…is a horrible pizza with horrible cheese that comes from horrible carbon polluting cows, you might just be a Warmist
The blog of the day is The Lid, with a post on Bat Soup Virus and selective outrage.
Read: If All You See… »
…is a horrible pizza with horrible cheese that comes from horrible carbon polluting cows, you might just be a Warmist
The blog of the day is The Lid, with a post on Bat Soup Virus and selective outrage.
Read: If All You See… »
Italian law enforcement must be Very Proud of themselves
Italian Woman Fined for Taking Her Turtle for a Walk During Coronavirus Quarantine
A 60-year-old woman has been fined for breaking Italy’s lockdown measures—her excuse: she was walking her pet turtle.
According to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, police found the woman outside her home on Monday. When asked to present justification for breaking quarantine, she said she had left her house to take her turtle for a walk. The reason was not considered satisfactory and she was fined €400 ($430).
Italy has been in lockdown since March 9 and this is not the first time residents have broken protocol. As Newsweek previously reported, a 31-year-old man from San Fermo della Battaglia was fined in March after flouting the lockdown rules to play “Pokemon Go.” Some 16,545 fines were issued on Easter Monday alone. (snip)
Italians are allowed out to buy food and medication, and to go for a walk, but must carry a certificate giving their reasons for being outside the house. As Newsweek previously reported, anyone found in violation of these policies can be fined or even sentenced to jail time
Government around the world has become unhinged. They say keep your distance, yet, when people are doing that they fine them and even arrest them for daring to be outside. “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority.”
And this from Twitchy
Read: 60 Year Old Italian Woman Gets Fined For Walking Her Turtle »
Why, no, no, the climate cultists will not give up on forcing Other People to comply and passing ‘climate change’ legislation
Tackling climate change is vital for the strongest economic recovery after coronavirus
Recovery from coronavirus must reckon with climate change. The current and urgent focus properly needs to be flattening the curve and saving lives.
Yet even as this overriding priority absorbs us, governments now need to be thinking how to support the strongest possible recovery as we emerge from this crisis.
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, underscores we are in both a health and economic crisis. In dealing with the former we cannot lose a generation to the latter.
Focus on recovery must be on maximising economic growth and jobs, and ensuring this includes everyone. This was the guiding star that steered the international response to the global financial crisis. (snip)
Reckoning with climate change will support a strongest possible recovery. The threat of climate change that is driving global action against it has not gone away. Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic is a harbinger of climate disasters to come and the resilience we need to build into our systems – including health – to deal with what we know will be the adverse impacts of climate change.
We know that unless we address this challenge, we will all be worse off; and the longer we take in addressing the challenge, the worse it will be. Just as Covid-19 requires us to act now to save lives in the next few weeks, climate change requires action now to avert a future global catastrophe. The logic of climate action has increasingly applied to global economic activity since the Paris agreement, and must continue to underpin the investment decisions governments make going forward.
I’ll tell you what: when I see the majority of Warmists, especially the big shots and the ones who go on TV and write things along with all the ones who protest and such, practice what they preach, I’ll consider supporting Hotcoldwetdry policies.
Significantly, climate related investments in many cases will offer the best prospects for economic growth and jobs. On that basis alone they should be prioritised. The OECD report Investing in Climate, Investing in Growth demonstrated this in detail for the G20 in 2018.
For example, they provide options for major infrastructure investments which should be a bedrock of government stimulus for recovery: clean energy and new transport systems, more sustainable homes and buildings, improved agricultural practices water and waste management.
In other words, government controlling where you go and where you live. What you eat.
In short, if banks will not finance new coal-fired power in Australia but will lend for renewable energy and storage, which would you tend toward, and where then are the growth and jobs, and best place for stimulus?
Telling banks who they can loan money to.
Turbocharging this with a stimulus package for more renewable energy and flexible storage of all sorts (including hydrogen), accompanying transmission and security technologies for our electricity grid, and investment in dramatically improving energy efficiency would – literally and figuratively – power our economy forward.
Funny, nations have been doing this for well over a decade, but, especially for the 2008 recession recovery, and, it mostly failed.
In the aftermath of our drought and bushfires, another obvious area for nation-building investment is our land sector. Farm productivity can be dramatically improved by precision agriculture and regenerative farming technologies while building resilience to drought.
So, controlling farms. Strange how this always seems to end in government control.
Read: Tackling Hotcoldwetdry Is Is Vital For Bat Soup Virus Recovery Or Something »
The local Raleigh News and Observer fact checker kinda comes to the conclusion of “maybe, we think so, but, maybe”
Fact check: Did police violate constitutional rights at ‘Reopen NC’ protest in Raleigh?
The issue:Â Were police in the wrong when they arrested at least one protester near the legislature who was accused of violating the statewide stay-at-home order?
