How Much Did Lockdowns Contribute To Saving People From Chinese Coronavirus?

By William Teach February 2, 2022 – 8:19 am

Leftist leaders in the U.S. and around the world were in love with locking their citizens down. Remember “15 days to slow the spread”? How well did they work?

Lockdowns only reduced COVID-19 mortality by .2%, study finds: ‘Lockdowns should be rejected out of hand’

Lockdowns during the first COVID-19 wave in the spring of 2020 only reduced COVID-19 mortality by .2% in the U.S. and Europe, according to a Johns Hopkins University meta-analysis of several studies.

“While this meta-analysis concludes that lockdowns have had little to no public health effects, they have imposed enormous economic and social costs where they have been adopted,” the researchers wrote. “In consequence, lockdown policies are ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument.”

The researchers – Johns Hopkins University economics professor Steve Hanke, Lund University economics professor Lars Jonung, and special advisor at Copenhagen’s Center for Political Studies Jonas Herby – analyzed the effects of lockdown measures such as school shutdowns, business closures, and mask mandates on COVID-19 deaths.

“We find little to no evidence that mandated lockdowns in Europe and the United States had a noticeable effect on COVID-19 mortality rates,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers also examined shelter-in-place orders, finding that they reduced COVID-19 mortality by 2.9%.

The lockdowns and shelter in place orders were wonderful in destroying the economy, closing businesses, stopping people from getting the medical, dental health, and mental health support they needed. In fairness, I will say that you really have to think about the panic that citizens and government were experiencing, as Wuhan flu spread around the world. Think back to what was happening in late January and in February of 2020. Things were going south even before government started implementing restrictions. People were voluntarily staying home as much as possible.

Of course, many in government went way overboard

“[Shelter-in-place orders] may isolate an infected person at home with his/her family where he/she risks infecting family members with a higher viral load, causing more severe illness,” the researchers wrote.

“But often, lockdowns have limited peoples’ access to safe (outdoor) places such as beaches, parks, and zoos, or included outdoor mask mandates or strict outdoor gathering restrictions, pushing people to meet at less safe (indoor) places.”

Remember the guy who was paddleboarding off Malibu, not a soul anywhere near him, and arrested for being out during the lockdown? Again, in fairness, that was not the fault of Gavin Newsome, who actually released orders allowing being outdoors exercising, it was on the cops. How about the guy in Spain walking along the beach all alone, and the cops chased him? He got away. The British cops were going nuts early in the lockdowns. Even on people in their own yards. And Australian cops were going Brownshirt last year.

If stay at home orders were so great, why did so many politicians blow them off themselves? Why were they blown off for the BLM/Antifa protests/riots?

Read: How Much Did Lockdowns Contribute To Saving People From Chinese Coronavirus? »

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‘Climate Change’ Is Keeping Consumer Prices High Or Something

By William Teach February 1, 2022 – 3:00 pm

I thought this was a Bad Take

If the tweet fails to show (giving me some issues in the writing panel), here’s the headline

AOC: Corporate ‘price gouging’ is fueling inflation

How does someone with an economics degree not understand what’s’ going on? Oh, right, that’s why she was working as a bartender

The there’s CNN

Here’s another thing keeping prices high: Climate change

The pandemic economy is one of imbalances: supply chain woes and rising inflation have been with us for a while now, with few solutions in sight. But there’s another big shock to the global economy taking shape: climate change.

Although the pandemic will eventually end — whether it takes months or years — climate change is here to stay.

More severe weather events and shifting climate patterns will continue to create problems for people and businesses around the world. And the already battered global supply chains will be on the front lines.

That’s bad news for the rampant pandemic-era inflation that Americans have had to get used to during Covid.

Think unseasonably cold winters or hotter-than-normal summers increasing energy costs and prices for products like fans, AC units and generators. Meanwhile, fires, droughts, floods and storms can affect the food supply chain and drive prices up. And any extreme weather event can lead to property damages that then affect material and construction costs.

Got that? You ate a burger so you made it abnormally cold (say, do any of these climate cultists understand how averages work?) so prices are higher.

But thinking about it from the perspective of economic risk rather than pure politics changes the tone: “Climate is essentially an economic problem and it’s about how we manage the risk,” Dr. Sanjay Patnaik, director of the Center on Regulation and Markets at The Brookings Institution, told CNN Business.

And how do they want to do this? By massive government control of the economy, and, by extension, your life. Surprise?

Read: ‘Climate Change’ Is Keeping Consumer Prices High Or Something »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Democrats, Economy, Global Warming | 10 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach February 1, 2022 – 1:00 pm

…are leaves that are falling because trees are dying from carbon pollution, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Dissecting Leftism, with a post on the COVID narrative falling apart in South Africa.

