The National Strategic Stockpile

Congress has a great deal of work to do in legislating the National Strategic Stockpile. To begin, it needs to be moved BACK to the CDC WHERE ALL THE SCIENTISTS ARE THAT CAN MONITOR AND OVERSEE the stockpile.

There needs to be an OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE and an INSPECTOR GENERAL exclusively responsible for the stockpile.

Additionally, the FUNDING NEED of the National Strategic Stockpile must be known and included in the annual budget to increase the stockpile AND maintain the stock that expires over time.

Rep. Mullin is grossly inappropriate in his willingness to discredit a very important scientist based on his inability to understand the dire wish of Dr. Bright to be heard over and above his own personal wellness. The issue regarding his medical issues should be viewed as a heroic status to come forward in the face of his wellness otherwise. Rep. Mullin is grossly inappropriate.

Visit Florida estimates 111.8 million domestic visitors (click here) traveled to Florida in 2018, plus an estimated 10.8 million overseas visitors and 3.5 million Canadians. Officials say travel at 18 Florida airports increased by 7.6 percent last year over the previous year, with a record 93.9 million airline passengers.

There are far better alternatives for travelers such as the Virgin Islands. That's right, there were 69 confirmed cases with 60 recovered and 6 deaths. These statistics are current as of 20 mins ago.

Florida's governor has and continues to have extremely poor judgment to protect the Americans within his state, those that visit, including those from other countries. Florida should not be opening it's economic opportunities because it could and most likely will result in tragedy.

May 14, 2020
By Marc Freeman

At least 25,077 people in South Florida (click here) have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the state reported Thursday. That’s 435 more than the day before.

The Department of Health data also shows that 1,065 people in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties have died from COVID-19, up 26 from Wednesday....

The national discussion of this virus frequently includes the fact the virus found entry into the USA from China to the west coast and then from Europe into the tristate area of the east coast. Miami-Dade has a very different origin of the virus, namely, travel from Brazil. That exposure is just as important as any other. I have not noted any address of this fact by the governor while he seeks to open the Miami-Dade county area.

Dr. Rick Bright stated the N95 masks in use today in the USA from foreign suppliers are inadequate and don't measure up to American Standards. I am bringing this subject up because the statement by Dr. Bright is alarming, but, Prestige Ameritech (click here) have a problem they have to address: Mr. Bowen in testimony to Congress stated he has four Chinese mask manufacturing machines to begin production. That is great, HOWEVER, Mr. Bowen needs to reassure the American people and Congress that these Chinese machines are capable of producing high-quality N95 mask that meets American Standards of Safety.

The idea Congress has looked the other way when it comes to purchasing N95 masks into the USA that are substandard and open health care workers to dangerous disease. That is astounding. Congress is not trustworthy. 

There was a time in the USA when the people demanded nothing short of perfection in the production of such products. I think what has occurred here is a shift to investing in cheaper substandard products from China because the stock market benefits from it. It is long past due that the USA return vital manufacturing to the country and jobs to the American people PERMANENTLY.

Prestige Ameritech should be given a PERMANENT contract with the USA government to produce 4 million masks a month beginning as soon as possible. If we rely only on Prestige Ameritech the USA government would need 100s of years to produce 40 billion masks. Therefore, while Prestige Ameritech should receive a forever contract, there needs to be other manufacturing of masks and PPE and supplies for testing and vaccine administration established to bring on more production per month. Those new manufacturers should receive a forever contract as well. These additional manufacturing facilities have guaranteed profits from forever contracts to the National Strategic Stockpile.

There has to be BUILT IN funding in the national budget for these important aspects of American life.

There needs to be a public review of the National Strategic Stockpile annually. It is not sexy, but, the reassurance of emergency measures in place would be good reading in a Sunday newspaper.

The lack of these vital supplies is gross negligence. No American ever expected this negligence and absolutely did not even thinkable was the idea the purchases were of substandard equipment and supplies. I think the FDA needs to review the current supplies in use now and demand a recall on any substandard equipment and supplies. It looks as though the USA needs to hire more professionals to perform this review.