Why we’re checking this. The protesters asked for an end to Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order, and the reaction from the Raleigh Police Department that “Protesting is a non-essential activity†inspired many angry responses.
What you need to know. During an official emergency, like the coronavirus is in North Carolina, can people be arrested for violating emergency orders while they protest?
Well, the other issue is, really, can law enforcement in North Carolina tell people that they must leave open public property, including the streets, when they are doing all they can to stay 6 feet or more apart, and many were simply in their vehicles, isolated from other people
Protesting is certainly a constitutionally protected act. The First Amendment guarantees that and more. But those constitutional rights don’t necessarily protect protesters from being arrested for breaking other laws while they protest.
For example, many liberal protesters have been arrested at the state legislature for trespassing in recent years, after refusing police orders to leave. Some have later had their charges dismissed, while others — most notably a frequent protest leader, the Rev. William Barber II — were prosecuted and convicted.
But, see, the Moral Monday protesters were arrested for being inside the General Assembly building. There were no problems with them being outside, except where they blocked entrance to the GA building. That’s a big difference between what they were doing here. And, no, the protesters yesterday couldn’t be arrested for trespassing, since the actual streets and state house grounds were not closed.
In addition to the arrest with the Reopen NC protest, anti-abortion protesters were arrested in Greensboro and Charlotte earlier this month. Those arrests have now triggered lawsuits.
Last week, after Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said he thought the arrests of the anti-abortion activists were unconstitutional, The News & Observer wrote a fact-check about that claim.
The fact-check concluded that, as with many legal issues, it depends.
Police do have the power to use criminal charges to enforce Cooper’s stay-at-home order, said Shea Denning, a criminal law expert at the UNC School of Government. And in an officially declared emergency like this, there is much precedent for the government being able to take actions to address the emergency that might in normal times infringe on people’s rights.
The question, then, isn’t a simple one like whether people have a constitutional right to protest. The real question, Denning said, becomes whether the restrictions went too far — or whether the restrictions were enforced in a discriminatory manner.
The fact check offers many articles at the end on the subject, but only a few touch on North Carolina specifically, and do not really answer the question. Now, consider that NC Governor has not declared martial law, just a state of emergency, which is authorized by the North Carolina Emergency Management Act. Nowhere within does it discuss the loss of civil liberties during a state of emergency, that the government at any level (state, county, local) may abrogate any civil liberties laid out in the North Carolina Constitution. Again
Sec. 2. Sovereignty of the people: All political power is vested in and derived from the people; all government of right originates from the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.
Sec. 12. Right of assembly and petition: The people have a right to assemble together to consult for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to apply to the General Assembly for redress of grievances; but secret political societies are dangerous to the liberties of a free people and shall not be tolerated.
Here’s another interesting one I ran across reading further
Sec. 17. Slavery and involuntary servitude: Slavery is forever prohibited. Involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the parties have been adjudged guilty, is forever prohibited.
Is being ordered to stay home involuntary servitude? How about law enforcement order such?
Nationwide, the American Bar Association wrote in March, “Lawsuits challenging COVID-19 quarantines and restrictions on public gatherings may be doomed to failure.â€
Possibly, but that is not the question: it’s whether law enforcement can impede people engaged in a constitutionally allowed protest that is purely peaceful. That is really not answered, so, it will be interesting to see what courts may rule. I have a feeling that they will simply dismiss the fines and move on, except in more egregious cases of law enforcement over-reach.
Read: Fact Check: Did The Raleigh PD Violate Civil Liberties? »
Wish I had known this was going to happen, I might have gone, but, also had a sales appointment
Raleigh police break up crowd protesting to #ReopenNC
Dozens of people, many wearing red, white and blue and waving American flags, gathered outside the Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh Tuesday to protest the statewide stay-at-home order that has shut down businesses and crippled North Carolina’s economy in an attempt to slow and contain the spread of coronavirus.
The order, issued March 27 by Gov. Roy Cooper, prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people, closes businesses not considered “essential,” and asks people to stay home other than trips to buy groceries, pick up prescriptions, visit a health care provider, exercise, care for family members, volunteer to serve the needy or visit a place of worship. (snip)
But Raleigh police disagreed. After observing the crowd for about an hour, officers determined it was too many people too close together and asked them to disperse.
“If you fail to leave, if you do not disperse, you will be subject to a physical arrest and taken to the jail,” an officer on a bullhorn told the crowd.
Most got in their vehicles and continued the protest by blowing their horns, but one woman who failed to leave was taken away in handcuffs. Monica Faith Ussery, 51, of Holly Springs, faces a single misdemeanor charge of violation of executive order.