Read: If All You See… »

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Majority Of Americans Say It’s Time To Accept Chinese Coronavirus And Get On With Our Lives

By William Teach February 1, 2022 – 10:30 am

Don’t expect Biden, Fauci, the people in his administration, Democratic Party governors and mayors, or leftist media outlets like CNN and MSNBC, to listen to Americans

70 percent of Americans say it’s time to accept COVID and ‘get on with our lives’

Seventy percent of Americans now agree with the statement “It’s time we accept that COVID is here to stay and we just need to get on with our lives,” a new Monmouth University poll found.

Of those who report having had COVID-19, 78 percent agreed with the statement, while 65 percent who say they never got the virus also agree.

Among Republicans, 89 percent say it’s time to move on, compared to 71 percent of independents and 47 percent of Democrats.

Democrats are the ones rushing out to get a Chinese made KN95 and in-home COVID test that Biden’s providing. They’re the ones double masking in their cars, and going ballistic on videos because someone else isn’t wearing a mask. Unless it’s inconvenient for the Dem elites

https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1488011633934802954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488011633934802954%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fdougp-3137%2F2022%2F01%2F31%2Fgov-gavin-newsom-says-he-was-very-judicious-in-following-masking-rules-at-the-game-more-video-pics-say-otherwise%2F

Being that the Super Bowl is in Los Angeles, should be pretty interesting to see all the elites and celebs unmasked and partying

According to Patrick Murray, the director of Monmouth’s Polling Institute, “Americans’ worries about COVID haven’t gone away. It seems more to be a realization that we are not going to get this virus under control in a way that we thought was possible just last year.”

Monmouth also suggested that “faith in the ability of President Joe Biden and the federal government to get a handle on the pandemic continues to fade.”

Only 43 percent of Americans said Biden has done a good job handling COVID, the first time his approval rating on this issue has dropped below 50 percent since he took office.

Remember when Biden was yammering about shutting down the virus, not the economy? Constantly? Most other 1st world nations are moving towards reopening. Personally, we should reiterate some of the basics: wash your hands, be careful with personal contact, keep your distance if possible. But, it’s time to get things going again. Get rid of the stupid mask mandates where they have them. Stop requiring people to get a vaccine. It’s worth letting them know that getting a vaccine is worth it, because it means they will most likely have light symptoms if they get Wuhan flu. But, that’s their decision

They were loyal liberals who never dreamed of voting Republican but the damage done to kids by the Left’s Covid hysteria is driving a wave of moms away from the Democrats, writes BETHANY MANDEL

It’s a long piece, worth the read, which shows that a lot of Democrat voters who still hold Democrat values are voting Republican, like we saw in Virginia and NJ in the last governor elections, because they care about their children above all else, and the insanity happening in government schools with the masking, making kids eat outside in the cold, and so much more, is driving them to vote GOP at this time.

Read: Majority Of Americans Say It’s Time To Accept Chinese Coronavirus And Get On With Our Lives »

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Your Fault: Carbon Pollution Caused Bad Weather HeatSnow/Cold Means More Evil Generators

By William Teach February 1, 2022 – 7:00 am

Thanks, dude. You just had to take a trip to see grandma in your fossil fueled vehicle, didn’t you, instead of buying and EV

Home generator sales are booming with mass outages, climate change and COVID

Outside Christopher Glenn’s house in the small Oregon community of Melrose, a white metal box sits next to the garage. The home standby generator was installed after a long outage in 2019.

“We had a major snowstorm that brought about 3 feet of snow to our backyard, and we were without electricity for approximately a week,” says Glenn.

His spouse works remotely and couldn’t work without electricity. They also own an organic tea business that was shut down by the outage. (snip)

Beyond snowstorms, he’s also concerned about outages during the wildfire season. As in California, Oregon utilities sometimes turn off electricity so power lines don’t spark fires.

Around the U.S., climate change is bringing more intense and frequent extreme weather that often means mass power outages, including devastating, high-profile ones like that in Texas last year.

Yeah, that was a massive cold snap. Heat trapping gasses cause that, along with snow, in Climate Cult World. As for the fires, pretty much every single one can be traced back to someone intentionally or unintentionally causing them, and they tend to be worse thanks to stupid policies from Democrats

If you’re thinking about buying a home generator, Hope says another consideration is climate change. Generators are “actually horrible fossil fuel-burning polluters that, of course, contribute to man-made climate change.” And that, he says, fuels the same severe weather events that result in widespread power outages.

A cleaner but more expensive option is installing solar panels and batteries on a house. Those will keep the power on, like a generator, but only as long as there’s enough sun to charge the batteries.

Those are bit more than a top end generator, but, of course, aren’t as reliable. The genny will work when there’s no sun. Especially in a state that has a lot fewer sunny days.