November 5, 2005
By Robert Roos

Nov 1, 2005 (CIDRAP News) – President George W. Bush (click here) today proposed $7.1 billion in spending to prepare for an influenza pandemic, including $5 billion for vaccines and drugs, as his administration released an outline of its preparedness strategy.

"At this moment, there is no pandemic influenza in the United States or the world," Bush said in a speech in Bethesda, Md., today. "But if history is our guide, there is reason to be concerned."

He explained the threat posed by the H5N1 avian flu virus, saying it is "still primarily an animal disease" but could spread around the world if it gained the ability to pass efficiently from person to person. "Our country has been given fair warning of this danger to our homeland—and time to prepare," he said.

Bush said his strategy has three main elements: detecting outbreaks anywhere in the world; stockpiling vaccines and antiviral drugs while improving the ability to make new vaccines for a pandemic virus; and improving general readiness at the federal, state, and local levels....

80 USA judges are being targeted by the GOP to remove from the judicial roles. (click here)

There is an enormous opportunity to build new manufacturing facilities. There need to be safe workplaces, but, there is also the sincere need for domestic manufacturing of PPE. PPE is a general use product and NOT a custom made product to fit the protection of SARS-CoV-2. There is no reason to believe PPE manufactured domestically is a frivolous pursuit for the government and/or the private industries.

Three graphs that illustrate the issues before the Middle Class and Living Safety.

The health of the American Middle Class has far-reaching impacts on not just the USA economy, but, the global economy. The Middle Class/Working Class (including the poor) needs to know they can safely return to work as soon as possible BUT after they are assured transmission of SARS-CoV-2 will NOT occur on the job.

This is supposed to be the highest priority of the Secretary of Labor, however, he is mostly absent.

This graph illustrates the understanding of linear vs. exponential growth. The growth in any population on Earth is exponential. SARS-CoV-2 is not only exponential in it's growth among people, but it also occurs rapidly.

Kahn Academy on Linear vs. Exponential Growth (click here)


The graph below is the unrelenting unemployment claims in the USA primarily due to the exponential growth of SARS-CoV-2 (click here).


This graph is the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the USA. I stated very early on that the new cases in the USA were different than other countries because the response to the virus was never centralized, but, left to governors of the states. That pattern I talked about then is holding to be true. This unique pattern in the USA is because there are 50 authorities making policy rather than a central government authority. This graph also beings curiosity for the purpose of the Trump daily press conferences. They have no impact to bring the exponential growth of COVID-19 to resolve of ZERO GROWTH.

The dialogue regarding the Middle Class and Working Poor return to independent income needs to change. WHAT IS THE WORK ENVIRONMENT Americans are returning to?

The dialogue to federal spending MUST include regulatory expectations for Americans in relation to their work environment. The workplace MUST maintain a ZERO exponential growth of COVID-19. That means the workplace looks differently in ending the potential of disease spread. If this does not occur, there will be a significant number of people taken out of the workforce because of disease and death. So, therefore, why return Americans back to work at all?

Achieving Herd Immunity may prove to be a huge folly considering the extent scientists are learning adverse effects on the outcome of virus exposure. The idea of a PROVEN EFFECTIVE vaccine WITH HIGH SUCCESS IN THE RANGE OF 95 PERCENT has sincere importance in the resolve of the virus.

HOWEVER, the more expedient approach maybe to ELIMINATE the virus from any society, USA or globally. New Zealand's method is PROVEN to this being possible. New Zealand ordered the society quarantined across the country. It stopped the spread of the virus IMMEDIATELY. The ill were treated. The country reopened and a spurt of spread was noted and the country immediately reacted and returned to a Stage 2 status which brought the number of new cases to zero once again. The New Zealand approach is the ONLY rational approach considering the devastating reality of "living with COVID-19."

The other extreme to the New Zealand model is that which was engaged by Trump. He attempted to introduce DENIAL as a mass strategy to allow the virus free access to the population of the USA which is a herd immunity strategy. It can if instituted in some states, create another episode of exponential spread. Herd immunity is not the answer considering the continued adverse effects of the virus on the human body.

New Zealand has not had to implement regulatory expectations of their workforce and their workplace because the virus has no potential at all. 