The WRAL article fails to mention the authoritarian tweets by the RPD, nor does ABC11 one
Read: Raleigh Police Fail To Understand Federal And State Constitutions, Break Up Protest »
Gretchen ‘Il Duce” Whitmer may not be happy Wednesday
Paul LaFrance, a business owner who lives in the Detroit metro area, has never protested. But that’s going to change this week.
He’s joining a group of Michigan residents planning to protest their governor’s stay-at-home order at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing on Wednesday.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who was elected in 2018, issued a new stay-at-home order on Thursday to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The order, one of the nation’s most stringent, included closing parts of big-box stores that sell gardening and home-improvement goods, limiting the use of motorboats, closing public golf courses, and curbing interstate travel. (snip)
“To say that I am furious about this would be an understatement,” LaFrance told Insider. “This is a complete overreach by the government.”
The Facebook event for the protest, organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition and the Michigan Freedom Fund, instructs people to stay in their cars and “honk horns, paint cars or bring signs” to express their displeasure. More than 3,000 Facebook users have indicated that they plan to attend.
I wonder if Imelda Marcos, er, Gretchen Whitmer will sick the police on these people? And if the police will respond, or say “whoa, hold on a moment, what are we doing? This authoritarian stuff is not us, and we still have a 1st Amendment.”
https://twitter.com/ChrissyBaker19/status/1250049158620250118
Read: Michigan Residents Plan Protest Against That Woman In Michigan »
…are TVs which use too much energy and create carbon pollution, you might just be a Warmist
The blog of the day is Irons In The Fire, with a post on Tasmania being control freak stupid level 1.
Read: If All You See… »
Isn’t she awesome?
Jane Fonda Is Making Tracksuits for COVID-19 Relief
Like many who are in self-isolation right now, actress Jane Fonda is delving into the world of comfortable outfits. Today, she modeled a heather gray tracksuit in the corner of her living room with a fresh lacquer of red lipstick. (She was also petting a puppy.) The set featured a rainbow jersey stripe with “Fonda†printed down the sides. But it’s no ordinary sweatsuit. They’re currently for sale and 100 percent of the net proceeds will go to benefit Fire Drill Friday, Fonda’s cause that urges politicians to pay attention to climate change, and One Fair Wage, which advocates for full minimum wage for workers. “Each purchase will help the fight against climate change and provide assistance to our service industry and tipped workers affected by COVID-19,†she wrote in the caption. Fonda had initially shown off the sweats a week ago, but then she referred to them as “my Jane Fonda sweats.†After a flurry of positive comments, including one that read “not to be a capitalist but……do you sell these????â€, Fonda decided to make them for sale. The decision to sell the sets comes after Fonda noted in November that her red coat would be the last item of clothing she’d purchase.
This isn’t the first time Fonda has used fashion to make a political statement. She has long been wearing the aforementioned bright red coat to her Fire Drill Friday demonstrations on Capitol Hill, where she’s been arrested multiple times. She’s also Instagrammed herself in red socks with climate activist Greta Thunberg’s face, noting that people should react towards climate change the way they are reacting towards COVID-19. Speaking of the COVID-19 crisis, last month Fonda wore a red Working America bandana around her mouth and wrote: “@CDCgov @kamalaharris @speakerpelosi this is NOT personal protective equipment. Bandanas and scarves provide almost NO effective protection when #COVID19 patients are highly contagious.#ProtectNurses and save lives: strengthen PPE guidelines for frontline health care workers NOW!â€
In other words, not only has she hijacked St. Greta’s Friday’s For The Future movement with her own Fire Drill Friday (taking long fossil fueled trips), she’s now trying to makes some cash off of it, and using Bat Soup Virus to sell even more.
As far as 100% of the net proceeds, that word “net” is the caveat. How much will she skim off? Funny how the climate cultists always scream for Modern Socialism, but not for their own lives.
Read: Good News: Climahysteric Jane Fonda Pimps Tracksuits For Bat Soup Virus And Hotcoldwetdry Relief »
Well, hey, maybe all us skeptics were wrong about losing money from carbon schemes
SDG&E customers to get $21.11 climate credit on April bill
San Diego Gas & Electric customers will see a credit on their April bill due to California’s fight against climate change.
SDG&E says a $21.11 California Climate Credit will appear on residential customers’ bills, and the credit will be automatically added to their monthly statement.
According to SDGE, the credit “is from a state program that requires power plants, natural gas providers, and other large industries that emit greenhouse gases to buy carbon pollution permits. The credit on the bill is the customers’ share of the payments from the State’s program.â€
The utility says the credit “comes at an ideal time when many are staying home due to the coronavirus pandemic and may be using more energy than normal.â€
Um, just one problem
Between 2016 and 2017, California’s electricity prices rose three times more than they did in the rest of the United States, according to a new analysis by Environmental Progress.