Read: Your Fault: Carbon Pollution Caused Bad Weather HeatSnow/Cold Means More Evil Generators »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Energy, Global Warming | 6 Comments | Trackback URL

California Looks To Pass Bill That Will Unintentionally Replace Fast Food Workers With Robots

By William Teach February 1, 2022 – 6:45 am

Let’s see what the People’s Republik Of California is up to

California eyes giving 500,000 fast food workers more power

unintended consequencesCalifornia’s more than half-million fast food workers would get increased power and protections under a first-in-the-nation measure approved by the state Assembly on Monday.

Workers would be included alongside employers and state agencies on a new Fast-Food Sector Council to set statewide minimum standards on wages, working hours, training and working conditions including procedures designed to protect employees from the coronavirus pandemic.

It would be limited to fast food restaurants with at least 30 establishments nationally.

“California has a chance to lead the country and address outstanding issues in the fast food industry,” said Democratic Assemblyman Chris Holden, a former franchisee himself. “It is about fairness and it is about bringing all the responsible parties to the table to collaborate on solutions.”

What could possibly go wrong, eh? Having little Chad and Becky who have degrees in Gender Studies sit at a table with people who put their own ass on the line by opening the franchise is insanity. I wonder if the Cal Dems who wrote this factored in that most owners do not own 30 nationwide?

The bill “just drives entire franchises and franchise brands away from California,” said Republican Assemblyman Kelly Seyarto.

Who’ll want to open one? How many current owners will move even faster to replace the workers with machines? Imagine if the machines gave you the same standard on ever burger, sandwich, fries, etc, that you order? That would actually be great.

Fast food workers as well as local franchisees “are often at the mercy” of fast food chains, Bob Schoonover, president of 700,000-member SEIU California, said before the vote. The bill “addresses this imbalance of power by bringing workers and franchisees together to raise standards and protections across the California fast food industry.”

Did any of those workers, many who are illegal aliens, put their own money on the line in opening the franchise? Their credit, their collateral? If it goes out of business, do they share the burden? No? Huh. If they want power they can open their own.

Among other things, employees could sue the restaurant if they contend they have been fired, discriminated or retaliated against for exercising the rights created under the bill. And franchisees could bring actions against franchisors if they believe the corporations are impeding their compliance with health, safety and employment laws.

That’s not an incentive to replace most with machines, right? Most don’t seem able to calculate change without a machine.

It would include two representatives of fast food restaurant employees, two representatives of advocates for fast food restaurant employees, one representative of fast food restaurant franchisors and one representative of fast food restaurant franchisees.

The remaining five members would be representatives of state agencies.

So, 4 representing the employees who do not actually have a monetary stake in the business, no responsibility, no owing anything to the bank, and just 2 representing actual businesses. You can bet the 5 for the state will back the employees. How’s that tax base working, California, when payroll taxes drop, and many just shut down?

Read: California Looks To Pass Bill That Will Unintentionally Replace Fast Food Workers With Robots »

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If All You See…

By William Teach January 31, 2022 – 1:00 pm

…is an area in drought from carbon pollution, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Bookworm Room, with a post on some examples of stupid leftism.

Read: If All You See… »

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Climate Panel Brings In Experts On Gender, Migration Or Something

By William Teach January 31, 2022 – 1:00 pm

This is totally about science, though, right?

Climate panel invites experts on gender, migration, climate change
Discussion emphasizes universal impact of climate change in Latin America, Caribbean, Middle East

On Friday, Jan. 28, Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies Nadje Al-Ali and Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Patsy Lewis invited four experts to participate in a virtual panel discussion on the intersections of climate change, displacement and gender. The event, called “Climate Change and Displacement: Experiences from Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East,” was co-sponsored by the Climate Solutions Lab at the Watson Institute and was also streamed on the Watson Institute’s YouTube channel.

“Our two centers have been collaborating on a number of issues already of global interest,” Lewis told The Herald. “We have been trying to see how … problems are manifested in different regions and how the responses might be similar or different.”

“While it’s important to zoom into the specifics of either the Middle East, Latin America or the Caribbean, it’s also important to de-exceptionalize the regions and look at commonalities and differences as well,” Al-Ali said.

During the panel, speakers discussed limitations and challenges to female migration, the responsibility of governments to address climate change and migration, as well as how intersectional characteristics such as race, class or education nuance the topic of migration.

You know what I’m not seeing? Any actual scientists

Panelist Dina Najjar, social and gender specialist at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, emphasized the importance of field work and participant observation in gender studies, especially in the Middle East and North Africa. In one instance, Najjar observed women irrigating in Egypt despite speaking with  male farmers who insisted Egyptian women did not participate in the activity.

“Impacts of climate change are gendered,” Najjar told The Herald. “They’re not the same. We need to optimize on women’s abilities to participate in … mitigation measures.”

No, no, these people don’t sound like hardcore Progressives at all, do they?