Opening the American workforce to herd immunity is a huge folly and should be eliminated as a potential answer for the USA. I strongly believe SARS-CoV-2 is not only deadly but, leaves permanent scars on the human body with the potential to handicaps currently and in the future.

If the USA political environment demands FORCING the USA workforce back to work, then there MUST BE REGULATORY SAFETY STANDARDS for every person returning to work. That means employers MUST create a safe environment for their workers. The spread of this virus MUST END.

Future legislation regarding COVID-19 has to begin the focus on returning Americans to work. The CHARACTER of that legislation must have a determined and purposeful path. Ending the spread is vital.

Morality is an election issue. The treatment of voting Americans needs to be on a level and equal platform. Racism is an immoral component to voting.

May 13, 2020
By Jeffery Martin

Iowa Congressman Steve King (click here) told a forum Tuesday night that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy would be allowed back into the committees he was removed from after his controversial comments were made public in 2019. However, other GOP lawmakers have made it clear that King should not be reinstated.

King's committee assignments were taken away after he made statements that aligned with white supremacist beliefs. He was removed after an interview with The New York Times in which he asked, "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization—how did that language become offensive?"

"Kevin McCarthy and I reached an agreement that he would advocate to the steering committee to put all of my committees back, all of my seniority," King said. When the steering committee reconvenes at the next session of Congress, King added, "I have Kevin McCarthy's word that that will be my time for exoneration."...

March 12, 2020

Heading into the 2020 election season, (click here) a new Pew Research Center survey delves into the relationship between religion and politics, including perceptions about President Donald Trump among white evangelical Protestants, a key part of his electoral base. It finds that white evangelicals largely see Trump as fighting for their beliefs and advancing their interests, and they feel their side generally has been winning recently on political matters important to them. But when it comes to Trump’s personal qualities and conduct, many express mixed feelings. Even among this strongly supportive constituency, most do not view Trump as a very religious, honest or morally upstanding person (though many white evangelicals say he is somewhat religious, fairly honest or fairly morally upstanding)....

May 11, 2020

America’s faith in its own electoral process (click here) has never been rock solid (and some voters have good reason for skepticism) but the coronavirus pandemic has led to a whole slew of complicating factors. Whether it’s the health and safety of people in line to vote or confidence that those votes will be tallied accurately, the challenges facing voters in the months ahead are significant. And some Christians are doing their part to make sure Congress addresses those challenges head-on.

Over 20 Christian leaders from a variety of racial, ideological and regional backgrounds have come together to sign a letter calling on Congress to appropriate an extra four billion dollars towards protecting the election and voters, each of who are, according to the letter “made in the image of God” so “any effort to discourage or suppress their vote assaults their human dignity and undermines our democracy.”...

Dr. Fauci will not avert his attention from the facts for a very good reason.

There are professional dialogues taking place around the world about SARS-CoV-2. These dialogues include the effect of the virus on human reproduction. This is only one discussion and is about the fact the virus uses ACE2 to access human cells. That means during the formation of ovum the virus can have access to human reproduction.

There are very real reasons for caution in allowing social contact beyond the current recommendations. Enough of the Trump experimentation with his focus on forcing people "back to work."

...However, (click here) apart from the undoubtedly important considerations of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy and the fetus, it is also important to also direct our attention to ovarian physiology and consider the theoretical risks that IVF treatment may pose on fertility patients, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 It was recently reported that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is used by SARS-CoV-2 for entry into human cells (5). ACE2 has wide distribution in several human organs, including the ovary (6), and is a member of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which has a central role in the female reproduction system....

From Kaiser Health News:

A number of factors may be working against men (click here) in the current epidemic, scientists say, including some that are biological, and some that are rooted in lifestyle. Meanwhile, experts say that the current coronavirus outbreak is just the latest sign that the the wildlife trade needs to be shut down. And a closer look at other Asian countries gives researchers hints about how the virus may spread.

The New York Times: Why The Coronavirus Seems To Hit Men Harder Than WomenThe coronavirus that originated in China has spread fear and anxiety around the world. But while the novel virus has largely spared one vulnerable group — children — it appears to pose a particular threat to middle-aged and older adults, particularly men. This week, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention published the largest analysis of coronavirus cases to date. Although men and women have been infected in roughly equal numbers, researchers found, the death rate among men was 2.8 percent, compared with 1.7 percent among women. (Rabin, 2/20)...