The increases came despite 2017 having had the highest output of hydroelectricity — the state’s cheapest source of electricity — since 2011. Electricity prices in the rest of the United States outside California rose two percent, the same as the rate of inflation.
Between 2011 and 2017, California’s electricity prices rose five times faster than they did nationally. Today, Californians pay 60 percent more, on average, than the rest of the nation, for residential, commercial and industrial electricity.
California’s high penetration of intermittent renewables such as solar and wind are likely a key factor in higher prices. Economists agree that “the dominant policy driver in the electricity sector [in California]
So, you get a cute little rebate, but, your actual costs for electricity far outpace that $21.11. It’s not like they couldn’t see this coming
There’s simply no doubt that SB 100 will mean even higher electricity prices for Californians. A parallel can be seen in Germany, which has pledged to cut its carbon-dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050 and, like California, is closing its nuclear plants and pushing hard for more renewable energy. According to Agora Energiewende, a think tank that focuses on Germany’s transition toward renewables, between 2007 and 2018, residential electricity prices in Germany jumped by 50 percent. German residential customers now have some of the highest-priced electricity in Europe, about $0.37 per kilowatt-hour.
Ontario, Canada has had a similar experience. Over the past decade, Ontario closed its coal plants and implemented lucrative subsidies for renewables. The result: Between 2008 and 2016, residential electricity rates in Ontario rose 71 percent, which was more than double the average increase in the rest of Canada during that time. And rates in Ontario could rise another 40 percent by 2035. A report released by the Fraser Institute in April concluded that “soaring electricity costs in Ontario have placed a significant financial burden on the manufacturing sector and hampered its competitiveness.â€
So, enjoy your $21.11, Californians. You voted for this.
Read: San Diego Residents To See A $21.11 Rebate On Energy Bills From California’s Carbon Scheme »
This is one of those times I would have liked to see Trump take a bit more of an even tone, maybe work a bit more with folks across the aisle, but, then, Democrats in governor and city leadership positions seem to want to keep things closed as long as possible. Mostly because they want to hurt Trump, caring little for their citizens in their cities and states. Most Republicans are on board with getting the economy going again
Donald Trump Reasserts ‘Total Authority’ to Reopen States
President Donald Trump reasserted his authority on Monday at the White House to reopen the country as it continues fighting the coronavirus.
“When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total, and that is the way it’s gotta be,†he said. “And the governors know that.â€
President Trump’s authority to overrule governors on coronavirus restrictions was challenged by Democrats and the establishment media on Monday.
The president did not indicate he would use his authority to supersede governors, citing his “great relationship†with them, but reasserted his power nonetheless.
“We’re going to write up papers on this, it’s not going to be necessary, because the governors need us one way or the other,†he said. “Because ultimately it comes from the federal government.â€
When asked by CNN whether Democrat governors agreed with him, Trump replied, “I haven’t asked anybody, you know why? Because I don’t have to.â€
On some points in reopening things, he does have authority, on others, not. But, consider
White House Press Corps Demanded Trump Shut Down Economy; Now Question His Authority to Reopen It
The White House Press Corps challenged President Donald Trump’s contention Monday that he has the “total†authority to reopen the U.S. economy after the coronavirus abates — after pestering him for weeks to impose a national shutdown.
In every previous case, Trump said that the Constitution’s federalist structure gave governors primary authority, but stated that he could also overrule them.
The media pushed him to assert his executive power — which they are now questioning:
- On March 30, Trump was asked to respond to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) imposing a 70-day stay-at-home order. He responded: “Well, we’re letting the governors do in their states pretty much what they want with our supervision, and they consult with us in all cases.â€
- On April 1, a reporter asked Trump to contradict Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who had refused to issue stay-at-home orders at that point. The president responded that he had the power to do so, but “unless we see something obviously wrong, we’re going to let the governors do it.â€
There are many more examples in the article, and plenty more than weren’t included.
The president’s stance was the same throughout. He argued that he had the constitutional authority to “supersede†governors and to shut down the economy in their states, but that he preferred to defer to the governors, according to the federalist structure of the Constitution.
Now, the media are challenging the very power they pressured Trump to assert just days ago.
And now the media and Democrats are discovering Federalism, and the 10th Amendment. Wait till they find out about the 9th Amendment and power to the people. Trump does have power in terms of things like interstate commerce, the “No Preference Clause, “restricts how states may insulate their economies from those of other states,” carrying out duly passed federal laws, and the supremacy clause (which I personally think is overboard in terms of execution, since many laws should never have been passed, should have been knocked down by the Supreme Court since they are not within the powers of Los Federales). But, heck, most governors, including Democrats like NY’s Andrew Cuomo and California’s Gavin Newsom, want the nation reopened for business.