regain strength overnight as it barreled toward the islands. As global warming continues to ratchet up the temperature of our oceans, we can expect more storms like Irma. The danger to the Keys doesn’t end with hurricane season, either: a slow but definite rise in average sea levels over the past decade has contributed to an increase in tidal flooding, leaving some roads and neighborhoods inundated with salt water for months at a time.

OMG, nature changes? That’s horrible! We all know things were static for millions of years!

The term “climate migration” is an attempt to explain why people leave one place in favor of another; it assigns motivation to movements that may be voluntary or involuntary, temporary or permanent. Yet even if the primary cause for migration is clear, there are still countless other factors that influence when, where, and how someone moves in response to a disaster. It’s this messiness that is reflected in the word “displacement”: the migratory shifts caused by climate change are as chaotic as the weather events that cause them.

For some families the decision to depart the Keys was easy. The storm was a traumatic event, more than enough to convince many people that life on the islands was too dangerous to accept. They came back home, fixed up their houses, and got out. That was the case for Connie and Glenn Faast, who left the island city of Marathon for the mountains of North Carolina after spending almost 50 years in the Keys. “It was pretty much immediate,” Connie told me. “It’s just too hard to start over when you get older. We couldn’t risk it.”

Well, some people decide they want nothing to do with areas that get earthquakes, a lot of snow, and tornadoes. If you’re living on low lying islands that have a chance of being hit with tropical systems, well, you’re rolling the dice.  The article claims hundreds, hundreds! are leaving. And will probably be replaced with people who are will to take the chance, just like people do all over the world in wanting to live near the ocean. And Florida is the fast growing state for population. But, you know, it’s always some sort of doom with these climate cultists.

Read: ‘Climate Change’ Is Causing A Great Displacement In Florida Or Something »

WWIII Watch: Putin Pulls Russia Out Of START Treaty

It’s all fun and games till the guy the war hawks say is wackadoodle starts playing around with nukes. First, some Biden slobbering from the Atlantic

Biden Just Destroyed Putin’s Last Hope

The long-range missiles matter. So do the super-accurate artillery shells, the surface-to-air missiles, and the winter weather gear; the training in the English countryside or the muddy Grafenwöhr maneuver grounds; and the intelligence provided from the eyes in space and the ears on airplanes that circle outside the battle zone.

President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv matters just as much as any of these.

Other heads of government preceded him, earning deserved credit. But it is an altogether different thing when the president of the United States—who is, indeed, the leader of the Free World—shows up. His words mattered. He pledged “our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” And even more important, that the United States will stand with Ukraine “as long as it takes.”

Symbols matter: a Kennedy or a Reagan at the Berlin Wall, a Churchill with a cigar and a bowler, for that matter a green-clad Zelensky growling, “I need ammunition, not a ride.” Simply by taking the hazardous trip to Kyiv, Biden made a strategic move of cardinal importance.

Good grief, they really just compared Biden showing up in Ukraine to real leaders. Anyhow, the rest is about The Atlantic fellating Biden, telling us how big and bad he is, leading to

Russia suspends only remaining major nuclear treaty with US

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday that Moscow was suspending its participation in the New START treaty — the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States — sharply upping the ante amid tensions with Washington over the fighting in Ukraine.

Speaking in his state-of-the-nation address, Putin also said that Russia should stand ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if the U.S. does so, a move that would end a global ban on nuclear weapons tests in place since Cold War times.

Explaining his decision to suspend Russia’s obligations under New START, Putin accused the U.S. and its NATO allies of openly declaring the goal of Russia’s defeat in Ukraine.

“They want to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on us and try to get to our nuclear facilities at the same time,” he said, declaring his decision to suspend Russia’s participation in the treaty. “In this context, I have to declare today that Russia is suspending its participation in the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Arms.”

Is this just hot air? Or something more? Because it’s rather dangerous to back Putin and Russia into a corner they cannot get out of, especially if he is as loony as they say he is. As K T Cat wrote “At some point in time, I’d like to have them explain why we’re risking nuclear war over two sclerotic, dying countries that are on the other side of the planet.”

Read: WWIII Watch: Putin Pulls Russia Out Of START Treaty »

Surprise? Merck’s Wuhan Flu Pill Fails To Stop COVID

I’m shocked. Who else is shocked?

Merck’s COVID pill fails to prevent infection in household members

Merck & Co Inc said on Tuesday its COVID-19 pill was not effective at cutting the risk of coronavirus infections in people living with someone infected with the virus.

The results were similar to data from rival Pfizer Inc, whose COVID pill Paxlovid also failed to prevent infections among household contacts.

The two antiviral drugs are approved as treatments for individuals at risk of severe disease, but enthusiasm for the Merck pill has waned since it was shown to be only 30% effective versus 90% for Pfizer’s Paxlovid.

Merck’s late-stage trial enrolled over 1,500 participants, who were household contacts exposed to an individual with at least one symptom and had recently tested positive for COVID-19. Its Lagevrio pill, also known as molnupiravir, was given every 12 hours for five days and was compared with a placebo group.

So, basically, it works about as good as the COVID jabs. Which, based on the, admittedly anecdotal information, since no real trials were held, but the graphs all seem to show that they barely stop people from getting COVID, and do not really stop people from dying from it. They’re not much better than placebos. There’s no clinical trials that support that any of the Wuhan Flu vaccines do what they say they do. Sadly.

Miss Scarlet was replying to another person who had 5 shots and still masked, yet, got COVID. And has now made their tweets private, probably because they were catching so much crap over it.

Read: Surprise? Merck’s Wuhan Flu Pill Fails To Stop COVID »

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