There are too many guns on the street.

If police officers cannot be counted on to protect the people, especially children, then something needs to be done about the violent military-style weapons that kill without a chance of survival. This is not the ONLY instance of a police officer not acting to protect others when there was a gunman exerting deadly force.

Since when does DO PROCESS enter into the termination of an employee? That is some creative lawyering.

May 13, 2020
By Eileen Kelley

A sheriff’s sergeant (click here) who was fired for sitting in his parked car while a gunman slaughtered students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School will get his job back.

An arbitrator has dismissed the case against Brian Miller. According to a statement from the union that represents deputies and sergeants, the arbitrator’s ruling found that the Broward County Sheriff’s Office violated Miller’s due process rights when Sheriff Gregory Tony terminated him.

Miller will receive back pay since his termination in June, 16 months after the school shooting in Parkland. He was paid more than $137,000 a year in 2018.

Former student Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people and wounded 17 more after entering Stoneman Douglas with an AR-15 rifle on Feb. 14, 2018. He is awaiting trial....

...Miller was the first supervisor on the scene. He arrived in time to hear three or four shots. As a supervisor, he didn’t rush to take command. Instead, a state commission investigating the shooting found that Miller took his time putting on a bulletproof vest and hid behind his car on Holmberg Road, not going on the radio for 10 minutes.

“Miller failed to coordinate or direct deputies’ actions and did not direct or coordinate an immediate response into the school,” a report from the commission said. "Sergeant Miller’s actions were ineffective and he did not properly supervise the scene.”...

Is cowardess a crime? (click here)

Wisconsin still has a significant problem.

Wisconsin Covid-19 (coronavirus disease) (click here)

Wisconsin's numbers continue to increase at a very steady rate. The most recent recorded are 291 cases on May 13, 2020. The people of Wisconsin are still having issues with SARS-CoV-2 infecting them. It hasn't stopped and the curve is definitely not flattening.

I sincerely believe health officials need to make the announcements of Stay at Home orders. It is a health emergency and they are the authorities to call an end to important precautions.

Citizens are not perfect. They try very hard to be careful, but, if they are forced back to a work environment they will forget about the needed modifications of behavior to avoid contracting the virus. Their work product will be effected and the pressures of maintaining their job will cause them to compromise their safety. I don't care where they work; multitasking never included the avoidance of a deadly virus before.

May 13, 2020
By Logan Rude

Madison — Dane County officials (click here) announced Wednesday that local health officials are issuing a local “safer at home” order for Madison and Dane County after the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide order.

Health officials said the criteria identified using the Badger Bounce Back plan show that Dane County’s efforts against the coronavirus look promising, but the measures outlined by Evers’ order are essential to keep the county’s residents healthy....

There was a huge example for everyone to witness of people that were at work and didn't take their distancing and mask responsibilities seriously and that was the Trump administration. The infection ran through the staff, including Dr. Fauci, like wildfire.

This is a very serious virus and most everyone is concerned for the wellness of Dr. Fauci who's age puts him in a delicate cohort. This is not a time for willful defiance of CAUTION, especially by the courts of the USA.

In addition, the tests available to Americans are not as accurate as they need to be.

May 13, 2020
By Christina Zhao

A rapid coronavirus test, (click here) used on White House officials, misses almost half of all positive infections, according to a new study by researchers at New York University.

In a pre-published study, NYU Langone Health researchers compared the test produced by Abbott Laboratories, which turns out positive tests within five minutes and negative cases within 13 minutes, with machines that return tests in 45 minutes. The authors said they probed the test for accuracy because its speedy turnaround could be useful for the institution's medical center's emergency department.

They found that the rapid Abbott test produced 48 percent false negative tests when the nasal swab used for the virus sample was dry and roughly 33 percent when the swab was placed in liquid solution. The company recommends the dry method to its customers....

The trade war is how this entire mess got started.

May 13, 2020

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian (click here) criticized a Senate bill that would allow President Donald Trump to sanction China over the coronavirus outbreak and claimed Republicans were using it to deflect blame.