Read: Climate Panel Brings In Experts On Gender, Migration Or Something »

Posted in AGW Socialism, Global Warming | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

British National Institute Of Health Reverses Course On Vaccine Mandates

By William Teach January 31, 2022 – 10:30 am

I’m sure Biden will be out with a new vaccine mandate at any time

Exclusive: U-turn on mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS and social care workers

Mandatory Covid jabs for NHS and social care workers are set to be scrapped, The Telegraph can reveal, after warnings of crippling staff shortages if the plan went ahead.

Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, will on Monday meet fellow ministers on the Covid-Operations Cabinet committee to rubber stamp the decision on the about-turn.

Multiple government sources said ministers are expected to end the requirement because the omicron Covid variant, now dominant in the UK, is milder than previous strains.

The move comes after warnings that almost 80,000 healthcare workers would be forced out of their jobs because they had declined to take two doses of a Covid vaccine.

The time frame of the existing mandate meant the health care workers had to get their first shot by February 3rd, in order to be able to get their 2nd and be considered fully vaccinated by April. These same healthcare workers worked throughout the pandemic prior to vaccines being developed, but, of course, were turned into Villains after the vaccines if they refused to get the jab.

The legal requirement for care home staff to be fully vaccinated came into effect in November. An estimated 40,000 people lost their jobs over the policy. Under the new rules, they are expected to be able to return to work in the sector.

I personally think it’s a mistake to not get vaccinated, if you can, in order to protect yourself. Doesn’t mean you won’t get COVID, just, most likely, it will be mild. Governments made a big mistake in pushing their “we’re in this together, you need to protect everyone else” talking points, rather than “listen, protect yourself, OK?”

Meanwhile

T-Mobile to terminate corporate employees who aren’t vaccinated by April -memo

T-Mobile US Inc will fire corporate employees who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by April 2, according to an internal company memo posted on the blog The T-MO Report.

The blog said T-Mobile’s new policy was announced on Friday in an email from its human resource chief to all staff. It follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Jan. 13 that blocked President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccination-or-testing mandate for large businesses.

“Employees who have not yet taken action to receive their first dose and upload proof by February 21 will be placed on unpaid leave,” the blog quoted the memo as saying. “Affected employees who do not become fully vaccinated … by April 2 will be separated from T-Mobile.”

The memo, addressed to “all employees (excluding international),” stated that the vaccine rules do not apply to field technicians and most in-store retail roles.

So, why not the techs and store employees? If they were serious, they’d include them. Also, why wait to do this a year and a half after the vaccines were announced? It’s very silly.

Vaccine mandate could spell trouble for seasonal migrant workers: COVID updates

A Department of Homeland Security COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which took effect Jan. 22, is expected to severely restrict the travel of thousands of H-2A seasonal guest workers this year.

The H-2A program allows agricultural employers to bring foreign workers to the United States for agricultural labor or services on a temporary or seasonal basis.

DHS announced the restrictions on Jan. 20, requiring?non-U.S. individuals?seeking to enter the U.S. via land ports of entry?and?ferry terminals?at?the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada?borders?to?be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccinations.

Yet, DHS is allowing illegal aliens into the nation without vaccination. Go figure.

 

Read: British National Institute Of Health Reverses Course On Vaccine Mandates »

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Your Fault: That Was A Heck Of A Snow Storm

By William Teach January 31, 2022 – 7:00 am

I was sitting around Saturday while doing work, checking the webcams, as I mentioned. There were times when you couldn’t see stuff like bridges, Boston (from a camera overlooking the harbor), a lighthouse, the ocean. Mom said they had at least 16 inches on the Jersey shore when all was done. This is your fault, you know

(Axios) Thousands of customers were without power in Massachusetts after a historic blizzard hit the region on Saturday, with Boston tying its record for the most snow to fall in one day, at 23.6 inches, and recording its sixth-largest snowstorm of all time.

The latest: Despite up to two feet of snow falling in the Boston area this weekend, Mayor Michelle Wu said the city’s schools would open Monday and the snow emergency would lift at 6 am, as work continued to clear streets, ramps, and sidewalks. (big snip)

Warmer than average ocean temperatures off the New England coast aided in intensifying the storm and adding more moisture to it, helping it produce extremely heavy snowfall over land. Studies have tied these increasing ocean temperatures to human-caused climate change.

And then

(UK Guardian) Climate change, particularly the warming ocean, probably influenced the strength of the storm, atmospheric researchers said. Much warmer ocean waters “are certainly playing a role in the strengthening of the storm system and increased moisture available for the storm”, said University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Jason Furtado. “But it isn’t the only thing.”

That Guardian one is actually an Associated Press one, so, it’s getting repeated all over the nation at local news outlets. The Washington Post seems to have something similar, but, it’s behind the paywall. And it’s a cult.

Read: Your Fault: That Was A Heck Of A Snow Storm »

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