Asked about the bill during Wednesday's briefing, Zhao told reporters the proposed legislation, which pushes for investigations based on the "presumption of guilt," was "highly immoral" and a way to "shirk responsibility for the U.S. fumbling response to China." He advised politicians to focus on the outbreak instead of "racking their brains to distract attention and deflect responsibility."

Senator Lindsey Graham introduced the legislation, formally titled the COVID-19 Accountability Act, on Tuesday. It would authorize Trump to impose sanctions on China if the country fails to "provide a full accounting of the events leading up to the outbreak" of the new coronavirus....

The US-China policy has always been about the people. China's population is DEPENDENT on the USA. We know for a fact infant formula produced in China was highly inadequate for the infants. Chinese parents were working and dedicating a large amount of their income to purchasing imported USA infant formula. The trade wars have imperiled the Chinese people, including infants.

I think the USA has given up it's right to demand any investigation because the people best able to conduct it were removed from China. The USA investigators worked to prevent these tragedies. They were removed and now Trump wants them to run an investigation to the cause of the virus. 

Sorry, this is a no brainer. If the people removed from China were called to Congress to provide information as to the reasons for this virus to manifest and then find it's way into the global distribution; they would be able to provide the information without an investigation and with one arm tied behind their back. This is no secret and Trump will be unable to deflect his role in it.

...USDA forecasts a considerable increase in China's imports (click here) of coarse grains, soybeans, cotton, beef, and pork by 2024. Furthermore, growth in U.S. exports of horticultural goods, dairy, and alcoholic beverages to China bode well for future opportunities within the consumer-oriented products sector. Provided the U.S.-China trade partnership remains strong, U.S. agricultural producers are well positioned to capitalize on China's economic development and consumer demand into the foreseeable future.

The value of U.S. agricultural and related exports to China has more than tripled over the last 10 years, reaching a record $29.6 billion in FY 2014 before declining slightly in FY 2015.

Due to China's severe cropland shortage and inexpensive labor force, U.S. exports to the country have traditionally been dominated by land-intensive bulk commodities that China then processes for domestic consumption or export. More recently, China's booming demand for luxury items and ready-to-eat foods has created new opportunities for the United States, particularly for exporters of intermediate products such as oils, fats, flour, meal, and sweeteners, and consumer-oriented products such as processed foods, meats, dairy, eggs, tree nuts, and wine and beer. U.S. exports of bulk, intermediate, and agricultural-related products, such as forest and fish products, have each increased approximately 250 percent since 2006. Exports of consumer-oriented products grew 150 percent over the same period....

...The size of the agricultural trade relationship for both the United States and China, as well as U.S. agricultural exports' support for China's food security through trade, provides incentives for both sides to address these issues....

Questions? There is no need for an investigation. The cause screams out loud!

2016
Parent Preferences for Baby Formula in China (click here) and Potential Implications for US Dairy Products Export

The export crisis in USA agriculture is not simply the restaurant business. The dairy industry has been one of the stable aspects of agriculture. The grain and produce farmers are more or less dependent on future prices, not dairy farmers.

ANY SANCTIONS BETTER NOT INCLUDE FOOD EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

April 21, 2020

Some years it’s the weather. (click here) Some years it’s the market, but right now the agriculture and specifically, the dairy industry is dealing with COVID-19 just like everyone else.

The issue isn’t necessarily the virus, instead it has to do with demand....

Israel has done well in addressing the invasion of SARS-CoV-2 (click here).

May 13, 2020
By Shane Croucher

A large majority of Americans (click here) have seen either no change to their household income or an improvement to it since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, according to a new survey commissioned by Bankrate.com.

The poll, conducted by YouGov, found that 58 percent of adult Americans had no change to their income since the crisis started and a further 12 percent reported an increase, even as the economy has crashed into what looks like a deep recession.

Moreover, 19 percent now have more emergency savings than they did, 12 percent have less personal debt, and 22 percent had no debt before the crisis and still do not....

...YouGov surveyed 2,653 adults in the U.S. from April 29 to May 1. The poll was conducted online....

9,637,930 tests in the USA

That does not equate to 9,637,930 individual Americans, adult and children. People are under quarantine, self or imposed. The quarantines are not lifted until a person, adult or child, tests negative. The same person can receive upward of two or more tests. The question is not the number of tests, but, the number of people tested and the their results. The statistics of results of testing is very important. Also, the type/brand of test used and quality of each one in accuracies of results. Accuracies equate to minimizing error.

I believe I posted an old professional article whereby testing error of VIRUS (RNA) was as high as 50 percent and scientists were frustrated with that high level of error. So when evaluating ERROR it may INITIALLY be high, but, demand for quality improvement must accompany such high errors. Scientists are very capable of quality improvement but it takes funding.

Even testing with high number of errors is still valuable in tracking trends, because their is still at least 50 percent accuracy. You have to start somewhere. When dealing with a deadly virus, 50 percent is better than zero percent. Funding does not have to be astronomical so much as sufficient. Thank you.

"Ya think?" The American people need leadership that has no designs on compromising their lives to a virus.

May 8, 2020
By Victoria Chamberlin

Vice President Mike Pence (click here) has been the butt of endless Twitter jabs and some scathing late-night show commentary after he showed up to an Alexandria nursing home on Thursday for a photo-op without a mask.

Pence was delivering boxes of personal protective equipment to the Woodbine Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, one of many deliveries the Federal Emergency Management Agency will send out to nursing homes across the country. Pence was not social distancing from his companions on the trip, and no one in the group was wearing a mask.

The photo-op took place on the same day that a personal valet of President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. On Friday, news broke that Mike Pence’s press secretary, Katie Miller, is positive for COVID-19.

This is the second time in about a week that the vice president has taken heat for not wearing a mask during a public outing. In a visit to the Mayo Clinic last week, Pence flouted hospital rules by choosing not to wear a mask, which he later said was a “mistake.”

The Virginia Democrats put their criticism of the nursing home visit succinctly:...

These men are not good and beneficial leaders. Just that simple.

B Roll

What are you doing to yourselves?

CBS News (click here) correspondent Weijia Jiang, wearing a face mask, asks questions as President Trump participates in a press briefing Monday in the Rose Garden at the White House.

I don't watch this insulting moron anymore. Then I watch a news program and I see this. This is true for me when it comes to Twitter rants as well. The only time I actually know what Trump is compulsively tweeting is when the media brings it to a national level. So, why are the journalists losing their dignity to cover this mess?

There are ethical standards in the way journalists are treated when INVITED into a news conference. It is expected that the journalists will be granted esteem in asking questions and seeking answers that are purposely avoided. The journalists are not demanding ethical treatment.

Weijia Jiang was verbally abused and served up a racist comment that will translate into an ad whereby his racism is exonerated. See, it is the journalists that insist Trump is racist. The journalists are pawns in a very cruel game. 

Editors and owners of the media represented by these journalists should be pursuing a better environment for their employees, one of respect and value. This mess has no value. Sue the lousy no good. He is treating professionals as menial help that have to BOW to the microphone in order to speak to his highness.

Trump has no respect for anyone that doesn't BOW to his whim and treat him as the all-knowing god of the USA government. Enough of this. He knows nothing. He is a showman and the press is seeking a meaningful relationship with the president and he is not capable of it.

Moral and ethical standards of the American Press is its cornerstone that provides the platform of which Americans count on.

Today Trump did the same thing to another male reporter that TOLD the journalist he should know everything there is to know about Obamagate. The questions regarding what exactly does Trump believe Obama did so wrong it is criminal were spot on. The journalist was forced to bow before the president in order to speak to the microphone. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS TREATMENT OF OUR MEDIA PROFESSIONALS!

Then he states every other newsprint knew about Obamagate except the newspaper the journalist worked for. There is another ad moment. Another moment when Trump, poor Trump, had to put the media in it's place.

Trump has NOTHING OF VALUE TO SAY. Any reporting of him belongs in the comic strips.

Ever since he found out that he could end daily news briefings and move journalists to the lawn of the White House, he has not stopped his demeaning treatment that most Americans consider to be the fourth arm of the USA Constitution.

He is amused by the power he has that can make journalists practically stand on their heads in order to get a few words from him that are meaningful. He walked out of the same news conference whereby he verbally abused Weijia Jiang. Someone stated to me they believed Trump was unstable. That isn't why he walked out. He lost control of the microphone, the message and his authority to rule over every human being in front of him. The two women journalists stood up for their rights. They were not going to be mistreated and he lost control. They were right and he had to take back their moral content by walking out. IT WAS A LESSON FOR THE WOMEN TO LEARN! It was a lesson that all the journalists had to learn in order to have those precious moments of "Trump Words."

Stop it. Every professional should be demanding respect and their rights to being inside the Press Room. That is status. Status is part of a journalist's credentials and value. Trump wants to make journalists meaningless and valueless. Why put up with it? There is nothing he is saying worth printing. I got nothing from that reporting of his tirade. He provided nothing of value to the American people in his "Donald Trump Show."

China has reported there were a few cases of COVID-19 that turned up in Wuhan. The government is going to test all the citizens again. Do the Chinese know absolutely it is the same virus? The wet markets are still open.

The “poor Donald” nonsense of sympathetic right wingers has become shrill.

What does Trump or any president have to hide that would lead to him or her becoming debilitated? 

Clarence with that question sounds as though he is searching for an excuse to allow corruption.

The first loyalty of the US Constitution is to the people, not the president.

If Trump is so delicate he can’t stand up to scrutiny of his financial records then it is questionable to his fitness for office and might explain his cowering to other country’s strong men.

There should be no secrets or concerns by the people of the USA of their president. None. Secrets of a president of the USA is called “compromised “ especially in international affairs. There is a very good reason for at least one person in the government to review a president’s tax returns. A very good reason. It is a national security issue.

The chaos in the USA caused by falsehoods needs a return to the beginning of the discovery. New Zealand's methods work.

I am expecting mandates from the scientists testifying today. Those mandates have to prioritize the most vulnerable and the way forward. There is no other authority with enough knowledge to direct a mandate for the USA.

The president does not have the LEGAL KNOWLEDGE to leverage the mandates needed today. Trump has no published authority and his peer review is extremely poor. I mean every word. Trump has no legal authority to order any measure except those recommended by medical authorities and science. His religious complaints are also not a recognized authority. No religion can mandate illness and death, according to statute or precedent to allow the deaths of others.

May 12, 2020
By Jason Lemon

The Chinese city of Wuhan, (click here) where the novel coronavirus was first discovered, has ordered that all of its 14 million residents be tested for COVID-19 after several residents tested positive over the weekend following more than a month without new infections.

All of Wuhan's districts were required to put together and submit a plan to carry out the mass testing effort within a 10-day campaign by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the directive from the Wuhan Covid-19 Epidemic Prevention Headquarters, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

The decision was made after one resident of the central Chinese city tested positive for the virus on Saturday. Following his confirmed diagnosis, 5,000 people from his residential complex were tested and five more infected individuals were discovered....

May 12, 2020

2019 was the worst year for anti-Semitic attacks since the Anti-Defamation League began keeping records. This included a massive uptick in violent assaults.

Anti-Semitic incidents (click here) in the United States hit a four-decade high in 2019, according to the latest report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the US' oldest and largest Jewish NGOs. The ADL's annual audit published late on Tuesday found that over 2,000 acts of assault, vandalism, and harassment had taken place – the most since the group started keeping track in 1979.

"The record number of incidents came as the Jewish community grappled with vicious and lethal antisemitic attacks against communities in Poway, Jersey City and Monsey, and a spree of violent assaults in Brooklyn," the ADL noted in its report.

Of the 96 victims of violent assaults, including five fatalities, across the US, 25 were targeted in Brooklyn alone. The area is home to many Hasidic and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities.

In total, there were 2,107 anti-Semitic incidents in the US, occurring in every US state except Alaska and Hawaii. This number represents a 12% increase on 2018. Overall, harassment increased by 6%, vandalism by 19%, and assault by a massive 56%....

New Zealand has a 4 stage method to engage the economy. The emergence from the lockdown has seen one set back last Thursday. The country moved back to Stage 2 when the new cases emerged. Today, there are no new cases.

New Zealand is the best model for democracies. New Zealand took a "ZERO TOLERANCE" method to end the illnesses and deaths by SARS-CoV-2.

May 9, 2020
By Sophie Cousins

An aggressive approach (click here) has enabled New Zealand to end community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Sophie Cousins reports.

New Zealand recorded its first day of no new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) early this week, more than a month after its strict lockdown began.

At the time of publication, New Zealand had recorded fewer than 1500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 20 deaths. On March 23, a month after the country had recorded its first case, New Zealand committed to an elimination strategy. A few days later, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a strict national lockdown when it only had 102 cases and zero deaths. Her swift decision making won international praise, including from WHO.

New Zealand's decision to pursue an elimination approach was a vastly different approach to usual pandemic planning, which has historically been based on a mitigation model and focuses on delaying the arrival of the virus, followed by a range of measures to flatten the curve of cases and deaths...

12 May 2020

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (click here) has defended some of the Government's restrictions, as New Zealand records no new cases of Covid-19 ahead of the move to alert level 2 on Thursday. Get all the important news and read the full stories in the links below.

New Zealand has no new cases of Covid-19 today as the country's businesses scramble to reopen from Thursday under alert level 2. There are a total of 1497 cases - and 93 per cent have now recovered. There are just 73 active cases.

After being told last week that level 2 would allow 100-person weddings, funerals and gatherings, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has ruled that those events can't happen for at least two more weeks. Ardern has defended keeping a 10-person limit on funerals at level 2, saying people tended to physically comfort each other at funerals and the risks were too high, but National Party leader Simon Bridges described the limit as "inhumane". Meanwhile, the ruling that bars will have to remain closed until next Thursday has come as a surprise and disappointment to the hospitality sector....

The USA's treasury cannot afford Trump's mongering of openness of society to allow more cases and more deaths. People cannot stay home forever and that is what Trump is prescribing as there is no confidence in the people to move forward. Forcing exposure is lethal and ungovernable. The USA should have resolved it's problems as has New Zealand. But, due to denial of the problem and encouraging disobedience to Governor's Stay at Home orders by Trump the USA is still foundering. We need to return to the first day of contamination and do it right this time.

I will be looking for mandates from the health professionals giving testimony today. The highest mandate they need to bring forward is protecting the elderly and testing that ensures the wellness of the staff that surrounds their lives.

White House Coronavirus Task Force Members Testify on Coronavirus Response and Reopening Phases (click here)

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Robert Redfield and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force testify on the response and reopening phases before the Senate Health Committee.

We need national priorities in testing and a mandate on the best way forward. Americans are looking for a plan and these scientists have to provide guidance in the form of a mandate that resonates in the country above the discordant rants of right wing activists with guns to attempt to intimidate the authorities.

In a different focus, I want an investigation of the Americans carrying on with guns to promote the idea there is a civil war on the horizon. They are yelling into the faces of masked police. Those are not N95 masks and if any police officer is infected by these dangerous activists, they need to be seen in violation of the stay at home orders and arrested for reckless endangerment.

They know right from wrong and they don't care about others' lives.

May 5, 2020
By Gina Kaufman

As photographs of gun-carrying protesters (click here) in Michigan's Capitol building made the rounds nationally, one has emerged as a defining image of last week's demonstration over the governor's orders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

An unmasked man, mid-scream, yelling within inches of two police officers.

There have been memes and chatter on social media about the screaming protester, even misidentifications of him as a Los Angeles activist.

But he isn't from California. He is from New Hudson, Michigan. And his name is Brian Cash....

No one cares about those officers. The officers are completely compromised by the allowance of guns inside the state capital building. The officers know if they became aggressive there would be gunfire and there would be dead citizens and dead officers.

Those gun-toting demonstrators should have never been allowed in the building. The capital building should be closed to the POTENTIAL of violence. This is ridiculous. There is a gross imbalance in the authority of law by legislators that cater to cronies and that is exactly what I am looking at in that picture.

If officers are becoming ill because of these radicals there should be arrests and prosecutions. This is no different than a person that knows they have HIV and transmits it to others knowing they will become ill. This is the same issue and arrests and prosecutions should take place.

There is absolutely no respect for those officers and they are holding the line against blatant violence. "Stay at Home" orders are sincere orders by government to END THIS VIRAL INVASION. Those orders are being disobeyed. This will never be resolved if the authority of law is not respected.